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Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: Nigel Price on October 05, 2011, 04:47:42 AM

Title: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Nigel Price on October 05, 2011, 04:47:42 AM
"Maritime New Zealand says hydraulic oil has spilt from a large cargo ship which has struck a reef near the Tauranga Harbour this morning, however the vessel's fuel tanks are still intact.

The 236m cargo vessel Rena, which carries a Liberian flag, struck the Astrolabe Reef, north of Motiti Island, around 2.20am.

There are no reported injuries to the 25 crew on board.

Authorities this morning flew a helicopter over the site to see if the anything had leaked from the vessel.

A "light oil sheen" found on the surface has been identified as hydraulic oil, Maritime New Zealand says.

The vessel, which left Napier bound for Tauranga Port, is reportedly on a 10 degree list, but is stable on the reef.

Two of its cargo holds are flooded, and pumps are being used to extract the water."

- article from NZ Herald newspaper.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10756647


I think this ship is on a MSC service between Australia, New Zealand and Panama.
"Rena" IMO 8806802, built in 1990.
This was the lead item in the TV 3 News this evening. Everyone is worried about a potential fuel spill.


regards,
Nigel
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Sinisa Aljinovic on October 05, 2011, 08:12:15 AM
You can get closer look if you visit http://www.3news.co.nz/Stranded-ship-monitored-for-potential-oil-spill/tabid/309/articleID/228419/Default.aspx
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: avi on October 05, 2011, 09:34:33 AM
this is the ex ANDAMAN SEA   ex ZIM AMERICA
 http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=121371
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: polsteam on October 05, 2011, 06:56:29 PM
"Ship happens" ;) - accidents happen even to the best ones...

Two of the world's largest container fleets are chartered and owned vessels of Maersk Line and MSC. The latter is somewhat smaller.

I get an impression that MSC owned or chartered vessels are in trouble much more often than Maersk's ones.

Is it unlegitimate impression or true? (I would like to see comparable statistics / safety track record for both companies)...

We do not know if it is true (it is just my impression). But if this impression is confirmed in statistics - does this has anything to do with average age of the fleet or the differences in safety culture between "Scandinavian" / North European and "Mediterranean" / South European ship management styles / quality approach ?...
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Chris Howell on October 05, 2011, 09:04:28 PM
Dear Polstream

Pretty simple answer her MEARSK by far have the best record.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Phil English on October 05, 2011, 09:25:38 PM
Bear in mind that many of the MSC ships involved in recent incidents (as in this case) are chartered-in from third-party shipowners. MSC therefore have no involvement in their day-to-day management and operation, which lies with the owner or manager.

Brgds
Phil
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: polsteam on October 05, 2011, 11:13:23 PM
Yes, but big part of Maersk Line fleet is also chartered-in.

Maybe it is a matter of more strict selection of companies offering ships for charter at (to) Maersk ?...

Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Nigel Price on October 06, 2011, 09:48:21 AM

Here is the update from TV 3 News this evening ( Thursday night 6 Oct NZ time ).

http://www.3news.co.nz/Response-to-Rena-oil-leak-escalates/tabid/309/articleID/228586/Default.aspx



regards,
Nigel
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: SteKrueBe on October 06, 2011, 04:56:15 PM
Bear in mind that many of the MSC ships involved in recent incidents (as in this case) are chartered-in from third-party shipowners. MSC therefore have no involvement in their day-to-day management and operation, which lies with the owner or manager.

Hi Phil!
Excuse me if I disagree with you there, but the arrangements about which flag has to be flown or the nationality of the ship's officers are often part of a charter party. In short, the charterer has a major influence on such things - if he really wants to ;-)
Brgds,
Stefan
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Phil English on October 06, 2011, 06:33:49 PM
That would be true under a bareboat charter. Most of the liner companies charter ships under standard time-charter terms. The Rena is fixed on a 5 year TC to MSC, ending June 2016.

