Work to unload containers from the Rena is unlikely to resume this morning as strong winds continue to whip up seas around the stricken ship.
Rough seas are buffeting the stricken cargo ship Rena and a window has blown out of a downtown Auckland high rise building as gales hit across New Zealand.
Cleaned birds from the oiled wildlife facility have been released at Mount Maunganui.
Today's a milestone one for Rena's oil response team following the ship's grounding just over six weeks ago.
Salvors have resumed lifting containers from grounded ship Rena following delays yesterday due to high winds.
Testing is continuing for the crane barge that will be used to remove more than 1200 containers precariously perched on grounded ship Rena.
The pumping of oil from the Rena has been completed, Prime Minister John Key confirmed today.
Further charges have been laid by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) against the Master and Second Officer of the Rena, following the ship's grounding on Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga on 5 October.
Preparations are underway for the removal of containers following the extraction of nearly all the oil from stricken cargo ship Rena.
The Rena salvage has shifted its focus to the removal of containers after extracting nearly all the oil from the stricken cargo ship.
The end is nearly in sight for salvors working to pump oil off the Rena, with less than 150 tonnes remaining on the stricken cargo ship.
Good conditions have enabled salvage teams to continue pumping what remains of the oil off the stricken cargo ship Rena.
Salvors are making good progress pumping oil from the final tank on grounded container ship Rena after numerous delays, says Maritime New Zealand.
The container ship that brought an environmental tragedy to the Bay of Plenty could become a tourist-pulling underwater wonder, says a national marine group.
Salvors are "very hopeful'' they will be able to begin pumping oil from Rena's submerged five starboard tank this morning, says Maritime New Zealand.
The operation to pump the last fuel oil off the stricken ship Rena has been delayed as salvors continue to set up the "enormously heavy'' equipment.
Salvage teams are preparing to pump the last fuel oil off the stricken ship Rena after they were forced to stop work because of noxious gases yesterday.
An oil spill response team remains on standby as salvors continue the slow process of pumping oil off the Rena one month after it ran aground.
Salvors hope to start pumping lubricant and hydraulic oils from the engine of the stricken Rena today, but it is not yet known how much remains on the ship.
Tauranga's fireworks display, an annual family favourite marking the opening of speedway season, has been cancelled for fear it could startle wildlife affected by oil from the Rena spill recovering next to the venue.