RENA UPDATE: Operation Beach Clean

Posted by Admin on 09/01/2012

DATE: Monday 9th January
TIME: 10:30 am

The Rena is now in two pieces and has moved about in the heavy seas.  More containers, debris and oil have spilled from the vessel.

Best estimates of tide, wind and weather conditions suggest that more oil may come ashore, but Maritime NZ does not expect this to be anywhere near the same volume as occurred in October as most of the oil has already been removed from the vessel. If you see oil on the beach in significant quantity please call 0800 OIL SPILL (0800 645 774).

Debris and containers are now washing ashore and people are advised not to touch these but to call 0800 333 771 to report any sightings.  Some of the material may be hazardous or contaminated. More than 200 containers may have been washed overboard and Braemar Howells are currently trying to locate and recover as many of these as possible.  For example, there is polystyrene scattered on Waih? Beach and several containers are visible there.  A contract crew has been sent to clean this up.

MNZ is unlikely to close beaches but may impose exclusion zones around specific areas if containers or significant amounts of debris wash ashore.

More information on the situation is available from Maritime NZ’s website www.maritimenz.govt.nz  

At present the volunteer Operation Beach Clean is on stand-by waiting for instructions from the National On Scene Commander.

The Adopt-a-Beach teams have been busy over the break cleaning up residual oil in many affected areas along the beach.  If you would like to help one of the Adopt-a-Beach teams with this on-going work please call 0800 884 881 extn 7362, or email renavolunteers@gmail.com