MV Rena

{{Infobox ship image

| Ship image = NZ Defence Force assistance to OP Rena.jpg

| Ship caption = MV Rena aground on the Astrolabe reef

}}

{{Infobox ship career

| Hide header =

| Ship name = *ZIM America (1990–2007)

Andaman Sea (2007–2010)
Rena (2010–2011)

| Ship owner = *Zim (1989–2010)

Daina Shipping Co. (since 2010)

| Ship operator = *Zim (1989–2010)

Daina Shipping Co. (Costamare) (since 2010)

| Ship renamed =

}}{{Infobox ship career

| Hide header = yes

| Ship registry = *{{flagicon|Israel|civil}} Haifa, Israel (1990–2004)

{{flagicon|Malta|civil}} Valletta, Malta (2004–10)
{{flagicon|Liberia}} Monrovia, Liberia (since 2010)

| Ship route =

| Ship ordered =

| Ship builder = Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel, Germany

| Ship original cost =

| Ship yard number = 247

| Ship way number =

| Ship laid down = 4 October 1989

| Ship launched = 22 January 1990

| Ship christened =

| Ship completed = 1 April 1990

| Ship acquired =

| Ship maiden voyage = 1990

| Ship in service = 1990

| Ship out of service = 5 October 2011

| Ship identification = *ABS class no: 9001562

Call sign: A8XJ7
{{IMO Number|8806802}}
MMSI no.: 636014911{{csr|register=E|id=8806802|shipname=Rena|accessdate=19 October 2011 }}

| Ship fate = Broke in two after grounding on Astrolabe Reef, New Zealand, on 5 October 2011

| Ship notes =

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

| Hide header =

| Header caption =

| Ship class =

| Ship type = Container ship

| Ship tonnage = *{{GT|38,788}}

{{NetT|16,454}}
{{DWT|47,231}}

| Ship displacement =

| Ship length = {{convert|236|m|abbr=on}}

| Ship beam = {{convert|32.2|m|abbr=on}}

| Ship height =

| Ship draught = {{convert|12|m|abbr=on}} (max)

| Ship draft =

| Ship depth = {{convert|18.8|m|abbr=on}}

| Ship decks =

| Ship deck clearance =

| Ship ramps =

| Ship ice class =

| Ship power = Cegielski-Sulzer 8RTA76 (21,996 kW)

| Ship propulsion = *Fixed pitch propeller

Bow thruster

| Ship sail plan =

| Ship speed = {{convert|21|kn}}

| Ship capacity = {{TEU|3,351}}

| Ship crew = 20

| Ship notes =

}}

MV Rena was a {{TEU|3,351}} container ship owned by the Greek shipping company Costamare Inc. through one of its subsidiaries, Daina Shipping Co. The ship was built in 1990 as ZIM America for the Israeli shipping company Zim by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG in Kiel, Germany. She was renamed Andaman Sea in 2007 and had sailed under her current name and owner since 2010.

On 5 October 2011, due to navigation errors near the Astrolabe Reef,{{cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1412/S00250/final-report-on-grounding-of-mv-rena.htm|title=Final Report on Grounding of MV Rena - Scoop News|website=www.scoop.co.nz|access-date=19 March 2018}} the Rena ran aground near Tauranga, New Zealand, resulting in an oil spill.{{cite web|url=http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/news/media-releases-2011/20111005c.asp |title=Tauranga incident response update |publisher=Maritime New Zealand |date=5 October 2011 |access-date=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018232601/http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/news/media-releases-2011/20111005c.asp |archive-date=18 October 2011 }} Over the span of several months, she had been battered by consistent heavy winds and rough seas and on 8 January 2012 the Rena broke in two after a particularly harsh night of bad weather.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16458574 |title=Stricken cargo ship Rena breaks up off New Zealand |publisher=BBC |date=8 January 2012 |access-date=8 January 2012}} By 10 January the stern section had slipped off of the reef bank and sunk almost completely.{{cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6232985/Split-Rena-sinking | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914012410/http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6232985/Split-Rena-sinking | url-status=dead| archive-date=14 September 2012 | title=Split Rena Sinking | publisher=Waikato Times | date=10 January 2012 | access-date=13 October 2011 }}

Description

The Rena was a {{convert|236|m|adj=on}} Panamax container ship with a container capacity of {{TEU|3,351|first=yes}} in seven holds.{{cite web |url=http://www.costamare.com/our_fleet/fleet_list |title=Fleet list |publisher=Costamare Inc. |access-date=13 October 2011}} Her breadth was {{convert|32.2|m|ft}}, and fully laden she had a draught of {{convert|12|m|ft}}. Her gross tonnage was 38,788, net tonnage 16,454 and deadweight tonnage 47,231 tonnes. The Rena was served by a crew of 20.{{cite web |url=http://www.tradewindsnews.com/vessel?id=01735866C71E032A |title=Rena |author=TradeWinds|access-date=18 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719115919/http://www.tradewindsnews.com/vessel?id=01735866C71E032A|archive-date=19 July 2012 }}

