Sunken Thames boat: Rewa Rules salvage costs revealed under OIA

Saturday, 16 May 2026

Contractors salvaging the Rewa Rules in April.

Ratepayers will have to pick up a $40,000 tab for the recent salvage of a derelict boat at Thames Wharf, Waikato Regional Council has confirmed.

The 45-foot steel vessel MV Gleaner, also known as Rewa Rules, sank at Thames Wharf in April, following Cyclone Vaianu but as nobody claimed ownership and the council could not trace an owner, ratepayers footed the bill.

Responding to on Official Information request from the Waikato Times, WRC, confirmed the final salvage cost was $40,864. They refused to provide this information earlier.

The boat went under at Thames wharf as Cyclone Vaianu passed through.

The job was carried out by Trojan Marine Service, in line with council procurement policy.

“Trojan Marine Services are an approved contractor who has the capability and experience to manage a salvage of this complexity,’’ the official response said.

“An alternative approved marine contractor was contacted but ultimately did not quote.

“Other options considered involved the project being managed internally and contracting a towage company, dive contractors, and machinery to the operation.

“An assessment of the risks resulted in the decision to have an expert marine salvage contractor manage the operation through to a successful re-float.’’

Although the council’s Harbourmaster team has an ongoing programme to remove derelict or at-risk vessels, the costs of removing vessels are “significantly higher’’ than salvaging them.

“In the last 12 months 16 unseaworthy or derelict vessels have been removed from the water through this programme,’’ the council says.

“The issue of deteriorating vessels in New Zealand’s harbours is widespread with every region battling with the challenges and funding for this issue.’’

The ex-commercial boat has not been registered officially since 2012 and an owner has still not been traced or come forward.

Under the Maritime Transport Act, wreck removal costs are typically recovered from the owner or the owner’s insurer as a debt.

However, since no owner was found that was not possible in this case.

Thames Coromandel District Council did not respond to requests for comment.

The Taxpayer’s Union declined to comment.