4.04pm: Incident Command Centre Volunteer Coordinator Bruce Fraser says the team has been "blown away" by the community response to the spill, with around 5,500 volunteers now signed up to assist with spill clean-up, and local businesses coming through with offers of accommodation, food, drink, equipment, and more.
"We'd like to thank the people of Bay of Plenty and further afield who have signed up to be volunteers or are working in different areas of the response. We also want to acknowledge the fantastic support of local businesses. It's fantastic to see this kind of community spirit shining through.
3.00pm: Reports by some media that the Rena is breaking up are incorrect. Salvage experts advise that while the Rena is cracked port and starboard, it remains together in one piece and is in the same position as it has been for the past week.
1:09pm All Tauranga City boat ramps are being reopened this afternoon. Boat users are advised to proceed with caution and at their own risk.
12.44pm: Meetings update:
A community briefing will be held at the Whakatane High School for local residents at 6pm today (Monday 17 October)
There is a stakeholder briefing for environmental groups at 11am tomorrow (Tuesday 18 October) at the Tauranga Boys College Auditorium
A stakeholder briefing for tourism operators will be held at 5.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday) at Classic Flyers, 8 Jean Batten Place, Tauranga Airport
A community briefing for Te Puke, Maketu, Pongakawa and Pukehina residents will be organised at the Te Puke Memorial Hall, Jellicoe Street at 6.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday).
12.35pm: Fishermen, boaties and other vessel operators coming across containers at sea that have fallen from Rena are asked not to attempt to touch or move the containers, as they remain a significant navigational hazard.
National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn says vessel skippers should instead gather as much information as possible, including a latitude and longitude, container number, colour, size, drift direction and rate if possible, and report it to Bay of Plenty Maritime Radio on Channel 16 or Taupo Maritime Radio on High Frequency.
Alternatively, mariners should phone the Tauranga-based incident response team on 0800 645 774. Information can also be emailed to containers.rena@gmail.com and coordinationunit.rena@gmail.com
11.30am: Eighty-eight containers were lost from the Rena last week, some of which washed up on beaches in the area.
"We're going to have quite choppy seas overnight and I wouldn't be surprised if we lose more containers overnight," Maritime New Zealand salvage unit head Bruce Anderson said.
"There are a number of container stacks which are precarious, so we should be ready."
The shipping route had reopened after a sonar sweep showed it was clear of containers.
A container salvage company remained on the alert, looking for containers in the surf zone and on the beaches.
As well, crews were patrolling the beaches looking for any fresh oil which had washed up.
10:40am: Stricken container ship Rena is "dying", Maritime New Zealand salvage unit head Bruce Anderson says.
Hundreds of tonnes of oil and more than 80 containers have spilled into the ocean. More containers are expected to be lost overboard as bad weather returns to Bay of Plenty later today, and there is imminent danger it will break up.
"This thing is groaning and creaking," Mr Anderson said.
"The vessel is dying."
10.22am: There are three clean-up sessions planned for today, (Monday) - two at Papamoa (starting from the Papamoa Surf Club and Taylor Reserve) and one at Mount Maunganui (Clyde Street Beach Access). All start at 1.30pm. Volunteer coordinators at the incident command centre are rostering volunteers so their assistance can be used effectively.
8.04am: Around 460 volunteers assisted yesterday with beach clean ups at Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, and Maketu, while a further 260 volunteers from Opotiki to East Cape have been trained and are ready to launch into action. A further 30 volunteers were also trained at Bowentown yesterday.
7.54am: People are urged not to collect or eat any shellfish from local beaches, as public health warnings remain in force. This advice remains in place even for beaches that were contaminated and which have now been cleaned and reopened.
Most beaches also remain closed. Limited access is available at the main beach at Mt Maunganui down to Leisure Island. There is no swimming at all beaches.
Monday 17 October, 7.35am: A salvage team worked through the night to pump oil from the ship, and will continue to work through the day as long as conditions safely allow.