Dealing with Difficult Oil Tanks
Maritime New Zealand Salvage Unit Manager Kenny Crawford said the port number five tank was almost empty, with only residual amounts of oil left. This would be dealt with later in the salvage process, he said. The salvage team would be working around the clock in an effort to get oil pumping from the starboard tank. This will be a difficult and complex operation, as the starboard tank is underwater and divers will need to construct a dam so water can be removed before an attempt can be made to pump oil from the tank.
Captain Jon Walker, a specialist salvage consultant for MNZ, also reiterated the challenging conditions in which the salvors were working. He says that these operations are very complex and very dangerous. Salvors are working underwater and in pitch black on the ship that is listing heavily.
In total, 808 tonnes of oil have been removed from the Rena, leaving 575 - 600 tonnes on board. Attempts are also being made to connect pumps to the settling tanks on the port side of the ship, so oil from them can be removed to the Go Canopus tug. But progress has been slow due to extensive damage to the ship's hull.
National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn said oil spill clean-up efforts were focusing on rocky areas around Mount Maunganui and Leisure Island, and noted that old oil was still resurfacing along the foreshore at Papamoa Beach. The 5-10 tonne oil slick that leaked from the Rena on Saturday is still being monitored and Mr Quinn said a forward operations base had been established in Whangamata to assist with this.
Volunteer Coordinator Pim de Monchy praised the hard work of the 6,700 registered volunteers and said more were needed to assist, starting with two scheduled clean-ups 10am tomorrow at Tay Street, Mt Maunganui and at the Taylors Road end of Taylor's Reserve, Papamoa East. More clean ups were also planned throughout next week.
Mr de Monchy also thanked the many businesses and corporates who had helped provide people and resources to the volunteer effort, and called for any more that were willing to help to step forward.
