The Rena salvage operation is ahead of schedule by one month and organisers are preparing to head into winter.
Following faster than expected progress in the recovery of containers from the MV Rena in recent weeks organisers are now planning the next stages of the operation.
All accessible containers in the bow section have now been removed, leaving 18 damaged or empty containers in the section that remains on Astrolabe reef.
A specialised salvage vessel that has supported container removal from the bow has now completed its contribution to the operation. The vessel is likely to return to its home base in Singapore in the next few weeks.
The owners and insurers are in close liaison with Maritime New Zealand and are paying close attention to the possibility of extreme weather conditions.
Discussions are in place regarding the technical aspects of wreck removal for future stages of the operation.
3 News