Bad weather resulting in 4 meter swells has interrupted once again salvage and clean up efforts in relation to the stricken MV Rena, which is feared to split in half if the water swelling persists.

The 47,000-tonne MV Rena, reportedly "croaking" and "groaning" as salvage operations were underway, is still spilling oil into New Zealand's Bay of Plenty almost two weeks since it ran aground Astrolabe Reef.

Maritime New Zealand estimate 350 tonnes of oil has spilled from the ship since it grounded on Oct. 5.

The New Zealand reported that the same disc-sized oil blobs that have ruined the Western Bay of Plenty coastline were found at White Island yesterday and are expected to turn up to at East Cape by Saturday.

The ill weather has also forced Maritime NZ to call off efforts to clean the oil from beaches around Mount Manganui, warning Wednesday's operations may also be cancelled for the same reason.

About 90 tonnes of the marmite-like oil 150 meter had been pumped through a 7.5cm hose into the bunker barge Awanuia before operations were temporarily halted, the Herald reported. The oil is pumped off at an average of 3-4 tonnes an hour.

MNZ salvage unit head Andrew Berry said MNZ would use a booster pump bought in yesterday to speed up the pumping process, but it has to be shelved off until weather improves.

"Every drop of oil that we can get off the Rena is one less drop that potentially can end up in the environment, but given the huge range of variables that can affect operations, it's going to be a long, slow process... The ship is stable and remains in the same condition as it was yesterday - with cracks down each side but is still together in one piece," Berry said, dousing fears that the vessel could break up soon.

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Centre reports 207 live birds are now under its care, but 1,290 birds and four animals have been recovered as the oil spill's poor casualties.

For his part, Transport Minister Steven Joyce said he did not rate the chances of salvors finishing the job before the ship broke apart.

Joyce yesterday met the managers of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which chartered the Rena, about the company's "moral obligation to assist."

"They have given me an undertaking that they will be looking to provide assistance in both cash and non-cash terms," Mr. Joyce told the Herald.

The ship's owner, Costamare, is responsible for the salvage operation costs, and is believed to be legally liable for up to $12.1 million of the cost of the clean-up under the Maritime Transport Act. But Mr. Joyce noted more oil leaking was inevitable, and the final bill for the clean-up bill, which is so far at $4 million, could be in the tens of millions of dollars by the time the clean-up efforts could be concluded.

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