New Zealand locals are working together to clean up along the coast in Mt Maunganui after the oil spill from MV Rena has become massive, increasing "several times over" on Monday afternoon. Maritime New Zealand said between 130 and 350 tonnes of oil has leaked out of the Rena by Tuesday morning.

The New Zealand Herald reports, the new oil spill is being spewed from one of the main tanks of MV Rena. Oil was still spilling from the tank by Tuesday morning, moving from Bay of Plenty towards Mt Maunganui.

"One of the main tanks has been breached. It is very significant in the scheme of things," a maritime spokesman told the Herald.

Trained personnel were set to clean up the oil on Mt Maunganui and Papamoa beaches on Tuesday to prevent a huge damage along the tourism-drawing coastlines.

Meanwhile, Tauranga Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker said Rena made a mayday call Tuesday morning as a "standard precautionary measure."

"The ship is not breaking up. Yes, a mayday call has gone out but that is just standard precautionary measure to get the crew off," a Maritime New Zealand spokesperson told the Herald, adding, "The crew has come off for safety reasons and they will stay off until it is safe enough and then go back on."

The bad weather is not helping the situation on Tuesday, but Maritime New Zealand salvage manager Bruce Anderson says forecasts say weather will get better within the next few days.