The Braemar/Unimar recovery teams have passed the milestone of 1000 containers recovered from the wreck of the Rena. Over the last week 140 tonnes of steel were removed from the bow section, setting the total combined weight of steel removed at approximately 575 tonnes.
The RMG 280 crane barge, which can raise pieces of steel weighing up to 40 tonnes, has been equipped and is expected to commence operations in the coming days. A specialised team of salvage divers will also take to the water this week, working in tandem with the crane barge. Helicopter salvage work will continue together with the underwater operations.
1003 Containers Recovered
The number of containers retrieved now stands at 1003. This leaves 365, with most around the wreck site or in the stern section. A total of 1368 containers were on board the Rena when it grounded on the Astrolabe Reef on 5 October 2011. Braemar Operations Manager Mike Richards says the milestone was reached this week after the positive identification of more container parts hauled up from the seabed at the wreck site. Mr Richards says the work of identifying containers from numbers on scrap recovered has been a huge behind-the-scenes task in its own right, carried out by specialists in distressed cargo.
76 Tonnes of Scrap and Debris
The teams have also made good progress in the recovery of scrap and debris from the wreck site, which has been hauled aboard the Tasman Challenger recovery vessel. On 19 September, 40 tonnes of debris including aluminium ingots and coils of heavy gauge wire was unloaded from the recovery vessel. The vessel has now unloaded a total of 76 tonnes in three loads. More plastic beads in particular have been collected from Matakana Island this week.
Picture: Smit and Svitzer working in a joint salvage venture (from Maritime New Zealand Rena Incident Gallery)
