Tauranga business owners affected by the Rena spill want a compensation offer when they meet the Rena's insurers next month.
The Rena grounded on the Astrolabe Reef. Photo: NZ DEFENCE FORCE
The container ship ran aground on Astrolabe Reef in 2011, spilling hundreds of tonnes of heavy fuel into Bay of Plenty waters, coating seabirds and polluting beaches.
A spokesperson for the Tauranga Business Action Group, Nevan Lancaster, says no business owner has been compensated for the losses suffered as a result of the spill, or even received an apology.
"The Rena ran aground because the shipping company was trying to save money on fuel and not miss their stop. We would like to get back to the situation where - if they hadn't made that silly decision - we would be in exactly the same position."
However, he says he isn't expecting anything to come from the meeting, as the mediation is court ordered and the insurers have fought all the way.