Brgds
Phil

Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: SteKrueBe on October 06, 2011, 08:09:54 PM
Hi Phil!
Don't get me wrong, but I made the experience that certain charterers have a strong influence on things like crewing et cetera - even under time-charter parties.
Of course, that doesn't mean any specific statement on this particular case, however.
regards,
Stefan
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Chris Howell on October 07, 2011, 09:42:09 AM
I have just watched our night news.

Thinks look bleak for the Rena.

She hit the reef at 17 knots and is hanging off with cracks already appearing.

So far the weather has been moderate.

Oil is expected to reach the coast soon, then the proverbial will really start to hit the fan.

But of course the Government is also between a rock and a hard place, MSC like MAERSK are extremely important to our economy, the news refer to the ship as Greek owned with no mention of MSC.

Still if the ship breaks in two possibly the stern will say afloat, but there will of course be a major oil spill, probably the worst in our history due to the type of fuel used.

Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Codger on October 09, 2011, 02:41:24 PM
Perhaps the previous inspection reports might be of interest. By no means definitive, but one place I always look prior to engaging transport.

http://www.parismou.org/Inspection_efforts/Inspections/Inspection_database_search/
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Robert Smith on October 09, 2011, 09:55:22 PM
If you can log on to Equasis have a look at this:

http://www.equasis.org/EquasisWeb/restricted/ShipInspection?fs=ShipInfo

Brgds,
Rob.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on October 10, 2011, 09:39:05 PM
AAP October 11, 2011 7:41AM reports

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) says the Rena was listing about 11 degrees on the reef but that has improved overnight to a more upright position.

It's believed the rock pinnacle the ship was resting on has been crushed, but the ship remains stable.

The barge Awanuia that was taking on the grounded ship's oil has itself been damaged, and has returned to port for repairs before it can continue pumping.

Meanwhile, MNZ says it could take years to salvage the Rena.

Director Catherine Taylor spoke to more than 100 people at Waikari marae in Mt Maunganui last night, and said it would take several months to remove the 2000 containers from the vessel, which may remain on the reef for years, Fairfax Media reported.

The ship's been revealed to have had a number of deficiencies before it arrived in New Zealand - and it was temporarily detained in Australia.

The Maritime Union has demanded the release of official reports about the ship, saying it understands MNZ found deficiencies with the ship - including its charts, maintenance and engines - when it was inspected in Bluff in September.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce told Fairfax Media the ship had been inspected in China in July, and later by officials in Fremantle, Australia.

"In this case, the inspection in China said there were some deficiencies. A dozen of them had to be rectified before the ship left and the other six had to be rectified within two weeks," Mr Joyce said.

"So that was passed on to the next port of call, which was Fremantle, and that raised some additional deficiencies."

LATER
AAP October 11, 2011 11:02AM

A CONTAINER ship stuck on a reef off New Zealand issued a mayday today after sustaining damage in heavy seas and spilling "significant'' new amounts of oil, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) said.

Nearby ships, including six navy vessels, scrambled to evacuate a 36-man salvage crew from the crippled Rena, which shifted position on the reef it hit last Wednesday after being pounded by 5m swells overnight.

Maritime New Zealand said the vessel had spewed an additional 130 to 350 tonnes of oil into the Bay of Plenty, far more than the initial spill of 20 tonnes, which has already fouled beaches in the environmentally sensitive area.

"The ship has sustained some damage from current movements and there is a significant amount of oil leaking from the vessel,'' it said.

"This is estimated at 130-350 tonnes from the overflight at first light today.''

Officials have warned New Zealand faces its worst maritime pollution disaster in decades if the Rena breaks up on the reef, releasing all 1700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil aboard into the bay.



MNZ director Catherine Taylor said the Liberian-flagged vessel appeared stable but added "the weather forecast is not good''.

"Things are changing all the time, the weather has not worked for us, it's worked against us and we're being precautionary and ensuring we keep people safe first,'' she said.

MNZ said the ship sustained further damage to the front of its hull in the rough seas and additional flooding in its forward holds, but it said this might help to stabilise the ship, which had been moving around on the reef.

