The Rena- back in October 11- Why the Slow Response?

Ship stranded near NZ issues mayday call as crew is evacuated

• From:AAP 
• October 11, 2011 9:19AM

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A photo taken by Maritime New Zealand shows the Monrovia-flagged "Rena" container ship aground near New Zealand's Tauranga harbour yesterday. Source: Supplied

A CONTAINER ship leaking oil and stranded on a reef off New Zealand issued a mayday call today and was being evacuated in heavy seas, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) said.

"The reason for calling the mayday was as a precautionary measure to ensure that vessels come to assist to take people off quickly,'' MNZ director Catherine Taylor told Radio New Zealand, adding six navy ships were helping remove a salvage crew from the crippled Rena, which hit a reef last Wednesday.

The 236m Liberian-flagged container ship Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef, 12 nautical miles from Tauranga, and heavy oil from the ship began washing ashore yesterday morning.

MNZ says the Rena was listing about 11 degrees on the reef but that has improved overnight to a more upright position.

It's believed the rock pinnacle the ship was resting on has been crushed, but the ship remains stable.

The barge Awanuia that was taking on the grounded ship's oil has itself been damaged, and has returned to port for repairs before it can continue pumping.

Meanwhile, MNZ says it could take years to salvage the Rena.

Director Catherine Taylor spoke to more than 100 people at Waikari marae in Mt Maunganui last night, and said it would take several months to remove the 2000 containers from the vessel, which may remain on the reef for years, Fairfax Media reported.

The ship's been revealed to have had a number of deficiencies before it arrived in New Zealand - and it was temporarily detained in Australia.

The Maritime Union has demanded the release of official reports about the ship, saying it understands MNZ found deficiencies with the ship - including its charts, maintenance and engines - when it was inspected in Bluff in September.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce told Fairfax Media the ship had been inspected in China in July, and later by officials in Fremantle, Australia.

"In this case, the inspection in China said there were some deficiencies. A dozen of them had to be rectified before the ship left and the other six had to be rectified within two weeks," Mr Joyce said.

"So that was passed on to the next port of call, which was Fremantle, and that raised some additional deficiencies."

Fist-sized "patties" of oil from the ship began washing up on beaches in the area on Monday.

A clean-up of beaches will begin around 1.30pm on Tuesday at low tide.

MNZ says no more oiled wildlife has been brought in, and the seven penguins and two cormorants currently in care were "swimming happily".

Residents have been warned by MNZ to stay away from affected areas, from Mount Maunganui to Girven Road and on the southern end of Matakana Island, and not to touch or try to clean up the toxic oil.