Rena captain Mauro Balomaga now teaching maritime students how to pilot ships

Captain Mauro Balomaga training maritime students in a simulator centre at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific. Photo / Supplied

The Rena captain responsible for New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster is no longer commanding ships but is training future captains how to.

Captain Mauro Balomaga and navigation officer Leonil Relon were sentenced to seven months' jail for their roles in the grounding of the cargo ship at Ōtaiti, Astrolabe Reef on October 5, 2011.

The incident resulted in a $700 million salvage. Bay of Plenty's pristine golden beaches were blanketed in heavy black oil. Hundreds of wildlife died.

Balomaga and Relon each pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice after they tried to amend their GPS logbook to suggest their innocence. But under provisions in the Parole Act, Balomaga and Relon walked free from prison having served half their sentence and were deported to their homeland of the Philippines.

Rena navigation officer Leonil Relon and captain Mauro Balomaga pictured during their sentencing in 2012. Photo / NZME

Ten years later, Balomaga has told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend in an exclusive interview that he had kept his captain rank but no longer worked on a ship.

Instead, he is teaching as an Assistant Professor at the College of Marine Transportation at the Philippines' Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific. He has been there since 2014 and loves it.

Speaking on the phone from Manila, Balomaga said he was using his Rena experience to help foster "competent and confident seafarers".

"It changed my life a lot because after all that happened and after all I had experienced and developed … I can share that knowledge," he said.

The criminal case confirmed Balomaga and Relon took shortcuts while rushing to get to the Port of Tauranga when the collision happened.

"It's better for them [students] to get something from people who have already experienced it because then they will know how to avoid things like that if [they] ever have to in the future."

Balomaga admitted he often thought about his role in what happened. It was the early hours of his 44th birthday when Rena struck.

"There was some guilt for a while," he said.

"I wasn't really able to perform my responsibilities at the time but nobody is [perfect]. The point is, whatever happened, it happened for a good reason. That's something I've been telling to my students sometimes when I'm sharing my experience.

"[I try] to give something from me that they can use.

Captain Mauro Balomaga. Photo / Supplied

"It's not just textbooks that offer learning. It's something we can input, our experiences, in other people."

Balomaga said he wanted to thank the Tauranga and New Zealand community for "the way they handled the situation".

"Of course, nobody wants to have any accident and nobody intended for things to happen like that.

"There were too many bits and pieces before something [went] wrong. We were not able to avoid it. But in life, there's no rewind or replay. Things happen. You just have to face it and learn from it and make something positive out of it."

Rena had been travelling 17 knots and carrying 1368 containers of cargo and 1700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil at the time of impact. Of these containers, 32 contained dangerous goods.

The force of the collision tore about 60m from the ship's keel and embedded the stricken ship firmly on the reef as water surged in through several breaches.

Rena, pictured the day of its grounding. Oil can be seen leaking in the background. Photo / NZME

"I'm thankful there was no loss of life," Balomaga said.

"Not all people can survive something like that."

Balomaga said he had lost contact with Relon and did not know where he was. His focus now was on his students.

"I'm correcting a mistake."

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said, in his opinion, Balomaga teaching maritime students "seems wrong".

"It's worth going back and remembering he'd instructed people under him to chart false locations.

"I sincerely hope he's learned his lesson."

Bridges said that while many people deserved to have a second chance, in his view: "I don't know that it's right he's teaching people to pilot large vessels".

"Even for the biggest failings people can be redeemed but it's hard to go past what a massive failing it was, largely because of him."

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges. Photo / NZME

At the time, Judge Robert Wolff said in his sentencing of Balomaga and Relon the case was one of "gross negligence".

Bridges said: "You can forgive but I don't know if you can forget."

On Motiti Island, Rangi Butler said she and other residents had forgiven the captain and first officer.

In the days after the grounding, Balomaga and Relon visited the island and personally apologised for their actions.

"It was a very sad situation. They didn't know what to expect because they are from the Philippines and coming into another culture. But I'm so proud of my own people for embracing them.

"Forgiveness is a big thing but forgiveness sets you free."