The ship was propelled by a single eight-cylinder Cegielski-Sulzer 8RTA76 two-stroke low-speed diesel engine directly coupled to a fixed-pitch propeller. The main engine, which had a maximum output of {{convert|21996|kW|hp|abbr=on}} at 98 rpm, burned 90 tons of heavy fuel oil per day while giving the ship a service speed of {{convert|21|kn}}. For maneuvering at ports the ship was also equipped with a bow thruster. Shipboard power was generated by two {{convert|1240|kW|hp|adj=on}} auxiliary generating sets.

History

=Career=

In the late 1980s the Israeli shipping company Zim launched a major renovation and fleet expansion project, which included ordering 15 new ships. One of the new ships was ZIM America, which was laid down on 4 October 1989 at the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG shipyard in Kiel, Germany. Delivered on 1 April 1990 and registered in Haifa, the new {{TEU|3351}} container ship enabled Zim to offer a weekly fixed-day sailing schedule for its customers.{{cite web |url=http://www.zim.com/content.aspx?id=527&l=4|title=History: 1989-1998 |publisher=Zim Integrated Shipping Services |access-date=19 October 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.hdw-relaunch.swhosting3.de/en/ship-database.html?schiff=28&action=showDetail|title=Ship database |publisher=Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft|access-date=14 October 2011}} The ZIM America was later re-registered under the Maltese flag of convenience in 2004 with Valletta as her home port, and in 2007 she was renamed Andaman Sea.{{cite web |url=http://www.containership-info.com/vessel_8806802.html|title=Andaman Sea |publisher=containership-info.com|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425064835/http://www.containership-info.com/vessel_8806802.html |archive-date=25 April 2012 |url-status=usurped}}

In 2010 the Andaman Sea was sold to Daina Shipping Co., a subsidiary of the Greek shipping company Costamare Inc. She was renamed Rena and registered in the port of Monrovia{{cite web |title=Rena Monrovia |url=https://carzinity.com/rena-monrovia-when-you-transport-something-by-car/ |access-date=2 January 2025}} in Liberia.{{csr|register=ABS|id=9001562|shipname=Rena|accessdate=17 October 2011}}

=2011 grounding and oil spill=

File:Rena ship 07.jpg

On Wednesday, 5 October 2011, at 2:20 AM while sailing from Napier to Tauranga, the Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://costamare.irwebpage.com/pr100711.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720010921/http://costamare.irwebpage.com/pr100711.html |url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2012 |title=M/V Rena Information |publisher=Costamare Inc |date=7 October 2011 |access-date=12 October 2011 }} The ship was carrying 1,368 containers, eight of which contained hazardous materials, as well as 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 200 tonnes of marine diesel.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5763630/Rena-worst-maritime-environmental-disaster |title=Rena 'worst maritime environmental disaster' |publisher=Stuff |date=11 October 2011 |access-date=12 October 2011}}

By Sunday, 9 October, a {{convert|5|km|mi|adj=on}} oil slick threatened wildlife and the area's rich fishing waters.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15230941 |title=New Zealand oil ship leak 'raises questions |publisher=BBC News |date=9 October 2011 |access-date=11 October 2011}} Oil from the Rena began washing ashore at Mount Maunganui beach on 10 October.{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10757900 |title='Highly toxic' water at Mt Maunganui |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=10 October 2011 |access-date=11 October 2011 |first=Newstalk |last=Zb}} Bad weather that night caused the ship to shift on the reef, and the crew were evacuated.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5763630/Stricken-ship-crew-ashore-after-mayday-call |title=Stricken ship crew ashore after mayday call |publisher=Stuff |date=11 October 2011 |access-date=11 October 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10758195 |title=Rena crew 'terrified' by tipping |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=11 October 2011 |access-date=11 October 2011 |first1=Paul |last1=Harper |first2=Hayden |last2=Donnell |first3=Jamie |last3=Morton |first4=Matthew |last4=Theunissen |first5=Newstalk |last5=Zb |first6=Isaac |last6=Davison}} The shifting of the ship caused further damage, resulting in a further 130–350 tonnes of oil leaking.

