Chinese bulk carrier runs aground on GBR
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inventor
Contributor
How many pilots did the Exxon Valdez have?
One and a fifth.
This guy maybe one and a six pack?
Hope it isn't too bad. How close to shore? Any fisheries in danger?
One and a fifth.
This guy maybe one and a six pack?
Hope it isn't too bad. How close to shore? Any fisheries in danger?
firelaw
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BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- A coal-carrying ship that strayed outside a shipping lane and ran aground in protected waters was leaking oil on Australia's Great Barrier Reef and was in danger of breaking apart, officials said Sunday. The Chinese Shen Neng 1 ran aground late Saturday on Douglas Shoals, a favorite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. The shoals -- off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park -- are in a protected part of the reef where shipping is restricted by environmental law.
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, which is off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site. The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane, State Premier Anna Bligh said. A police boat was standing by to remove the 23 crew if the ship broke apart and an evacuation was necessary, she said.
Patches of oil were seen near the stricken ship early Sunday, but Maritime Safety Queensland reported no major loss from the 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of oil on board. ''We are now very worried we might see further oil discharged from this ship,'' Bligh told reporters.
Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Patrick Quirk said the vessel was badly damaged on its port side. ''At one stage last night, we thought the ship was close to breaking up,'' he told reporters. ''We are still very concerned about the ship.'' ''It is in danger of actually breaking a number of its main structures and breaking into a number of parts,'' he added.
A salvage contract had been signed, but the operation would be difficult and assessing the damage to the ship could take a week, Quirk said. Bligh said she feared the salvage operation could spill more oil, which could reach the mainland coast within two days. Local emergency crews were on standby to clean any oil that reached mainland beaches, she said.
Aircraft on Sunday began spraying chemicals on the oil patches to disperse it, she said. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said authorities had been working through the night to determine what risks the ship posed to the environment. ''The government is very conscious of the importance of the Great Barrier Reef environment and ensuring that impacts on its ecology are effectively managed,'' Garrett said in a statement.
The 755 foot (230 meter) bulk carrier was carrying about 72,000 U.S. tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal to China and ran aground within hours of leaving the Queensland port of Gladstone. Conservationists have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a marine pilot with local expertise. ''The state government is being blinded by royalties and their shortsightedness will go down in history as killing the reef,'' said Larissa Waters, spokeswoman for the Queensland Greens, an environmentally focused political party. Bligh said the question of when ships should require a marine pilot on the reef was under review because of the increase in freight traffic that will flow from new gas and coal export contracts to China. She said a separate inquiry would determine how the ship came to stray from its shipping lane.
Quirk said state authorities were seeking information about the effect the coal could have on the reef environment if the ship broke up before its cargo can be salvaged.
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, which is off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site. The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane, State Premier Anna Bligh said. A police boat was standing by to remove the 23 crew if the ship broke apart and an evacuation was necessary, she said.
Patches of oil were seen near the stricken ship early Sunday, but Maritime Safety Queensland reported no major loss from the 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of oil on board. ''We are now very worried we might see further oil discharged from this ship,'' Bligh told reporters.
Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Patrick Quirk said the vessel was badly damaged on its port side. ''At one stage last night, we thought the ship was close to breaking up,'' he told reporters. ''We are still very concerned about the ship.'' ''It is in danger of actually breaking a number of its main structures and breaking into a number of parts,'' he added.
A salvage contract had been signed, but the operation would be difficult and assessing the damage to the ship could take a week, Quirk said. Bligh said she feared the salvage operation could spill more oil, which could reach the mainland coast within two days. Local emergency crews were on standby to clean any oil that reached mainland beaches, she said.
Aircraft on Sunday began spraying chemicals on the oil patches to disperse it, she said. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said authorities had been working through the night to determine what risks the ship posed to the environment. ''The government is very conscious of the importance of the Great Barrier Reef environment and ensuring that impacts on its ecology are effectively managed,'' Garrett said in a statement.
The 755 foot (230 meter) bulk carrier was carrying about 72,000 U.S. tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal to China and ran aground within hours of leaving the Queensland port of Gladstone. Conservationists have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a marine pilot with local expertise. ''The state government is being blinded by royalties and their shortsightedness will go down in history as killing the reef,'' said Larissa Waters, spokeswoman for the Queensland Greens, an environmentally focused political party. Bligh said the question of when ships should require a marine pilot on the reef was under review because of the increase in freight traffic that will flow from new gas and coal export contracts to China. She said a separate inquiry would determine how the ship came to stray from its shipping lane.
