Salvage of stricken ship off NZ resumes, businesses voice fears

The Liberian-flagged Rena has been stuck for nine days on a reef 14 miles (22 km) off Tauranga on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, spilling about 300 tonnes of heavy toxic fuel and some of its hundreds of containers into the sea.Splits down the middle of the hull of the 236-metre (775-foot) ship have raised fears it will break apart spilling hundreds more tonnes of oil.Salvage teams were back on board the 47,230-tonne ship preparing to cut holes in the stern to get to the tanks holding about 1,000 tonnes of fuel.”It’s complex, it’s hard, it’s difficult and they will start pumping as soon as they can,” Maritime NZ spokesman Bruce Anderson told reporters.Oil has washed up along about 40 km (25 miles) of the coast, which is popular with surfers and fishermen.Weather and sea conditions were favourable, but winds are expected to strengthen and may force the salvage workers off the ship, which is listing at about 21 degrees.The salvage company, Svitzer Ltd, said working conditions were difficult.”There are containers on that vessel that are still very loose and could topple over. There is no power on the vessel, so when the salvors go below deck it is pitch dark,” said company spokesman Matt Watson.Platforms have been built to clip on to the stern to give level access to the ship’s tanks, but Watson said it was unlikely pumping would resume on Friday.WORKERS COLLECT OILTourism businesses in the district, which is a holiday spot renowned for good surfing waves and big-game fishing, were reporting cancellations, and some were fearing for their survival.”Effectively, I think a lot of people will have to sell their business or go under,” said surf school operator, Bjorn Waling, adding that oil could be washing up on the coast for years, which would ruin the district’s reputation.The area’s chamber of commerce is working with government agencies on possible short-term subsidies and payments to affected businesses.Hundreds of white-suited workers, including soldiers, wildlife experts, and residents, returned to beaches to collect the foul-smelling fuel oil that has fouled more than 40 km (30 miles) of sandy beaches.More than 100 tonnes of oil have been recovered from an estimated 300 that leaked from the ship, while about 20 containers of the 88 known to have fallen off the ship have been washed up.Preparations were also being made in the small town of Whakatane, about 80 km (50 miles) down the coast from Tauranga, should wind and currents push oil that far.Operations at Tauranga, the country’s biggest export port, were back to normal after being shut overnight to clear debris, including containers, from the harbour and shipping lanes.The ship’s captain and second officer, both from the Philippines, have been charged and remanded on bail, accused of operating the ship in a dangerous manner.But the mayor of Tauranga dismissed an apology from the ship’s owners, Greece-based Costamare Shipping Inc.”It’s half an apology and a lot of excuse, no it’s not good enough, I’d like to see the ship’s owner come to Tauranga and stand up in front of our people,” Stuart Crosby said on TVNZ.