This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-asia-pacific-15251319
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Significant' oil leak from stranded New Zealand ship | 'Significant' oil leak from stranded New Zealand ship |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| New Zealand officials say a "significant" amount of oil is now leaking from a cargo ship stranded on a reef off the country's North Island. | New Zealand officials say a "significant" amount of oil is now leaking from a cargo ship stranded on a reef off the country's North Island. |
| Between 130-350 tonnes of oil is thought to have leaked from the vessel, far more than the 30 tonnes earlier estimated. | Between 130-350 tonnes of oil is thought to have leaked from the vessel, far more than the 30 tonnes earlier estimated. |
| The container ship, the 775ft (236m) Rena, ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the port of Tauranga on Wednesday. | The container ship, the 775ft (236m) Rena, ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the port of Tauranga on Wednesday. |
| Bad weather has put a temporary halt to operations to pump oil off the vessel. | Bad weather has put a temporary halt to operations to pump oil off the vessel. |
| In a statement, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) said the ship had sustained "some damage from current movement and there is a significant amount of oil leaking from the vessel". | In a statement, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) said the ship had sustained "some damage from current movement and there is a significant amount of oil leaking from the vessel". |
| The statement said oil may also be leaking from the keel. | The statement said oil may also be leaking from the keel. |
| 'Stable' | 'Stable' |
| An MNZ spokesman told the New Zealand Herald that oil was leaking from a main tank on the Rena and moving south-west towards Mt Maunganui, next to the port of Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island. | An MNZ spokesman told the New Zealand Herald that oil was leaking from a main tank on the Rena and moving south-west towards Mt Maunganui, next to the port of Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island. |
| "One of the main tanks has been breached. It is very significant in the scheme of things," the spokesman said. | "One of the main tanks has been breached. It is very significant in the scheme of things," the spokesman said. |
| By comparison with an oil tanker, the amount of oil on board the Rena is small. Its total consignment is believed to be 1,700 tonnes, and operations to pump what remains out of the tanks are ongoing. | By comparison with an oil tanker, the amount of oil on board the Rena is small. Its total consignment is believed to be 1,700 tonnes, and operations to pump what remains out of the tanks are ongoing. |
| In contrast, the Prestige tanker wrecked on the Galician coast in 2002 leaked an estimated 76,000 tonnes. | In contrast, the Prestige tanker wrecked on the Galician coast in 2002 leaked an estimated 76,000 tonnes. |
| Nevertheless, even a small amount of oil can affect wildlife if it comes ashore in the wrong place. The Bay of Plenty, named by Capt James Cook for the fecundity of the land and the generosity of its people, is home to colonies of birds such as penguins and shags, while frequent visitors include dolphins, porpoises and whales. | Nevertheless, even a small amount of oil can affect wildlife if it comes ashore in the wrong place. The Bay of Plenty, named by Capt James Cook for the fecundity of the land and the generosity of its people, is home to colonies of birds such as penguins and shags, while frequent visitors include dolphins, porpoises and whales. |
| It is also a key tourist site; and with New Zealand hosting the rugby union World Cup, hotels are fuller than usual, ensuring that clean-up operations take place in full public view. | It is also a key tourist site; and with New Zealand hosting the rugby union World Cup, hotels are fuller than usual, ensuring that clean-up operations take place in full public view. |
| New Zealanders take conservation more seriously than people in many other countries, and already oiled birds are being cleaned and restored. | New Zealanders take conservation more seriously than people in many other countries, and already oiled birds are being cleaned and restored. |
| The authorities are asking questions of the Rena's captain as to how he came to crash into a well-known reef. In time, they may raise familiar questions over the flags of convenience system that effectively allows international shipping to operate without a host government having to take responsibility. | The authorities are asking questions of the Rena's captain as to how he came to crash into a well-known reef. In time, they may raise familiar questions over the flags of convenience system that effectively allows international shipping to operate without a host government having to take responsibility. |
| The MNZ statement said the ship was intact but was moving around in the heavy seas. | The MNZ statement said the ship was intact but was moving around in the heavy seas. |
| There had been fears the bad weather might cause the ship to break up, spilling all of the 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil the ship is believed to be carrying as well as its cargo of containers. | There had been fears the bad weather might cause the ship to break up, spilling all of the 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil the ship is believed to be carrying as well as its cargo of containers. |
| The remaining ship's crew had been taken off the Rena. The vessel called a mayday, officials said as a precaution, to speed up the crew's removal. | The remaining ship's crew had been taken off the Rena. The vessel called a mayday, officials said as a precaution, to speed up the crew's removal. |
| The ship was now in a more stable position than it had been, MNZ said, listing from 3-6 degrees instead of the previous 11 degrees as rock underneath the Rena's bow had been ground down. | The ship was now in a more stable position than it had been, MNZ said, listing from 3-6 degrees instead of the previous 11 degrees as rock underneath the Rena's bow had been ground down. |
| Clumps of heavy oil have been washing up on the beaches of Mt Maunganui and the nearby community of Papamoa. | Clumps of heavy oil have been washing up on the beaches of Mt Maunganui and the nearby community of Papamoa. |
| MNZ said oil was expected to enter Tauranga port and reach beaches south to Maketu. | MNZ said oil was expected to enter Tauranga port and reach beaches south to Maketu. |
| MNZ head Catherine Taylor said containing the oil would be difficult, given the Rena's position on a reef and the weather battering the region. | MNZ head Catherine Taylor said containing the oil would be difficult, given the Rena's position on a reef and the weather battering the region. |
| Swells of up to four metres are making the use of dispersants on the oil difficult. | Swells of up to four metres are making the use of dispersants on the oil difficult. |
| Once the weather has calmed enough to resume transferring the oil off the ship, the containers will be removed and then the Rena can be moved off the reef. | Once the weather has calmed enough to resume transferring the oil off the ship, the containers will be removed and then the Rena can be moved off the reef. |
| A tanker offloading the oil had to return to port for minor repairs. Strong seas meant the tanker would not have been able to resume operations anyway, officials said. | A tanker offloading the oil had to return to port for minor repairs. Strong seas meant the tanker would not have been able to resume operations anyway, officials said. |
| Officials have closed the affected beach and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay out of the water. | Officials have closed the affected beach and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay out of the water. |
| About 200 people are involved in the salvage operation, while 300 military personnel are on stand-by to clean up beaches. | About 200 people are involved in the salvage operation, while 300 military personnel are on stand-by to clean up beaches. |
| Ms Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline. | Ms Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline. |
| The area's long, sandy beaches are popular with tourists and surfers. Conservationists have warned the oil spill poses a huge threat to the region's abundant wildlife. | |
| "There are thousands of gannets and petrels and shearwaters in the area and hundreds of blue penguins... And we've got dotterels and oyster catchers nesting on the sandy beaches," WWF spokesman Bob Zuur told the BBC. | |
| "This oil represents potentially a huge tragedy for the wildlife of the area." | |
| The owners of the ship, Greece-based Costamare Inc, have not given an explanation for the grounding, but said they were "co-operating fully with local authorities" to minimise any damage. | The owners of the ship, Greece-based Costamare Inc, have not given an explanation for the grounding, but said they were "co-operating fully with local authorities" to minimise any damage. |
| Are you near the port of Tauranga? You can send us your comments using the form below. | Are you near the port of Tauranga? You can send us your comments using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |