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Oil spill is New Zealand's 'worst maritime disaster' Oil spill is New Zealand's 'worst maritime disaster'
(40 minutes later)
The oil leaking from a stranded cargo ship off New Zealand has become the country's worst maritime environmental disaster, the government has said. An oil spill from a stranded cargo ship off New Zealand has become the country's worst maritime environmental disaster, the government has said.
Officials say up to 300 tonnes of oil may have leaked, out a total of the 1,700 tonnes on board. Officials say 300 tonnes of oil may have leaked from the 775ft (236m) Rena, which 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 which has halted work to pump oil off the ship is set to worsen.
As workers scooped oil from beaches, bad weather halted operations to pump oil off the ship and is due to worsen. Environment Minister Nick Smith said the situation was going to get "significantly worse" in coming days.
"This event has come to a stage where it is New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster," Environment Minister Nick Smith told a news briefing in Tauranga. "This event has come to a stage where it is New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster," he told a news briefing in Tauranga.
"It is my view that the tragic events we are seeing unfolding were absolutely inevitable from the point that the Rena ran onto the reef in the early hours of Wednesday morning," he said."It is my view that the tragic events we are seeing unfolding were absolutely inevitable from the point that the Rena ran onto the reef in the early hours of Wednesday morning," he said.
"The government is determined to throw everything possible at minimising the environmental harm of what is now clear to be New Zealand's worst environmental disaster in many decades."
Mr Smith said the rate at which oil was gushing out of the ship had increased "fivefold" since it ran aground.
'Main tank breached''Main tank breached'
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) told the BBC that by Tuesday evening between 200 and 300 tonnes had leaked from the vessel. Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) told the BBC that by Tuesday evening between 200 and 300 tonnes had leaked from the main tank of the stricken vessel.
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. The oil is moving south-west towards Mt Maunganui, next to Tauranga on North Island, an MNZ spokesman told the New Zealand Herald.
"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. MNZ said the ship was intact but listing at 18 degrees but that the there has been no change to its structural integrity. Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate over the next 24-48 hours.
There have been fears the bad weather might break up the ship, leaking all of the 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil the ship is believed to be carrying and spilling its containers into the sea. There have been fears the ship might break up in bad weather, leaking all 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board and shedding its cargo.
The bad weather is expected to worsen over the next 24-48 hours. A navigational warning has been issued in case containers do fall into the sea.
The remaining ship's crew have been taken off the Rena. The vessel gave the mayday signal, officials said as a precaution, to speed up the crew's removal. MNZ said one Navy officer was taken to hospital on Tuesday morning after being injured as the remaining crew were being evacuated from the Rena.
The ship was 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 its bow had been ground down. Clumps of heavy oil have already been washing up on the beaches of Mt Maunganui and the nearby community of Papamoa and are expected to reach Tauranga port and beaches south to Maketu.
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 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 4m are making the use of oil dispersants difficult.Swells of up to 4m are making the use of oil dispersants 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. Ms Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline.
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. The Awanuia tanker, which had been offloading the oil, had to return to port for minor repairs on Monday.
Officials have closed the affected beaches and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay away from the shore and not touch the heavy globs of oil. Once the weather has calmed, it will resume transferring the oil off the ship, the containers will be removed and then the Rena can be moved off the reef.
Officials have closed affected beaches and residents close to vulnerable coastlines have been told to stay away from the shore and not touch the heavy globs of oil.
"Although it looks bad, the oil in its clumped state is at no risk of going anywhere, and people attempting to remove it without the proper training or equipment risk making the situation worse," said MNZ.
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.
MNZ head Catherine Taylor told the BBC it would take several weeks to clean up the shoreline. "People are angry that this could have happened on our doorstep and it could really ruin one of the best beaches around," one local man, Jim Kohu, told Reuters.
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.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."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.""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? Have you volunteered for the clean-up operation? 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.
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