Divers inspect Rena

Salvage work on the Rena is continuing in fine weather. Photo / Kiri Gillespie

Rena salvors continue to make good progress on the wreck as weather conditions in Tauranga remain settled in the area.

Divers were able to gain access inside the sunken rear section of the Rena for the first time today.

Svitzer Salvage spokesman Mathew Watson says divers have managed to get into one of the hold areas. He says the conditions were very dangerous as the water is very murky with a lot of debris floating around.

Mr Watson says the divers will try to access other holds in the near future to get a clearer picture of what is going on in those areas.

Fine weather and calm seas have assisted onboard crews, who managed to remove a further six containers today. Yesterday they removed 19 containers from Rena's bow.

The emptying of a second container of milk powder is also continuing and bags of milk powder will be removed from the wreck by helicopter, said MNZ.

Salvors yesterday maneuvered crane ship Smit Borneo alongside the bow of Rena, which remains firmly wedged on the Astrolabe Reef since the ship broke up.

The stern has mostly slipped beneath the waves.

Meanwhile, water and shoreline debris removal is continuing at Bowentown Heads and skips have been sent to the East Cape for debris disposal.

More oil has leaked from the wrecked container ship since it split in two but only small amounts were reaching the shoreline.

The number of live and dead oiled birds being collected around the Bay of Plenty was small, said oiled wildlife response manager Teri McClelland.

This was largely because the coast had received little oil, but also because the little blue penguins were in their moult period.

The wildlife response facility in Tauranga is being demobilised and any wildlife will be sent to Massey, Palmerston North for treatment.