Quirk said state authorities were seeking information about the effect the coal could have on the reef environment if the ship broke up before its cargo can be salvaged.
sydney-diver
Contributor
Aparently there wasn't a pilot on board as the ship was well past the more difficult section - but between 15 to 30 km off course depending on who you listen to. Severe damage on one side due to hitting the reef at full speed means there's a very real risk of it breaking up before the remaining fuel oil can be pumped out (it's a coal carrier). The oil is threatening both the GBR and beaches in the area according to a marine expert on the early news.
tracy_from_oz
Contributor
From abc.net.au news this morning edition, Monday 5th April.
Race to stabilise stranded coal ship - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
There are fears that a coal ship which has run aground near the Great Barrier Reef could break up, spilling more oil into the pristine waters of the marine park.
The Chinese vessel Shen Neng 1 ran aground on Douglas Shoal, east of Rockhampton near Great Keppel Island, on Saturday.
Authorities say the vessel is balanced precariously on the shoal and could break up. The crew is still on board.
It is estimated that damage to the ship's hull and fuel tanks has caused a narrow spill of three to four tonnes of oil about three kilometres in length and 100 metres wide.
Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman Patrick Quirk says authorities are focusing on stabilising the ship to minimise the exposure and further risk to the reef.
"We have helicopters in the air assessing the damage around the ship. Indications are that any oil spill would have been on a very small amount," he said.
It is unclear why the ship was travelling in a restricted part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Several state and federal agencies are investigating the incident.
Like many ships, it did not have a marine pilot with specialist local knowledge on board.
The Federal Opposition says Australian Defence Force assets should be made available to help salvage the ship.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the situation has to be dealt with quickly.
"What we need to make sure is that the Prime Minister is personally in charge, that he assumes responsibility, and therefore appropriate
Defence assets should be made available," he said.
"The ship could easily break up, and to be wise after the fact will be an environmental disaster for the Barrier Reef."
Salvage workers will deliver an initial report today about the condition and future of the ship.
Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman Mark Strong says they have sprayed the spill with chemical dispersants and may do so again today.
"The first run seemed to lead to an improvement in the oil clean-up. It certainly dispersed some of the oil that was there," he said.
"It is a heavy fuel oil and as such is more resistant than normal to chemical dispersants, but the best time to attempt to disperse oil with chemical dispersant is in the first 24 hours."
He says the ship must have been travelling well off course when it became stuck in a protected reef.
Mr Strong says a local navigator had been on the ship to guide it into open water but left before the accident occurred.
"The area is an environmentally sensitive area and... all shipping is banned from using that environmentally sensitive area," he said.
"As a result, the vessel was significantly off the course that it should have been on."
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says a second salvage tug should be on site by about midday, but it is a very complex operation.
Yesterday Ms Bligh said it was not known why the ship was in a restricted part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
But Mr Strong says it could have been much worse.
"This spill certainly is not as bad as it could initially have been," he said.
"We still have only a small amount of fuel in the water.
"It is fuel from the vessel itself and that's why we're taking every precaution before a decision is made on how the vessel may be salvaged."
'Big concern'
Island resident Carl Svendsen makes his living from the reef and is familiar with the area 70 kilometres east of the island where the ship ran aground.
"[I'm] quite shocked to hear in this day and age that a ship had run up on the reef out here in reasonable weather conditions," he said.
"In that particular area the reef is very pristine. So you've got all your coral reef and there's all the sea birds around.
"For example, very large seabird populations nest and breed there so this is just about in visible distance, just over the horizon from there. So [it is] a very big concern for us."
Marine geologist Dr Greg Webb from Queensland University of Technology is also familiar with the incident site.
He says the good news is that the reefs are well spaced out, however the spill will add extra strain where it is not needed.
"The reefs are terribly resilient. If you apply enough different stresses to them all at once, we really don't know what the effects could be," he said.
"In the past we always just thought a reef could put up with anything, and I guess over the last decade or so, we're beginning to understand that maybe they can't."
Just last year the container carrier Pacific Adventurer spilled a large amount of oil after striking trouble off Moreton Island and Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Federal Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett says he will await the results of an investigation before passing judgment on what happened in the latest incident.
Mr Garrett points out that the Queensland Government is leading the operation with assistance from the Commonwealth. It will be up to the Commonwealth, however, to determine whether charges should be laid.
Race to stabilise stranded coal ship - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
There are fears that a coal ship which has run aground near the Great Barrier Reef could break up, spilling more oil into the pristine waters of the marine park.
The Chinese vessel Shen Neng 1 ran aground on Douglas Shoal, east of Rockhampton near Great Keppel Island, on Saturday.
Authorities say the vessel is balanced precariously on the shoal and could break up. The crew is still on board.
It is estimated that damage to the ship's hull and fuel tanks has caused a narrow spill of three to four tonnes of oil about three kilometres in length and 100 metres wide.
Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman Patrick Quirk says authorities are focusing on stabilising the ship to minimise the exposure and further risk to the reef.
