Salvors have removed all but 99 containers from the grounded Lomar Shipping vessel Kea Trader.

The 2,194-teu ship (built 2017) got stuck on a rock reef off New Caledonia in the Pacific on 12 July, with 756 boxes on board.

Continual pounding in storm-force seas broke the ship in two in November.

"Since then each section has remained in situ – the forward-half steady but having now rotated, while the aft has rolled in heavy seas but has generally maintained its original position," Lomar said

Of the containers still remaining, 86 are empty.