"They're not thinking that the vessel is going to break up at this time. They're aware it's resettling into a new equilibrium,'' MNZ salvage unit manage Bruce Anderson told reporters.

Covers have been installed on the ship's fuel tanks in an attempt to limit leakage if the Rena ends up on the sea bed.

The drama at the Rena accident site, 22km offshore, came as clean-up efforts began on Bay of Plenty beaches, where blobs of tar-like oil that locals said resembled "black jellyfish'' began to wash up yesterday.

Taylor said more oil was expected to leak from the vessel and further shoreline pollution was inevitable.

The spill has already killed a number of sea birds, with seven Little Blue penguins and two shags receiving treatment at wildlife rescue centres after being found covered in oil.

Locals, who have criticised the speed of the oil spill response, said they had seen large numbers of dead birds and fish on beaches.

Authorities have warned residents to stay away from the viscous sludge, describing it as toxic, but many have ignored the advice and formed their own clean-up teams, donning rubber gloves and shovelling the oil into plastic bags.

Some 250 people, including specialists from Australia, Britain, Holland and Singapore, have joined the oil slick response team, with 300 defence personnel on standby and expected to help with the shoreline clean-up.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce said yesterday that oil could wash up on the coast for weeks.

AFP


Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Robbie on October 11, 2011, 09:51:02 PM
Containers spilled from the stricken cargo ship Rena have reached shore at Motiti Island off the coast of Tauranga.

About 70 containers fell from the vessel, which is grounded on the Astrolabe Reef, amid heavy seas last night.

Maritime New Zealand said some containers had washed ashore on Motiti Island this morning, but could not confirm how many.

The 44-year-old captain of the stricken vessel MV Rena has been arrested and charged overnight.

Mauro Balomaga is about to appear in the Tauranga District Court this morning and faces a charge under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act.

The charge under s65 carries a maximum penalty of $10,000, or a maximum term of imprisonment of 12 months.

The grounding of the Rena happened on the captain's 44th birthday.

Meanwhile as many as 70 containers have fallen off the Rena overnight, after it began tilting at a much more precarious angle.

The ship was listing at 18deg - sparking a navigation warning about the possibility of falling and submerged containers - after being at 11deg for much of the past week.

Maritime New Zealand this morning confirmed the Navy ship Endeavour had reported the loss of the containers.

Maritime New Zealand said the eleven containers containing hazardous substances are still on the vessel and are not among the up to 70 estimated overboard.

More containers were expected to fall off as five metre swells and 30 knot winds continue to batter the stricken vessel today, a Maritime spokeswoman said.

"They more it's tilting the more they're just going to keep tipping off... The ones at the top are coming off first."

Simon Boxall, from the National Oceanography Centre at the University of Southampton, said the fallen containers would be a hazard to shipping.

They often float just below the surface of the water and are difficult for ships to track, he said.

"There should also be concern as to the contents of the containers. This could range from household good to chemicals."

Mr Boxall said the main concern for authorities should be securing the containers.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Nigel Price on October 12, 2011, 05:49:18 AM

Weds evening NZ time :

The ship is starting to break up. More containers are coming off.
There is a lot of coverage of this on TV3 News.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Rena-threatens-to-break-in-two/tabid/423/articleID/229266/Default.aspx

Best Regards,

Nigel
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: matthew on October 12, 2011, 07:16:05 AM
mmmm see link..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSC_Napoli


this looks like another msc napoli....

i think it should be nz,Australian crewed and owned vessels on the coast and no foreign crewed on the nz,aust coast this probably   would have not happened... bloody open coast
 policy
matt
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: matthew on October 12, 2011, 07:19:49 AM
http://matescabin.blogspot.com/2011/10/rena-grounding-in-na-or-msc-once-again.html
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Jens Heri on October 12, 2011, 09:26:31 AM
With a VTS they could have prevented the grounding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessel_traffic_service
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: avi on October 12, 2011, 10:07:06 AM
last update
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glanceview/194834/ship-spews-toxic-material-off-nz.glance
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on October 13, 2011, 05:20:52 AM

