. In Apia, the salvors continue their essential engineering changes and equipment preparation, reconfiguring the barge to operational diving mode.

· NZDF’s Senior National Representative for Operation Resolution, Commodore Andrew Brown said, “an underwater survey of anchoring sites has also been conducted by the salvors to confirm installation locations for the barge’s anchoring system. This will be presented to Samoan authorities for endorsement.

· “It is important for the salvors to work through the necessary approvals and permissions to allow the fuel and other pollutants removal to commence,” Commodore Brown said.

· Once the work in Apia is finished the barge will be towed to the south west coast and anchored over Manawanui. The fuel and pollutants removal will commence when final site and equipment preparations and Health and Safety checks are complete.

· Commodore Brown reinforced, “the weather, particularly this time of year, will play a major part. How long the operation takes will be very dependent on weather and sea conditions.”

· Today Commodore Brown and the Charge d’Affaires New Zealand, supported senior Samoan officials meeting with local community representatives in the village of Tafitoala on the south west coast of Upolu to discuss the next steps in the fuel removal process and the precautionary zone affecting fishing.

· Commodore Brown said, “It was a privilege to sit alongside Samoan officials as they engaged with the local community. I was humbled by the community’s generosity of spirit in welcoming us and engaging with the Samoan officials.”

· “It was good to see fact-based information presented to the community and it was obvious that they appreciated this” he said.

· Commodore Brown said, “It was also clear that the safe removal of fuel and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui is important to the local community. We are absolutely focussed on doing a careful and thorough job. While this response is complex and technical, New Zealand is committed to doing the right thing.”

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