Water users told to steer clear of Rena

Tauranga's harbourmaster has urged boaties and fishermen to steer clear of the Rena exclusion zone.

A two nautical mile exclusion zone has been in place around the grounded ship since it sailed into the Astrolabe reef in October last year.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council harbourmaster Carl Magazinovic said divers were making good progress on the reduction of the wreck and debris field, but he urged people to be mindful of the exclusion zone while out on the water.

"Nine hundred tonnes of steel has now been removed. However, we still need an exclusion zone in place to ensure that the Rena response operations can continue safely and without hinderance from other vehicles."

Anyone found in the exclusion zone without express permission from the Harbourmaster could be fined, Mr Magazinovic said.

"This is a timely reminder to those planning to spend some time out on the water in the Bay to keep safe this summer. As well as keeping two nautical miles away from the Rena wreck, you should wear a lifejacket, keep to the five-knot rule, stay out of the way of big ships and always tell someone where you are going."

Meanwhile, the salvage crew working to dismantle the Rena has received an attractive Christmas present.

Resolve Salvage and Fire last week brought in a specialised underwater electro-magnet to assist in the removal of scrap metal cut from the sunken hull of the Rena. Capable of lifting up to five tonnes of scrap metal at a time, the crane-operated magnet was part of a shipment of specialised underwater equipment brought in by Resolve to speed up the salvage job. Resolve crews have already brought 60 tonnes of scrap metal ashore.

Captain John Owen, senior claims manager for the Rena's insurer the Swedish Club, said the company would continue to approach recovery efforts "one-step at a time".

"Where poor weather prevented Resolve from working on the bow, they were able to focus on the retrieval of metallic scrap and debris from damaged containers and the vessel itself, although the unpredictable conditions around the reef continue to affect the recovery operation."

Scrap metal makes up the majority of the debris that remains submerged between the stern and bow sections.

Captain Owen said studies would continue into the environmental, cultural, economic and safety impacts of the different options for dealing with the wreck.

"We are working towards holding another round of community consultation in late February next year."