AN OPERATION to extract oil from a container ship stranded on a reef near New Zealand is set to begin.
The 775-foot Liberia-flagged Rena struck the Astrolabe Reef about 12 nautical miles from Tauranga Harbour early on Wednesday and has been foundering there since.
The ship has been leaking fuel, leading to fears it could cause an environmental disaster if it breaks up further.
Maritime New Zealand, the agency responsible for shipping in the region, said late yesterday that a barge, the Awanuia, has pulled up alongside the Rena and should soon begin pumping fuel from the stricken ship. The operation is expected to last at least two days, although it could be delayed by bad weather.
A Navy vessel, the Endeavour, will be used as a command platform for the operation.
So far, eight birds suffering the effects of the oil spill have been found and helped.
The ship has about 1,700 metric tons of fuel on board, according to Maritime New Zealand, which believes that so far, up to 30 tons have leaked into the Bay of Plenty, a spot noted for its fishing, diving and surfing.
Yesterday, New Zealand prime minister John Key visited the area and demanded to know why it happened.
In a statement, the owners of the ship, Costamare, said they are making every effort to “control and minimise the environmental consequences of this incident”. The company did not offer any explanation for the grounding.
Environmental agency Greenpeace denounced the spill and what it claims is a slow response.
It said: “Even a slow and relatively accessible oil spill like this has stretched New Zealand’s response capability to its limits.”.
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