Locals help clean-up of containers

The contents of three shipping containers washed up at Muriwai on Friday were cleaned up at the weekend after a huge effort by teams of stevedores, 50 community volunteers and Auckland Regional Council staff.

The Tasman Endeavour lost seven dairy product containers - each holding 20 tonnes of goods - and the Maritime Safety Authority warned sailors about the rest, still afloat off Auckland's west coast.

The clean-up of hundreds of bags of milk powder and liquid cream bottles was made difficult by 6m waves, higher-than-normal tides and blustery, wet weather.

One container was dragged 6km down the beach to the Muriwai parks depot by four-wheel-drive club vehicles and tractors.

Two other containers washed up on rocks south of Muriwai posed further difficulties, said principal ARC parks ranger Bruce Andrell.

A container which broke open contained 1.5-litre bottles of cream.

The third was still sealed and the shipping company brought in a team of stevedores who unloaded it into slings ferried to the depot by Skywork Helicopters.

The shipping company has accepted responsibility for full cleanup costs to reduce the risks of pollution.