April 6, 2010 - 21:48
Rob Griffith, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROCKHAMPTON, Australia - Australian salvage crews were preparing Wednesday for the delicate task of pumping nearly 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of heavy engine oil off of a coal carrier that ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef.
Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh said the operation could begin by the afternoon, after a boom is put around the stricken Shen Neng 1 to contain oil already leaking from the hull.
While every effort is being made to ensure no more oil leaks from the vessel, contingency plans are in place in case oil reaches pristine beaches on the mainland, Bligh said.
The oil must be removed before any attempt can be made to move the vessel, which is stuck on a sandbank.
The Chinese ship 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.
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.
It has not yet been decided whether to offload some 72,000 tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal aboard the vessel.
"If it is possible to refloat the ship with the coal on board, that's how it will be managed," Bligh told reporters.
Maritime Safety Queensland said there is still a risk the ship could break up while it remains stuck on the shoal, and is hoping good weather conditions continue to allow the oil transfer.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau inspectors are onboard the ship to interview crew members about how it ran aground in a restricted area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The world's largest coral reef is listed as a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species.
The bulk carrier was taking coal to China from the Queensland port of Gladstone when it slammed into the shoals off Queensland's coast in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Numerous conservation groups have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a specialized marine pilot. Shipping lanes in Australian waters typically require a seasoned captain to go aboard an incoming ship to help navigate around hazards. Until now, the government has said there is no need for marine pilots around the protected area because large ships are banned there, but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Tuesday said he was open to the idea after viewing the site of the accident.
Source: http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=w065257330
Rob Griffith, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROCKHAMPTON, Australia - Australian salvage crews were preparing Wednesday for the delicate task of pumping nearly 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of heavy engine oil off of a coal carrier that ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef.
Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh said the operation could begin by the afternoon, after a boom is put around the stricken Shen Neng 1 to contain oil already leaking from the hull.
While every effort is being made to ensure no more oil leaks from the vessel, contingency plans are in place in case oil reaches pristine beaches on the mainland, Bligh said.
The oil must be removed before any attempt can be made to move the vessel, which is stuck on a sandbank.
The Chinese ship 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.
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.
It has not yet been decided whether to offload some 72,000 tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal aboard the vessel.
"If it is possible to refloat the ship with the coal on board, that's how it will be managed," Bligh told reporters.
Maritime Safety Queensland said there is still a risk the ship could break up while it remains stuck on the shoal, and is hoping good weather conditions continue to allow the oil transfer.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau inspectors are onboard the ship to interview crew members about how it ran aground in a restricted area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The world's largest coral reef is listed as a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species.
The bulk carrier was taking coal to China from the Queensland port of Gladstone when it slammed into the shoals off Queensland's coast in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Numerous conservation groups have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a specialized marine pilot. Shipping lanes in Australian waters typically require a seasoned captain to go aboard an incoming ship to help navigate around hazards. Until now, the government has said there is no need for marine pilots around the protected area because large ships are banned there, but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Tuesday said he was open to the idea after viewing the site of the accident.
Source: http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=w065257330
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