The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #140827 Message #3287942
Posted By: GUEST
10-Jan-12 - 05:31 AM
Thread Name: NZ needs a break-Rena shipwreck-NZ Oil pollution
Subject: RE: NZ needs a break-Rena shipwreck-NZ Oil pollution
Rena sinking intensifies pollution
Posted at 12:39pm Tuesday 10th Jan, 2012
Rena's splitting and sinking of its stern is increasing marine pollution levels with more oil spewing into the sea and industrial substances washing ashore onto Bay of Plenty beaches.
The vessel's stern section began slipping off the Astrolabe Reef at about 8.30am and by 11.30am it was almost entirely underwater. The ship's bow remains fast to the reef, close to where it originally ran aground on October 5.
Large amounts of oil can be seen emanating from the wreck.
It is not seeping from one point, but instead most of the water surrounding the broken vessel has taken on an oiled hue.
Maritime New Zealand national on scene commander Alex van Wijngaarden says trajectory modellings shows the first of this newly released oil will wash ashore at Motiti Island this evening.
"This was not unexpected," says Alex, "we are prepared, and we will deal with it."
More oil is predicted to reach Pukehina on Wednesday.
This oil follows a considerable rainbow sheen of oil on the sea's surface that today drifted into Tauranga Harbour through its northern entrance.
Places near here; Waihi Beach and Matakana Island, are the most badly polluted by floating containers and debris to fall into the water following Saturday's storm.
It was this storm that broke the Rena into two pieces with a 20-30m gap between them.
Oil spill response teams are preparing to clean up the newly released oil, including placing booms in sensitive areas.
The oiled wildlife centre at Te Maunga is being reactivated.
The volunteer programme is also reactivated, with volunteers asked to register at www.boprc.nz/oilspillvolunteers
More containers are expected to have come free from the vessel owing to this morning's sinking of the ship's stern section.
Container recovery company Braemar Howells estimates that 400 containers are in the stern section of the Rena.
Its spokesman, Grant Dyson, says two tugs have been sent to the Rena to try and contain drifting containers and also tow any floating containers to a specialised recovery barge.
Most of the debris sighted in the water and on beaches on Monday was timber, polystyrene and milk powder bags.
Some other items, such as wheelbarrow wheels and a sofa were found on Matakana Island.
On Matakana Island's ocean side beach today some new substances have been found.
These include 25kg bags of low density polyethylene (ldpe). This is a substance used in the manufacture of light plastics such as kitchen containers.
Speaking from Matakana Island, Sun Media director Brian Rogers says these granules are covering at least 1km of beach.
This is about 7-8km from Mount Maunganui.
The bags the granules were transported in aboard the Rena appear similar to the milk powder bags seen at beaches in the northern Western Bay of Plenty on Monday.
Brian says other pollution on the beach includes 'egg fried rice' microwave meals, thousands of pottles of rice, skirting board and plywood.
There is also oil washed up on the ocean side beach. It is up to the high tide mark and is mixed with seaweed and other sea life stranded there.
A Maritime New Zealand clean-up crew is working on the beach to clear this oil.