Damaged Chinese Coal Ship Won’t Enter Port Until May (Update2)

By Ben Sharples

April 22 -- The Chinese coal carrier pulled off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after running aground won’t enter the port of Gladstone for repairs until next month after poor weather prevented its entry today.
Shen Neng 1 will be moved to a safe anchorage where it will remain until the next favorable high tide on or about May 3, Maritime Safety Queensland General Manager Patrick Quirk said in a statement. The ship was towed from Barren Island overnight.
“The prevailing weather conditions was not suitable for an approach to the port and the weather report tells us these conditions do not appear to be easing in the short term,” Quirk said. “We need to see the right combination of high tides and decent weather conditions before we will proceed.”
The ship ran aground on April 3 and was pulled free of the Douglas Shoals on April 12. The Shen Neng 1 was carrying 68,000 metric tons of steelmaking coal when it left Gladstone bound for Bayuquan in China.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid=a8yjQa2MINHA&pid=20601087