Coal Ship Causing Concerns on Australias Barrier Reef

Update as of 9:00 AM April 6, 2010

While planes drop dispersants on the long, thin oil slick, investigators question why the vessel was 9 miles outside the shipping lanes when at full speed it rammed the Douglas Shoals in the Barrier Reef Marine Sanctuary.

The SHEN NENG 1, a ship owned by COSCO Group, was transporting 65,000 metric tons of coal and containing about 975 tons (325,000 gallons) of fuel oil after it had just left Port Gladstone. Maritime Safety Queensland GM Peter Quirk said the ship was badly damaged on its port side and it was moving on the reef due to the actions of the sea. Helicopter flying over the site have reported a thin sheen near the ship measuring about 600 meters by 300 meters.

Salvage company, Svitzer, has completed its initial assessment and were flying in specialized equipment from around the country. Damage reports showed the main engine room was breached, the main engine was damaged and the rudder was seriously damaged. Meanwhile, another tug arrived to provide additional assistance to stabilize the ship.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the Chinese-owned Shen Neng 1's accident "outrageous" and warned the badly damaged ship remains a serious threat to one of the world's great environmental treasures.
He vowed to punish anyone responsible for the accident on the reef, which is the world's largest. "There is no greater natural asset for Australia than the Great Barrier Reef. I take any threat to the Great Barrier Reef fundamentally seriously," Rudd said.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh wants the company and the captain to receive the full measure of the law for the event.