Grounded containership in NZ splits in two
The Liberian-flagged containership Rena that grounded on a New Zealand reef almost three months ago has, effectively, broken into two pieces, New Zealand’s shipping authority said yesterday.
The Rena still has hundreds of cargo containers on board and has been hit by heavy swells and rough weather for the past four days.
A statement from Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) yesterday said the 47,000-tonne vessel was “effectively in two pieces, but is still firmly grounded on the reef and may be still joined underneath.”
It added: “Divers will examine the undersides once weather and sea conditions improve, probably today.”
The operation to remove the containers remains suspended until conditions improve further.
The statement said nine containers had been “misplaced,” possibly crushed in a hold or lost overboard, while two had definitely gone overboard, one of which was found.
“Light oil sheens have still been seen coming from the bow and stern of the ship. An unknown quantity of oil remains on the ship. Salvors will continue to monitor the state of the Rena,” said the statement.
“Storm conditions have washed up debris on to the beaches, but no significant fresh oil has been reported,” it said.
The Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef, off the east of the north island, near the port of Tauranga, on 5 October, causing one of New Zealand’s worst environmental disasters.
The captain and navigation officer from the ship’s Filipino crew have been charged in connection with the grounding and the resulting pollution.
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