Rena photo LOC

Salvors are continuing to remove containers from the Rena today, after a successful effort yesterday lifting three containers and four packets of wood off the vessel.

The Svitzer salvage team yesterday cut two 40-foot containers into pieces before removing them and another 20-foot container.

The focus today is on recovering containers and debris from the forward section of the Rena. Engineers are on board the ship assessing options for different lifting systems.

A total of 463 containers have now been recovered from the Rena and discharged at the port. Another 65 have been recovered from the sea and local beaches.

While the forecast is for fine weather tomorrow, the operation could be tricky later today with westerly winds predicted to increase to around 20 knots, and a rising swell.

Clean-up operations along the coast have this week focused on Matakana Island and just north of Waihi Beach.

Yesterday, recovered timber was stacked and towed to a barge at Orokawa Bay. There is a container still beached at Orokawa, which will be cut up and removed soon.

On Matakana Island, parts of containers and other debris are being removed by helicopter and barge.

As teams surveyed beaches from Mount Maunganui to Papamoa East yesterday, no significant oiling was found.

Teams are today assessing beaches from Papamoa East through to the Kaituna Cut.

Around 50 people are working in oil spill response clean-up teams, focusing on Matakana Island, Mount Maunganui and Leisure Island. An extra 15 people will be working on Matakana Island tomorrow.

Wildlife response teams are currently on Motiti Island.

Source tvnz.co.nz