Rena: Costamare boxship away off Astrolabe Reef

An investigation into the grounding and breaking up of the Rena, a Liberian-flagged ship owned by the Greek shipping firm Costamare, is ongoing. The ship's captain and navigation officer, both Philippine nationals, will next month face criminal charges relating to operating a vessel in a dangerous manner and allowing the release of toxic materials.

Rena: NZ charges officers with perverting justice

Both men, who have name suppression, appeared in Tauranga District Court today and faced a new charge alleging they altered the ship's documents after it crashed into the Astrolabe reef, attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The charges were laid under the Crimes Act and could see the men facing jail time.

Corrupting juries and witnesses
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who—
(a) dissuades or attempts to dissuade a person, by threats, bribes, or other corrupt means, from giving evidence in any cause or matter (whether civil or criminal, and whether tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction); or
(b) influences or attempts to influence, by threats or bribes or other corrupt means, a member of a jury in his or her conduct as such (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction, and whether the member has been sworn as a member of a particular jury or not); or
(c) accepts any bribe or other corrupt consideration to abstain from giving evidence (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction); or
(d) accepts any bribe or other corrupt consideration on account of his or her conduct as a member of a jury (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction, and whether the member has been sworn as a member of a particular jury or not); or
(e) wilfully attempts in any other way to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.

Both were remanded at large to reappear in Tauranga District Court on February 29.

Rena: 115 containers still on board

The daily media conference for the Rena disaster finished Dec 1 and will become a weekly conference unless the situation changes. There are 1115 containers still on board
"We are now soliciting support from various sectors of the [Filipino] society, especially the maritime industry, to join us in lodging a nation-wide protest action to prevent Capt. Balomanga and his watch officer from being incarcerated. 12 months imprisonment should not be a penalty for a navigational error.' here

Rena: Captain, Navigation Officer further remanded

The 44-year-old captain of the ship, Mauro Balomanga, and the 37-year-old officer in charge of navigational watch at the time of the grounding both defendants, yet to enter pleas, were further remanded on bail and are due back in court on November 2.

Rena: Filipino captain , navigation officer in Court

Salvors are now back on board the vessel Rena carrying out general assessments of the ship's status. A team of three salvors re-boarded the ship this morning, however, swell and weather conditions have not been favourable for restarting pumping of from the ship. "The bow section of Rena is still sitting firmly on the reef, however, movement from the heavy swell and tide action overnight has moved the stern section slightly further to the left. "Booster pumps have now been installed on the vessel Rena and further pumps will also be added to speed up the rate of oil extraction. Salvors will recommence pumping when weather and swell conditions allow this to be done safely.
Mauro Balomanga captain and his navigational officer of the stricken ship responsible for the country's largest environmental maritime disaster will remain unshown in New Zealand who appeared before Judge Robert Wolff in Tauranga District Court October 19.

Reno: Mauro Balomanga, Filipino Captain

88 containers have been reported as fallen from the ship. Members of the public should not touch containers that reach the shore, or any of the goods that have come free from the containers. Officials had feared that a large crack in the ship’s hull indicated it was about to split in two but said at a news briefing on October 13 that a breakup was not considered imminent, although it remained a dangerous possibility. Mauro Balomanga, the ship’s captain, a 44-year-old Filipino man, was arrested October 12.