A salvage team has begun pumping oil from the stricken cargo vessel Rena and plans to stay on the ship and into tomorrow to get the job done.
Maritime New Zealand salvage unit head Bruce Anderson said he had received a plan from the salvage crew that would allow them to stay aboard safely.
"The safety of the salvage team is paramount and I had to be satisfied that there is a workable plan to rescue the people from the vessel if something goes wrong,'' he said in a statement.
The salvors had encountered a number of technical difficulties but calm conditions and the forecast for the next 24 hours gave them a good opportunity to get the work underway.
"This is a hugely challenging and risky operation even in full daylight - these are incredibly brave and dedicated people working very hard to protect the beaches and coastline of the Bay of Plenty and the communities who use them.''
National on-scene commander Nick Quinn said added difficulties were the list of the ship and the consistency of the oil.
"While we understand that everyone is anxious to know the oil is being removed, we need to be absolutely sure our systems are firmly in place and that we mitigate against all risks, including the safety of salvage crews and protection of the environment.
"The good news is that the beaches are cleaner, the salvage team have achieved some vital preparation today and the wildlife response is in full swing, but we can't lose sight of the threat that still remains,'' he said.
While the weather has been good for the past few days, it is expected to deteriorate late tomorrow, which have an impact on the operation.