On 11 October the spill was declared New Zealand's worst ever maritime environmental disaster by Environment Minister Nick Smith.{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10758195 |title='Worst ever environmental disaster' |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=11 October 2011 |access-date=11 October 2011 |first1=Paul |last1=Harper |first2=Hayden |last2=Donnell |first3=Jamie |last3=Morton |first4=Matthew |last4=Theunissen |first5=Newstalk |last5=Zb |first6=Isaac |last6=Davison}}

By 13 October the ship was listing by 20°, and 88 of her 1368 containers had fallen into the sea.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/salvage-team-assesses-damage-20111013-1ln16.html |title='Salvage team assesses damage' |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 October 2011 |access-date=14 October 2011}}

File:NZ Defence Force assistance to OP Rena - Flickr - NZ Defence Force (17).jpg

Due to increased pressure to her hull, Rena was expected at any point to split in two, furthering the environmental impact of the disaster.{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10759860 |title=Rena oil spill: Workers brace for death of ailing ship |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=18 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2011 |first1=Derek |last1=Cheng |first2=James |last2=Ihaka |first3=Jamie |last3=Morton |first4=Paul |last4=Harper}} It was reported on 14 October 2011, that Rena had cracked in two, held together only by her internal structure and the reef itself.

On 8 January 2012, it was reported that the Rena had broken in two, and while the bow section remained firmly grounded on the reef, the split had caused both sections to slew away from each other and settle lower in the water.{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10777406 |title=Coast under threat as Rena splits up |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=8 January 2012 |access-date=8 January 2012}} This caused further debris and oil to be released into the sea. By 10 January the stern section had been submerged almost completely, and on 4 April it slipped further down the reef and disappeared completely from the surface.[http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/204218/renas-stern-gone-reef Rena's stern gone from reef]. Otago Daily Times, 4 April 2012. {{retrieved|accessdate=4 April 2012}}

Current status

By June 2014, the wreck had been salvaged of approximately 77% of the initial containers. Major pieces of the wreck have been removed, including the entire bow section being leveled one metre below the low tide mark, removal of the 350-tonne accommodation block (down to D deck), and a major piece of the port side. All fuel and oils were removed, except for about 1 tonne of clingage. There was an ongoing search for the last container of plastic beads. Under the salvage operation, more than 850 tonnes of debris were removed from the area.{{cite news |url= http://www.renaproject.co.nz/ |title=This is our fourth newsletter to the communities of the Bay of Plenty |work=The Rena Project |date= June 2014 |access-date=20 July 2014}}

In a report by the ship's owner, it was noted that the anti-fouling paint on the wreck contains zinc, diuron, copper, and tributyltin (TBT). The same report noted that there is "localised contamination of TBT in on-reef sediments at Astrolabe."{{Cite book|title = Antifouling Assessment: Proposal to Leave the Remains of the MV RENA on Astrolabe Reef|last = Till|first = Clare|publisher = Safinah|year = 2014|pages = 5}} The Sediment Quality Report submitted by the ship's owners as part of their resource consent application to leave the wreck on Astrolabe noted, "Sediment contaminant concentrations on Astrolabe Reef adjacent to the wreck indicates adverse effects on organisms are likely to be occurring due to elevated concentrations of copper, zinc, TBT, and PAHs."{{Cite book|title = BENTHIC SEDIMENT QUALITY REPORT – ASTROLABE REEF|publisher = BIORESEARCHES GROUP LIMITED|year = 2014|location = Auckland|pages = 16}}

In February 2016, Daina Shipping was granted consent to leave the unrecovered portions of MV Rena in place on the reef.{{Cite web|date=2016-03-06|title=Rena Project {{!}} Latest News and Info on the Rena Wreck {{!}} Options and Salvage Information|url=http://www.renaproject.co.nz/|access-date=2021-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306020127/http://www.renaproject.co.nz/ |archive-date=6 March 2016 }} Salvage and recovery works were completed on 4 April 2016 and the former exclusion zone around the site was lifted.{{Cite web|title=Astrolabe Reef/Otaiti Access Plan – Info Advisory – Waikato Sport Fishing Club|url=https://www.waikatosportfishing.co.nz/astrolabe-reedotaiti-access-plan-info-advisory/|access-date=2021-10-09|website=www.waikatosportfishing.co.nz}} As part of the official access plan, two dive sites for advanced divers were unveiled on a website providing fishing, snorkeling, diving, and safety information.{{Cite web|title=Astrolabe Reef / Otaiti|url=http://www.astrolabereef.co.nz/|access-date=2021-10-09|website=Astrolabe Reef / Otaiti|language=en-NZ}} Between them, these two sites cover the bulk of the remaining bow wreckage, while diving to the much deeper stern wreckage is not officially recommended.

In December 2020, divers discovered that nature is in the process of recovery and the wreck is becoming a thriving kelp forest. Divers are monitoring for any pieces of steel that might become dislodged and float in the tide to damage the reef, as well as the status of 5 to 10 tonnes of granulated copper trapped underneath the wreck’s hull.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-26|title=Rena shipwreck divers discover reef roiling with life nine years after sinking|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/300184165/rena-shipwreck-divers-discover-reef-roiling-with-life-nine-years-after-sinking|access-date=2021-04-26|website=Stuff|language=en}} The team will keep monitoring the MV Rena for the next 20 years to check it causes no further damage to the reef and any issues are identified early.