Update 13 October 2011 1620 hrs Sydney time

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/chemical-hazard-added-to-oil-fears-as-containers-slide-from-stricken-ship-20111013-1lm8z.html?mod=igoogle_news_gadget
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: rd77 on October 13, 2011, 07:22:06 AM
mmmm see link..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSC_Napoli


this looks like another msc napoli....

i think it should be nz,Australian crewed and owned vessels on the coast and no foreign crewed on the nz,aust coast this probably   would have not happened... bloody open coast
 policy
matt

Looks bad indeed, at least the MSC NAPOLI didn't have a big oil spill AFAIK. And what's more, MSC lost two more vessels in the meantime: MSC NIKITA (sunk after collision off the Hook of Holland, 30 aug 2009) and the MSC CHITRA (sunk after collision off Mumbai, 7 aug 2010).
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Tom van der Elst on October 13, 2011, 11:04:43 AM
MSC Nikita did not sink, she was dragged into
Rotterdam then unloaded and declared a CTL.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Mike Cornwall on October 13, 2011, 09:10:21 PM
MSC Nikita did not sink, she was dragged into
Rotterdam then unloaded and declared a CTL.

Think you are splitting hairs.

MSC, in general have an appalling record, just look in recent years, Carla, Mee May, Rosa M, Nikita, Kallina, Chitra, Napoli and now Rena.
Then look at the detentions, we had Immocolata and Federica held up for weeks with deficancies, and I saw those personally. They were wrecks.
MSC have for years owned and chartered old clunkers and even now in NZ we're seeing them saying, "Not our ship, not our responsibility".
Well, stuff them, hopefully our Govt will give them a damn good kick where it hurts.
And don't tell me they don't own them, beleive me shipowners have a huge say in how a charter ship is run, especially a company as large as MSC.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Mike Cornwall on October 14, 2011, 03:07:38 AM
Couple of others I forgot,

Camille,  Gibraltar  June 2010, and Roberta, Marmara March 2005 (I think this one killed some crew members)

Pretty appalling record.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: avi on October 14, 2011, 03:16:35 AM
this is from MSC site
http://www.mscgva.ch/news/news_detail_eid_403_lid_2.html

..........
avi
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on October 15, 2011, 10:13:42 AM
Update  AAP October 21, 2011 10:22AM
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/salvors-pump-another-60-tonnes-off-stricken-oil-container-ship-rena-in-new-zealand-waters/story-e6frf7lf-1226172677056
NOTE DRAMATIC SHOT OF LEANING STACKS OF CONTAINERS

Update Monday October 17, 2011 10:51 AM NZT
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10759676

Note
Around 460 volunteers assisted yesterday with beach clean ups at Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, and Maketu, while a further 260 volunteers from Opotiki to East Cape have been trained and are ready to launch into action. A further 30 volunteers were also trained at Bowentown yesterday.

"As of this morning, almost 5,500 volunteer registrations have been received, which is fantastic."



Update at 2200 hrs New Zealand time October 15, 2011

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-15/fears-grow-for-stricken-nz-cargo-ship/3573162/?site=sydney



For forecasts see http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/new-zealand/tauranga/ext
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on October 24, 2011, 09:21:30 AM

UPDATE Monday October 24, 2011 10:18 PM NZT

A new fuel transfer system on board the stranded cargo ship Rena has doubled pumping capacity as good weather continues to help oil recovery efforts

See http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10761355
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on November 10, 2011, 10:25:22 AM
UPDATE from International Business Times
See http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/246680/20111110/mv-rena-cargoes-removed-soon-100-hours.htm

Thursday, November 10, 2011 5:13 PM EST
MV Rena Cargo to be Removed Soon, 100 More Hours to Pump the Oil Out
By Arlene Paredes

Locating devices called "pingers" have been fastened to cargoes aboard the ill-fated MV Rena as the salvage team moves to finish pumping oil off the grounded cargo vessel.

It has been more than a month since the Rena accidentally hit a reef and got wedged in, crippling the vessel, and causing oil spills around the Bay of Plenty - the worst maritime disaster in New Zealand.

