Improved weather conditions are assisting salvors as they assess containers onboard the stricken ship Rena.
Rough seas hampered earlier efforts by salvage teams and divers to carry out inspections of the ship since it split in two earlier this month.
The ship has largely slipped beneath the waves after breaking apart, more than three months after it ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef in October.
With improved weather in the area, teams onboard the bow section have assessed the state of containers and crane barge Smit Borneo is alongside the wreck as salvors hope to start container removal from the bow.
Divers have also nearly completed their assessment of the aft section.
The information gathered will help with planning of how to remove the wreck, said Maritime New Zealand.
A total of 1006 tonnes of oil waste has been removed from the ship, and 38 bags of milk powder from a container have been removed by helicopter.
Two grey-faced petrel and a small number of penguins will be released today.
