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Coal ship crashes into Great Barrier Reef

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Sun, 04 Apr 2010 3:20p.m.

Shen Neng 1 (Maritime Safety Queensland)

Shen Neng 1 (Maritime Safety Queensland)

A coal-carrying ship that ran aground and was leaking oil on Australia's Great Barrier Reef was in danger of breaking apart, officials said Sunday.

The Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground late Saturday on Douglas Shoals, a favourite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. It's off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off northeast Australia.

State Premier Anna Bligh said the carrier was in danger of breaking apart and a police launch was standing by to evacuate the 23 crew if necessary.

The ship hit the reef at full speed, 15km outside the shipping lane, she said.

Patches of oil were seen near the stricken ship early Sunday, but Maritime Safety Queensland reported no major loss from the 950 tonnes 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.

Authorities fear an oil spill would cause environmental damage to the world's largest coral reef, listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said authorities had been working through the night to determine what risks the ship posed to the environment.

A chemical that was not expected to have a lasting environmental impact would be sprayed on the oil to disperse it, Garrett said.

"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 vessel was carrying about 65,000 tonnes 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.

AP

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Comments

15 Apr 2010 02:47p.m.

JACK wrote:

BARRIER REEF PILOTS BOARD NORTHBOUND SHIPS AT CAIRNS. ONLY ONE PILOT IS REQUIRED. HE CANNOT STAY AWAKE FOR 24 HOURS. WE NEED TWO PILOTS. BOTH TO BE EMBARKED AT THE LOADING PORT. HAY POINT FOR EXAMPLE.

05 Apr 2010 06:14p.m.

kash wrote:

will Australia let this one get away or punish the captain and the vessel owners with the full extent of the law orlike nz suck up to chinese authorities.

05 Apr 2010 04:53p.m.

Andrew P wrote:

And the “Everything You Touch Turns To KAKA Award” goes to... The Hon Peter Garrett! Drop trow and take a bow my friend. Every year its always a close race, but this year it was absolutely unanimous. You win bald head and hands down. Lets look at a few of your many achievements... we haven’t got all night after all:

You said that if you were elected into Government, you personally would stop whaling. We the panel got this one sooo wrong cos we thought you meant the whales being harpooned in the sea thing. But you meant whaling as in crying. Stupid us.

You decided it was a good idea to waste... I beg your pardon... spend billions of dollars having our homes insulated with shotty batts being done by shotty installers thus having hundreds of houses so far burn to the ground and 4 people dead, again... so far! (kids choir enters for backstage and start singing "how can we sleep when our beds are burning")

You thought there was a slim chance that you may just miss out on getting this prestigious prize, so to pick up bonus points you thought... “The Great Barrier Reef looks too nice and clean up there. What to do, what to do? I KNOW... a chook raffle!”. “We’ll let these carriers see if they can navigate the reef by themselves. If they do, they win a whale meat hamper!!".

All that applause is for you Minister. Bask in its glory Mr Garrett, becos... This is Your Life!

05 Apr 2010 03:02p.m.

Andrew P wrote:

How could the carrier have been way off course? Because the maps they were using were "made in China".

05 Apr 2010 02:40p.m.

sallina wrote:

GREAT... We have 2 of the most useless politians in Peter Garrett and Premier Bligh that are suppose to spearhead the MESS that this chinese carrier has caused?

Wonna know how the Premier handled the last oil spill? and although Peter Garrett couldnt hold a note to save himself... he was better at singing than he is as a politian. And thats saying something.

05 Apr 2010 04:05a.m.

mike wrote:

"Conservationists have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a marine pilot with local expertise"....what idiot thought that was and is o.k?.

04 Apr 2010 09:31p.m.

Charlotte wrote:

This is indeed an outrage! such a misjudgment could have such an impact on this beautiful and important enviroment.