• The New Zealand Defence Force contracted ocean-going tug and barge, being used to remove the fuel and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui, sailed from Whāngarei late Friday 29 November.
• Appropriate authorisations and permissions from Samoan authorities for the vessels to operate in Samoan waters, are well advanced and will be in place by the time they arrive in Apia.
• Concurrently, the salvor will be conducting pre-installation work of the anchoring system at Manawanui’s location.
• “The underwater anchoring installations are critical to this phase of the operation” said Commodore Andrew Brown, the NZDF Senior National Representative for Operation Resolution. “They must be able to secure the barge in place over Manawanui in a range of sea states during the fuel removal process, while at the same time ensuring the reef and seabed are protected.”
   

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