Second Grounding off Tauranga
The 133 meter long, 8015 dwt container ship Schelde Trader went aground near the entrance to Tauranga, New Zealand. The Schelde Trader was departing Tauranga when it suffered a power failure and lost steering. The current then carried the disabled vessel onto the rocks. Reports state the damage was slight and the vessel was refloated and taken back to harbour by the tug Te Matua. No reports of injuries or pollution being released. The Schelde Trader will be inspected and officials have stated there will be an investigation into the incident. The Schelde Trader had stopped in Tauranga to refuel and was headed to Noumea, New Caledonia. The grounding of the Schelde Trader is less than a month after the container ship Rena hit the Astrolabe Reef off the Tauranga coast.