Whisper
April 4th, 2010, 05:04 PM
Race to stabilise ship stuck on reef
Authorities are racing to stabilise a coal ship that's run aground and is leaking oil inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Efforts will continue on Monday to shore up the damaged ship, amid fears it could break up and cause a vast environmental disaster.
Salvage experts have boarded the 230-metre-long bulk coal carrier and a tug boat is being used to help stabilise the vessel in strong winds.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has said the Chinese-registered Shen Neng 1 was off course and travelling at full speed without a marine pilot in a restricted part of the park when it hit a shoal on Saturday.
It is carrying 975 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 65,000 tonnes of coal.
It's stuck on the reef about 70km east of Great Keppel Island and teams are working to limit damage from a ribbon of oil that's spilled from the ship.
Chemical dispersants are being used on the slick, which stretches for about three kilometres and is about 100 metres wide.
Maritime Safety Queensland's Patrick Quirk says authorities are focusing on stabilising the ship to limit any further risk to the reef environment.
"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 told the ABC.
The federal opposition's environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the government must offer the help of the defence force.
"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," Mr Hunt told the ABC on Monday.
"The ship could easily break up, and to be wise after the fact will be an environmental disaster for the barrier reef."
© 2010 AAP
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/race-to-stabilise-ship-stuck-on-reef-20100405-rlyj.html
Authorities are racing to stabilise a coal ship that's run aground and is leaking oil inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Efforts will continue on Monday to shore up the damaged ship, amid fears it could break up and cause a vast environmental disaster.
Salvage experts have boarded the 230-metre-long bulk coal carrier and a tug boat is being used to help stabilise the vessel in strong winds.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has said the Chinese-registered Shen Neng 1 was off course and travelling at full speed without a marine pilot in a restricted part of the park when it hit a shoal on Saturday.
It is carrying 975 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 65,000 tonnes of coal.
It's stuck on the reef about 70km east of Great Keppel Island and teams are working to limit damage from a ribbon of oil that's spilled from the ship.
Chemical dispersants are being used on the slick, which stretches for about three kilometres and is about 100 metres wide.
Maritime Safety Queensland's Patrick Quirk says authorities are focusing on stabilising the ship to limit any further risk to the reef environment.
"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 told the ABC.
The federal opposition's environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the government must offer the help of the defence force.
"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," Mr Hunt told the ABC on Monday.
"The ship could easily break up, and to be wise after the fact will be an environmental disaster for the barrier reef."
© 2010 AAP
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/race-to-stabilise-ship-stuck-on-reef-20100405-rlyj.html