Paula Thompson BOP Regional Councillor www.envbop.govt.nz

I am conscious that by the time this is read events re the Rena disaster will have changed – in fact in the space of the last eight hours, 70 containers have now been lost overboard and the ship is being battered by the storm and is listing badly to the opposite side of its original position.

I am writing this following a public meeting held Tuesday night. This is a week since the disaster struck and for most of us the week has seemed an absolute eternity.

The public meeting was useful for the giving of information and venting of spleens. As a community we are angry, heartbroken and frustrated – but also resolute in wanting to do what we can to help protect our precious place-our wildlife, coastal environment and ecosystems.

Unbelievably Tauranga is now home to New Zealand's greatest environmental disaster.

If it was possible we would unite as a human chain and boom all-around our harbour and coastal area.

Sadly and frustratingly we are advised that won't work.

In the space of a calm clear night we have lost our pristine pride.

The tasks ahead are huge but this is our place and we will come together to do whatever we can to cope with and deal to the disaster.

The following is what I understand.

Maritime NZ is in control – assisted by all the councils and a range of other organisations.

The wildlife response team is amongst the world's best.

On a scale of 1-10 the Rena is an eight. The cost – in every possible sense of the word – will be simply enormous.

At 2am 5/11 the 47000 tons of Rena ploughed onto the Astrolabe Reef at 17 knots.

Half of the boat is jammed on the reef and half is in 50 metres of water.

The duct keel or centre bit of the boat, where all the pipes are, was breached.

Fuel oil leaked from the breach into the hull and as at time of writing, it looks as though 320 tonnes of oil may have been lost into the sea and will find its way to the Mount, Omanu and Papamoa beaches and Maketu estuary.

No-one is sure just how much fuel oil has already leaked or may leak from the breached hull area.

The oil is toxic and Maritime NZ, which is in charge of the response efforts, is asking all those who want to help in the clean-up to register on 0800 645 774.

We are advised that the cleanup will be a lengthy process – how long is anyone's guess at this stage, but it could be months – we will be needed.

Given the toxicity, it is vital that training and supervision is provided for the clean-up work required. People are being told to stay away because of the health risks, but assured that their help will be needed.

Maritime NZ ‘gets it' that this is our community tragedy and we want to do whatever we can to help.

The ship is carrying 1700 tonnes of oil and 1386 containers.

Eleven of the containers contain hazardous goods.

At least 70 have now been lost overboard.

The priority is to pump the oil onto the Awanuia barge and to then unload the containers.

The pumping operation is hampered by the weather and damage now to the barge.

If the weather is okay the pumping operation will take about 40 hours.

Unloading the containers could take months and heavy lift helicopters aren't an option because of the weight of the containers. A special crane is needed.

The reason it took days to start pumping is because that time was needed to resort the pipes in the breached area.

The weather has now conspired to stop the response work.

There is significant concern around the use of dispersant and concern around why more estuarine areas aren't being boomed.

We are told the dispersant is the lesser of two evils and won't be used in inshore areas.

Booming has been placed at the Maketu estuary, but further booming of estuaries will wait until more information around volume of oil spill and trajectory projections have been done.

Tauranga Harbour can't be boomed because of the strength of currents.

It is simply a nightmare of mammoth and marathon proportions.

The only one reassurance I can give is that the regional council has from the beginning thrown everything it can at this.

Nothing will be spared to do what we can. We are in for a long haul. Whatever it takes will be done. Please feel free to ring me on 027 222 2419.