Salvagers working aboard the boat have fixed 35 pingers and 200 more will be attached to the rest of the containers holding dangerous goods and those likely to fall off the ship.

Salvage master Captain Drew Shannon said his team will get to as many cargoes as possible.

Meanwhile, the remaining 358 tonnes of oil from Rena will require about 100 hours of continuous pumping in the right conditions.

"There is still a strong likelihood further oil will be released, but the more oil removed from the ship, the lower the risk," Maritime New Zealand national on-scene commander Rob Service said.

As lifting of cargoes got under way, a 6000-tonne container barge was successfully tested for the next stage of operations. The ST60, chartered from Australia, carries one 280-tonne crane to free the cargoes from their locks and transfer them.

"There have been other container ships placed in similar situations and we are drawing on industry to assist with the method and means of actually removing the containers," said Shannon.

Shannon added every ship has a different procedure for locking, so his team will continue to study the situation as they go along.

The Rena's captain and second officer are facing charges under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act which relates to operating a vessel causing unnecessary danger or risk to a person or property. The charge carries a maximum penalty of $10,000, or a maximum term of imprisonment of 12 months.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Captain Ted on November 10, 2011, 10:15:29 PM
Just some thoughts


Mike mentioned that MSC has a say how the vessel is run, Actually they do not, the route,
cargo and rotation but not the manning, upkeep etc of the vessel. This is usually done through the owners who usually employ manning agencies very often from the Philippines and often also from Poland/Ukraine/russia,former East block counties. Some manning agencies are really good some others are not so good. However, everybody aboard has to be STCW certified, which is a international training standard.
Someone mentioned only NZ/Australien crews, thats a good thinking, unfortunately not practicable, because for the salary of a Master on those ships another owner can sail half a crew. On top of that, often it is forgotten that EVERyBODY wants the cheapest possible prices at Wal-Mart and at the gas pump, that would be not possible with expensive crews. Think about, why seafaring nations like UK/Germany/US/AUS/NZ do not have significant fleets anymmore with their flags and their nationals, very easy because they can not compete international with the
sailors from other nations. All those countries allowed foreigners on their financed/subsidised vessels until the point that no nationals were anymore there. (Not the US)
On top of all that, as long as the human element is still on the ships accidents will happen.
Nobody cries about dozens of accidents ashore daily, but the moment a ship grounds it is not a accident. Of course there are situations where "accidents" could have been prevented, but nevertheless they will happen again, like it or not.
The problem nowadays is also, the Captain of the ship is usually arrested right away, for the sole reason to present to the world the guilty guy, like we have the "bad guy" already.
Remember the tanker ( ERIKA?) which sank off the spanish coast, the Master notified the authorities that he has a leak, he wanted to go into a port and repair/off load etc, instead they closed all ports,,dragged the ship away until it broke apart and created a real oil spill
by doing that. Who was arrested and in the media cruzified, the Capt, not the IDIOTS who refused to help and closed the ports.
Almost same situation about same time in the North Sea (Phallas ? was the name) the german authorities had inside misshaps and authority discussions until it was too late, but the Capt
who asked for help was then cruzified. He grounded close to Amrum I think tghere it was.
There is more to it then increase regulations and training standards, if the industrialised nations want cheap as possible goods they will have to live with the idea that those groundings
will happen now and then with foreign crews in their territorial waters.

btw  MSC = More Scrap Coming  is a know proverb in the shipping for that shipping line
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Ronald George Halliday on November 11, 2011, 10:17:48 AM
Why not just remark standards of STCW 95 vary in Different countries around the world and are not the same as it is in europe. Blame culture= hang the man with the highest certificate. The cause of the problem sometimes gets away scot free. Things will only change when people in high places are not corrupted. Nice pictures Captain Ted.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Captain Ted on November 11, 2011, 03:33:28 PM
Hi Ronald

STCW is international standard, how far it is enforced by the IMO member states and those who ratified is another discussion worth. PSC,s (Port State Controls)are done in a lot of ports, MOU,s (Memoradum of Understanding, Paris MOU, Japan MOU, Vina del Mar etcetc) are done regularly. They,among other matter, control/check safety equipment, navigational equipment, ISPS and ISM (Safety and Security regulations)the only two things never really controled is qualification of crew because as long the crew has STCW compliance licenses everything is on paper ok. How the standard outlined in the STCW is enfored in the various countries to pass the tests to aquire the very same is a total different story.
 
