MV Rena Grounding: A Year In Photographs [39 Photos]

MV Rena Grounding: A Year In Photographs [39 Photos]

October 5, 2012 by Mike Schuler

Here’s a look back at photographs of the stricken MV Rena on today’s one year anniversary of the the vessels grounding on Astrolabe Reef off the coast of New Zealand.

Fly-over shots of stranded cargo vessel Rena grounded on the Astrolabe Reef. This photo was taken at 7.45am on October 5, hours after the vessel grounded.  Photo: Bay of Plenty Regional Council

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Here’s a close up of the M/V Rena grounded on the Astrolabe Reef located off the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. This photo was also taken on October 5 with the extent of damage to the vessel and environment yet to be realized.  Photo: Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Another closeup from mid-afternoon October 5.  Notice the containers still stacked.  Photo: Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Here’s another fly-over shot taken mid-day 8 October.  This time you there is a noticeable oil sheen on the water. Photo: Dudley Clemens

The tanker Awanuia operating near the stricken cargo vessel on October 9.  Photo: Maritime New Zealand

Again, the tanker Awanuia can be seen operating near the stricken cargo vessel Rena on October 10.  This time, you can notice the weather starting to pick up. Photo: Maritime New Zealand

With heavy weather really moving in, Rena starts to list heavily, losing cargo tipping on Rena‘s.  This photo was taken from HMNZS Endeavour on October 12.  Photo: New Zealand Defence Force

In this photo, you can see Rena losing containers as heavy swells wash her deck on the starboard side taken on October 12.  You can really see the oil sheen in this photo. Photo: Blair Harkness

Here’s Rena from another angle as she loses containers into the heavy seas.  Photo: Blair Harkness

On October 12, a large crack appeared on the port side of the stricken vessel Rena. Photo: Maritime New Zealand

Here is a shot of fractured steel structures onboard Rena. Photo: Svitzer

A salvor is winched on to Rena on October 15.  Salvors are racing to get as much cargo and fuel oil off the vessel as possible.  Image credit: Svitzer

The tanker ship Awanuia receives and helps pump oil off the ship on October 17. The line of orange buoys supports the oil pipeline between the two vessels.  The vessel Awanuia has since ceased operations due to heavy weather. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand

Operations around Rena visible from a morning observation flight on November 15th. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand

Before and after comparison of Rena as of November 23. Almost all containers have been removed from the stern.  Two days later it was revealed that an additional 21 containers containing dangerous goods are on board. The shippers failed to report the containers on the ships manifest.  Image credit: Maritime New Zealand

An overflight on December 18.  Salvors have been successful in getting containers off the vessel but many still remain. Image credit: LOC

The Smit Borneo and the Sea Tow 60 side by side on December 22.  Further progress on container removal remains. Maritime New Zealand

Delaying the Inevitable: During the early morning hours of January 8th, the M/V Rena broke in half as heavy seas with swells up to 6m battered the vessel. With 830 containers still on the vessel it’s estimated that 200-300 were lost overboard when it broke in half. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand

As the seas calmed, damage to Rena can be from a morning observation flight on January 9th. Image credit: Maritime New Zealand

One day later, on January 10th, the stern of the Rena slipped off the reef and began to submerge. Here it is moments prior to sinking with more debris coming off. Image: Maritime New Zealand

Moments later on January 10th, the vessels bridge is nearly fully submerged. Image: LOC

3D image of the MV Rena showing the vessel’s position on the Astrolabe Reef and how it is submerged. Image: LOC

The bridge, clearly visible underwater, on January 19. Image: Maritime New Zealand

Despite numerous setbacks, container removal on the bow section makes good progress with the help of the crane barge Smit Borneo. This photos is from January 31. Image: LOC

Life on a lean. Here’s a look at the working conditions of the Svitzer salvage team, as seen on February 19th. Image: Svitzer

Contents of reefer containers need to be unloaded by hand. Image: Svitzer

Containers are pushing the hatch covers off the deck of the bow section. They would later need to be chained down to prevent them falling overboard. Image: LOC

The morning commute helped by a purpose-built helipad. Image: LOC

Heavy seas on March 21 cause the stern section to deteriorate rapidly over a 24 hour period. Image: LOC

Just a week later, more heavy swells slam the wreck site. Image: LOC

The swells eventually cause the stern section to slip off the reef, as seen in this photo from April 4. Image: LOC

Continuing into May, salvage cranes lift containers and debris the forward section of Rena. Image: Smit and Svitzer working in a joint salvage venture

On May 25th, the Master and Second Officer would each be sentenced to seven months imprisonment for their role in the grounding. The men were released in early September after serving only half their sentences.

A salvage crane lifts the last hatch cover from the forward section on May 28. Image: Smit and Svitzer working in a joint salvage venture

A shot showing all the hatch covers removed from the forward section of Rena on June 1. The operation marks the end of the the container recovery stage in the salvage of the M/V Rena. RESOLVE Marine Group would eventually be awarded the contract to remove the wreckage. Image: Maritime New Zealand

Here’s a photo of air lift operations on August 15. A helicopter picks up oxygen bottles for transport to the salvage team on board the Rena, for the cutting operations. Cut sections of the Rena lie on the transport barge for later removal from the site. Photo: RESOLVE Marine Group, Inc.

A technician cuts and removes side shell sections at the prow. The helicopter above and outside the photo frame has a line attached to the piece being cut. The helipad was erected on the prow to facilitate access. Photo: RESOLVE Marine Group, Inc.

Crews from RESOLVE would learn soon enough about the “life on a lean” thing. Photo: RESOLVE Marine Group, Inc.

In early September, heavy swells forced a piece of the bow section to break off.  Image: Maritime New Zealand

Salvors from RESOLVE on board Rena on September 22. Image: Maritime New Zealand.

On October 1st, owners of the MV Rena, Daina Shipping Company, were sentenced to pay 27.6 million New Zealand dollars, or about US$22 million, to settle a series of claims involving the government and several public bodies including Maritime NZ, Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Environmental Protection Agency, the Minister of Local Government (signing as the territorial authority for Motiti island), and the New Zealand Transport Agency.