Reuters 3 Apr 10;
(Reuters) - Australian aircraft on Sunday spotted oil leaking into waters around the Great Barrier Reef after a Chinese-registered bulk coal carrier ran aground, government officials said.
The 230-meter (754-ft) Shen Neng I was on its way to China when it ran aground on a shoal on Saturday. It had 950 metric tons of oil on board and officials said patches of oil had been spotted in the water, but no major leak.
"Early morning flights over the carrier show a small number of oil patches about two nautical miles southeast from the ship. To date there has been no major loss of oil from the ship," Queensland's state government said in a statement.
Aircraft were due to spray chemical dispersant over the area later in the day and a salvage assessment will be made.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's major tourist attractions and is considered to be highly vulnerable to damage from pollution. The ship was located 70 km (43 miles) east of Great Keppel Island, offshore from the city of Rockhampton.
The China-bound ship was carrying 65,000 metric tons of coal from the Queensland port of Gladstone. It is thought unlikely that it can be moved without salvage assistance.
Last year, an oil spill during a storm polluted large stretches of Queensland beaches and led to a protracted legal dispute between the state government and the ship's owners, Swire Shipping, about the cleanup bill.
(Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
Officials fear ship breaking apart on Barrier Reef
Yahoo News 4 Apr 10;
BRISBANE, Australia – 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 favorite 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.
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value.
The ship hit the reef at full speed, 9 miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane, State Premier Anna Bligh said.
A police launch 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 U.S. 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.
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 755 foot (230 meter) bulk vessel 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 has been acting like snake oil salesmen spruiking the riches to be made from exporting LNG (liquid natural gas) and more coal, however they fail to acknowledge the environmental harm that will be caused both on land and sea by these industries," Capricorn Conservation Council spokesman Ian Herbert said.
Chinese ship leaks oil near Great Barrier Reef
Yahoo News 3 Apr 10;
SYDNEY (AFP) – A Chinese coal carrier is leaking oil after running aground near Australia's Great Barrier Reef, authorities said Sunday.
The Shen Neng 1 became stuck on a shoal 70 kilometres (43 miles) east of Great Keppel Island off the Queensland coast late Saturday.
"Initial air and sea assessments of a Chinese bulk coal carrier that has run aground off central Queensland show some oil patches near the ship," the state government said in a statement Sunday.
"Early-morning flights over the carrier show a small number of oil patches about two nautical miles south-east from the ship. To date there has been no major loss of oil from the ship."
Authorities are expected to spray chemical dispersant on the spilled oil later Sunday if weather conditions are favourable.
The 230-metre carrier, which is carrying about 65,000 tonnes of coal and has 950 tonnes of oil onboard, is likely to be towed to port.
The incident follows a large oil spill from the container carrier Pacific Adventurer in March 2009, which polluted Moreton Island and Sunshine Coast beaches.