"We have helicopters in the air assessing the damage around the ship. Indications are that any oil spill would have been on a very small amount," he said.
It is unclear why the ship was travelling in a restricted part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Several state and federal agencies are investigating the incident.
Like many ships, it did not have a marine pilot with specialist local knowledge on board.
The Federal Opposition says Australian Defence Force assets should be made available to help salvage the ship.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the situation has to be dealt with quickly.
"What we need to make sure is that the Prime Minister is personally in charge, that he assumes responsibility, and therefore appropriate
Defence assets should be made available," he said.
"The ship could easily break up, and to be wise after the fact will be an environmental disaster for the Barrier Reef."
Salvage workers will deliver an initial report today about the condition and future of the ship.
Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman Mark Strong says they have sprayed the spill with chemical dispersants and may do so again today.
"The first run seemed to lead to an improvement in the oil clean-up. It certainly dispersed some of the oil that was there," he said.
"It is a heavy fuel oil and as such is more resistant than normal to chemical dispersants, but the best time to attempt to disperse oil with chemical dispersant is in the first 24 hours."
He says the ship must have been travelling well off course when it became stuck in a protected reef.
Mr Strong says a local navigator had been on the ship to guide it into open water but left before the accident occurred.
"The area is an environmentally sensitive area and... all shipping is banned from using that environmentally sensitive area," he said.
"As a result, the vessel was significantly off the course that it should have been on."
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says a second salvage tug should be on site by about midday, but it is a very complex operation.
Yesterday Ms Bligh said it was not known why the ship was in a restricted part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
But Mr Strong says it could have been much worse.
"This spill certainly is not as bad as it could initially have been," he said.
"We still have only a small amount of fuel in the water.
"It is fuel from the vessel itself and that's why we're taking every precaution before a decision is made on how the vessel may be salvaged."
'Big concern'
Island resident Carl Svendsen makes his living from the reef and is familiar with the area 70 kilometres east of the island where the ship ran aground.
"[I'm] quite shocked to hear in this day and age that a ship had run up on the reef out here in reasonable weather conditions," he said.
"In that particular area the reef is very pristine. So you've got all your coral reef and there's all the sea birds around.
"For example, very large seabird populations nest and breed there so this is just about in visible distance, just over the horizon from there. So [it is] a very big concern for us."
Marine geologist Dr Greg Webb from Queensland University of Technology is also familiar with the incident site.
He says the good news is that the reefs are well spaced out, however the spill will add extra strain where it is not needed.
"The reefs are terribly resilient. If you apply enough different stresses to them all at once, we really don't know what the effects could be," he said.
"In the past we always just thought a reef could put up with anything, and I guess over the last decade or so, we're beginning to understand that maybe they can't."
Just last year the container carrier Pacific Adventurer spilled a large amount of oil after striking trouble off Moreton Island and Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Federal Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett says he will await the results of an investigation before passing judgment on what happened in the latest incident.
Mr Garrett points out that the Queensland Government is leading the operation with assistance from the Commonwealth. It will be up to the Commonwealth, however, to determine whether charges should be laid.
tracy_from_oz
Contributor
Is it wrong of me to think Anna Bligh should stop cooking and get back to work?
sydney-diver
Contributor
Sounds like they think they may be able to refloat since it's not as badly damanged as first thought (9 news).
Man scary stuff especially since we are relying on the politicians and the media for information... neither seem able to present facts without their own spin
I sure does seem crazy that these ships can be so deep in the GBR without a pilot to keep them on the straight and narrow literally and figuratively. I hear some reports are saying that the captain may have been trying to take a "shortcut"
ScubaBrett22
Lionfish Slayer
I hear some reports are saying that the captain may have been trying to take a "shortcut"
Herd the same thing.
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) general manager Patrick Quirk says he believes reports from fishermen that ships regularly take shortcuts.
"I do not doubt what the fishermen are telling us. We have thousands and thousands of vessel movements on the Queensland coast every year," he said.
"All I'm saying is that some vessels may not always utilise best practice. We are not always aware of those occasions."
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) says ships have been caught and prosecuted in the past for taking shortcuts through the reef.
Reef oil spill an outrage: Rudd - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
If this ship leaks all of its 72,000 tons well the sad thing is bye bye Great Barrier Reef. What i don't understand is that some one should be at the bridge of a ship of that size. And even if no one was wouldn't a "Alarm" go off saying they are in very shallow water? Something isn't right.
I also noticed on a different article something fishy.
"In 2007, COSCO was linked to a major oil spill in San Francisco bay, while last year it was tied to another in Norway, both of which damaged environmentally sensitive areas.
"We are seeing a concerning pattern potentially associated with this company," Llewellyn told Reuters.
COSCO officials in Australia could not be contacted for comment on Monday."
Stranded ship "time bomb" to Great Barrier Reef - Yahoo! News
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