Three Charged in Brisbane River Oil Spill, Clean Up Still in Progress

Brisbane River’s recent oil spill will now cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, after already impacting commuter traffic and contaminating a huge amount of water and marine wildlife in the river.

The shipowner, master, and chief engineer have been charged after their vessel, Korean-owned livestock carrier GL Lan Xiu, caused a 5000-tonne oil slick during refueling en route to Japan. The trio is set to be seen in a Brisbane court over alleged breaches of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act.

At least half of the oil has been recovered, but the clean-up, which will still take a few more days, has already cost about $100,000. Reportedly, investigators have finished collecting most evidence relating to the spill, in an attempt to determine the contributing factors. Details will be made public once the investigation is closed.

Currently, the ship is acting as a barrier, as there is still a good amount of oil behind it. The oil has moved upstream with the incoming tide. Again, that oil is being contained and recovered.

Five recorded pelicans have been affected by the slick; only one has been captured and given proper treatment. Approximately 2,000 head of cattle that were supposed to be loaded onto the cargo ship remain in holding yards during the ongoing investigation. CityCat services also remain disrupted.

The 10 suspended services at the Northshore Hamilton terminal will hopefully resume by week’s end. The Brisbane City Council has organized buses to shuttle commuters who are affected by the terminal closures to their destinations.