Chinese Coal Ship in the Reef

Last Saturday, April 3rd, a Chinese ship carrying 72,000 tons of coal ran aground into the Great Barrier Reef. The ship was traveling from Gladstone, Australia to China and took a shortcut. They were 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) off of their intended route. According to EuroNews, the ship is currently located off the coast of Great Keppel Island and is in danger of spilling 1,000 metric tons of oil into the Great Barrier Reef.


Photo Credit: Today Online

Although some oil has already leaked from the ship, Queensland authorities have started pumping oil out of the ship to prevent a major spill. Last Tuesday, Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, flew over the area where the ship crashed. According to the New York Times, Rudd says the people responsible could face three years in prison and a fine of $5 million. In an interview during his visit to Queensland, Rudd said "Where I sit, it is outrageous to find any vessel this far off course, it seems, in the Great Barrier Reef." (Breaking Travel News)

Larissa Waters, a member of the Australian Greens (or the Australian Green Party) offered a solution to prevent future accidents. "This sort of lack of monitoring is outrageous in the Great Barrier Reef. This is why we need marine pilots there shepherding these ships through the appropriate course on these reefs." (EuroNews)

According to Singapore's "Today Online," the owner of the Shen Neng 1, the Chinese coal ship, "admitted on Friday that the vessel was off course and apologised for the accident."


Photo Credit: LA Times

Although this disaster could pose many threats to the Great Barrier Reef, it is encouraging that everything possible is being done to prevent a major spill, and that people are offering solutions to prevent similar problems in the future.

Here is a link to a series of news updates about the Chinese ship in the Great Barrier Reef: Today News Australia