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Ronald George Halliday on November 11, 2011, 04:41:16 PM
Yes i am fully aware of your remarks, as i am ch officer on a small feeder ship in the english channel, and we see many times the qualities of people in charge on the bridge with their lack, or disregard to the rules. STCW 95 standards.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on November 14, 2011, 08:59:11 AM
UPDATE 20:51 Monday November 14, 2011 Source: ONE News
See http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/salvors-focus-rena-s-containers-4533419

The operation to lift the containers off the stricken cargo vessel Rena will begin in the next couple of days, Maritime New Zealand says.

A crane barge is now moored up at the stern of the ship which has been grounded on the Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty for six weeks.

MNZ Salvage Unit Manager Arthur Jobard said salvors will spend the next couple of days testing the Sea Tow 60's equipment before the recovery of the containers begins.

Jobard said the speed at which they are able to recover the containers relies on several different factors.

"This includes weather and how complex it proves to be to access the containers, many of which are badly damaged and in very precarious positions."

MNZ says working on the principle it can remove six containers a day from the vessel, it will take seven months to recover all the cargo.

Among the challenges the salvors face will be working out a way to safely decouple the containers, given that the ship is on a lean, and also an effective way to access the 816 containers that are held below deck.

Another larger crane barge is also on its way to help from Singapore, and is expected to arrive in Tauranga in December.

Meanwhile, the majority of the fuel onboard the Rena has now been pumped off and just 60 tonnes remains.

"We have special pumps and skimmers and all kind of equipment to deal with it but we'll use every method which is possible to get it out," Svitzer Salvage Expert Paul Van't-Hof said.

With no fresh oil spills and clean up efforts having been successful, it is hoped some of Tauranga's beaches may be clean enough to be opened tomorrow.

Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: john mccorquodale on November 16, 2011, 12:03:02 PM
Further to previous her deficiencies when inspected at NZ were;

Fixed fire extinguishing installation
Maintenance of the ship and equipment
Obstruction/slipping, etc.
Propulsion main engine
Doors within main vertical zone
Covers (hatchway-, portable-, tarpaulins, etc.)
Gangway, accommodation ladder
Charts
Lighting
Safe means of access
Stowage of lifeboats
Emergency Fire Pump
Railing, cat walks
Other (radio)
Lifeboat inventory
Fire-dampers
Auxiliary engine

and six days previously in Aus.......

nautical publications
MF/HF radio installation
voyage data recorder (VDR)
operational readiness of life-saving appliances
lifeboats
operational readiness of life-saving appliances
electric equipment in general
electric equipment in general
other (machinery)
jacketed piping system for high-pressure fuel lines
15 PPM alarm arrangements
stowage of cargo
covers (hatchway-, portable-, tarpaulins, etc.)
fire prevention
rudder angle indicator
other (SOLAS operational)
maintenance of the ship and equipment

She looked reasonably well run until late 2010 when she changed owners (and I assume crew). After the new owners took over it was a rapid descent to notoriety. MSC are very culpable in this in that they set their own standards but we are all well aware that the profit driver can lead many into making gross errors of judgement.
What I want to know is why the Master left the ship? In my time as Master I would only have abandoned ship (having already evacuated non-essential personnel) when the water was lapping the bottom of the lifeboats. Similarly most of the Chief Engineers I sailed with would not have left the ship and would have assisted in the transfer of fuel etc. I am unaware if the Master was arrested and taken ashore but herein lies a legal quagmire in that the ship would therefore not have been abandoned and thus free to salvage. I ended my career as a ship captain because of the knee-jerk reaction of governments worldwide to 'bang-up' the Master, who may just be the person that is required for a speedy resolution. BUT this assumes that the Master is well trained and competent and we know that this is not always the case. Rant ends.....
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Sailerman on November 19, 2011, 06:13:14 PM
Many up-to-date photo's of container removal shown in 'de Volkskrant' Netherlands 
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on November 25, 2011, 09:36:04 AM
UPDATE 11:33am 25/11/2011
See http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/rena-crisis/6034895/More-dangerous-Rena-cargo-revealed

