A coal carrier that ran aground on Australia's Great Barrier Reef has been stabilised and a fuel oil leak is contained within a boom, helping to minimise damage to the world's largest coral reef, a maritime official said.
The accident has led the prime minister to consider implementing stricter shipping regulations within the reef's boundaries.
In the meantime, workers are focusing on preventing more oil from leaking from the Shen Neng 1, which crashed full speed into Douglas Shoal, a protected part of the reef, on Saturday.
One side of the ship has been shredded by coral, rupturing a fuel tank.
Two tugboats are holding the Shen Neng 1 steady, keeping it from rocking with waves that had previously scraped along coral and raised concerns of more oil sloshing out through a hole in the hull.
Crews were transferring oil inside the ship to less-vulnerable tanks and a salvage vessel was due at the site later in the day to begin transferring the heavy fuel oil off of the stricken vessel.
That task was expected to begin within the next two days, depending on the weather remaining calm.
The ultimate goal is to refloat the Chinese vessel and remove it from the reef area.
But the nearly 950 metric tonnes of oil must first be transferred off the boat, and then officials will decide whether they also have to offload 65,000 metric tonnes of coal aboard the vessel.
Three to four tons of oil that already leaked from the bulk carrier have been dispersed by chemicals sprayed on the water to break up the oil.
A containment boom in place around the boat will prevent oil leaks from spreading, and workers can skim the oil off the surface of the water to dispose of it.
Oil is toxic to corals, expert say, and can lead to bleaching and eventual death.
Dispersing the oil by chemicals is not the ideal solution, as the dispersants are also toxic to corals if they are not washed away quickly enough, but was better than letting the oil seep into the corals and sand.
Maritime Safety Queensland said the Chinese vessel was not within the preferred shipping channel through the reef, but was on an acknowledged alternate route - although obviously off course - when it ran aground.
Previous reports had suggested the ship was on an illegal shortcut through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The bulk carrier was taking coal to China from the Queensland port of Gladstone when it slammed into the shoals
APTN