Grounding of The Rena - A disaster to coastal New Zealand

A DigitalNZ Story by Janice

In October 2011, a container ship got grounded on the Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty causing immense damage to New Zealand's coast and marine life. Find here images, articles and various other resources on this man-man ocean disaster.

Oil pollution, man-made disasters, oceans, pollution, ocean disasters, oil spills, Rena container ship, Rena

The wreck of the Rena

On 5 October 2011 the Mediterranean Shipping Company-chartered, Liberian-flagged container ship Rena astonished local mariners by grounding on the clearly marked Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty while approaching Tauranga Harbour. Three months later the vessel broke in half.

Source: 'The wreck of the Rena ', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/shipping-containers/rena-disaster, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 19-Jan-2017.

Image: Containers falling off the Rena

Containers falling off the Rena

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Just not funny anymore!

Environmental damage

About 350 tonnes of oil was spilt, and 950 tonnes of oily waste was subsequently collected from local beaches. Eighty-seven of the 1368 containers on board were washed overboard, with the contents of many fouling the coast. 

Source: The wreck of the Rena ', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/shipping-containers/rena-disaster, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 19-Jan-2017.

The wreck of the Rena - Container shipping

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Thousands of birds killed

Image: Little Penguin

Little Penguin

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Little penguins recuperating from the Rena oil spill

Little penguins recuperating from the Rena oil spill

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Children voice their concern

The Rena Timeline

  • When was it made
  • Journey to New Zealand
  • The crash into the Astrolabe Reef
  • The events that followed

The Big Clean up 

Image: Rena Oil Spill

Rena Oil Spill

Forest and Bird

cost to the Rena owners - was that enough?

Image: Rena owners fined

Rena owners fined

Radio New Zealand

Lessons Learned

Crown entitity determins causes and circumstances of Rena grounding with a view to avoiding similar occurrences.

Container ship MV Rena grounding on Astrolabe Reef, 5 October 2011.

National Library of New Zealand