Includes
A further 21 containers on the grounded ship Rena have been found to hold goods classed as dangerous, officials say.
MNZ was investigating why the goods were not declared as required under maritime legislation and whether that constituted a breach of the law, Taylor said.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Mike Cornwall on November 25, 2011, 06:18:30 PM
Anyone who who works in the industry will not be surprised at that.
Freight rates for hazardous cargo are higher than normal, and therefore many shippers simply don't declare it.
I recall some years ago seeing an LCL container that had 11 types of hazardous cargo inside, of which at least 3 were non compatible.
Yet nothing was declared, it had been shipped as a normal box and stowed down below.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Robbie on December 02, 2011, 07:58:45 AM
The Singapore (IMO # 8213964) and the Smit Borneo (IMO # 8757348) will be arriving in Tauranga on Monday from Singapore. Once she gets here the Svitzer crew will stay onboard her until the job is done. the removal of the conatiners is going well and they are managing to move more containers per day then expected but once they shift their focus to the holds it will slow down as most of the holds are flooded. there was word she may need to be broken up on the reef to access the continaers in the holds. Dive teams have also been looking at the reef and implying the Rena may be lifted of pulled off the reef and towed into the harbour.
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: Clydee on December 30, 2011, 10:50:30 AM
UPDATE  4:47 PM Friday Dec 30, 2011 

Oil from the stricken ship Rena is continuing to wash ashore at popular holiday beaches.

Maritime New Zealand said a light sheen was this morning extending up to 2.5km from the container ship, which ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef near Tauranga in early October.

The foul weather battering most of the country today is working in favour of clean-up crews, with the wind and swells of up to 4m helping to break up the oil in the sea.

But it was also helping to bring more oil ashore, with further sightings today at Papamoa and Mt Maunganui beaches _ popular spots among the thousands of New Year's revellers who have descended on the Bay of Plenty.

Maritime New Zealand said clean-up crews would be working on both beaches today.

The oil has also had an impact on wildlife, with one newly-oiled penguin picked up today.

The penguin would be fed and stabilised before being taken to the Massey University wildlife recovery centre in Palmerston North.

Wildlife teams last night monitored penguin sites around Mt Maunganui, checking 37 birds, none of which were oiled.

The bad weather has also put a stop to container salvage work, with no salvors onboard the Rena today.

They are unlikely to return tomorrow because the unfavourable conditions look set to continue.

The crane ship Smit Borneo has been stood down and could be repositioned on the port side of the vessel when the weather improves. Other salvage vessels were using the break in operations to refuel at the Port of Tauranga.

The Bay of Plenty harbourmaster today reminded boaties that an exclusion zone of three nautical miles remained in place around the Rena.

Anyone found in the zone could be fined $200 or face prosecution.

They have also been reminded to take extra care around three anchoring sites being used to round up containers that have fallen off the Rena.

There were no containers in the area, but unlit buoys, ropes, chains and anchors could be hazards.

The sites were east of Motuotau Island, also known as Rabbit Island, the western side of Motiti Island and off the coast of Papamoa Beach.

Boaties should look out for response vessels, debris, oil or containers.

- APNZ
Title: Re: Containership "Rena" aground on reef near Port of Tauranga
Post by: PHa on January 03, 2012, 01:16:59 AM
Good morning!

RENA split in two parts, MNZ reported.

More information with links and photos (sorry, but in german language) on forum-schiff.de

Link: http://forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23&p=69211#p69211

and in english language: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10776357

regards Peter