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Great Barrier Reef crash damage could take decades to heal (Tuesday, April 13, 2010)
It could take two decades for marine life to recover from the damage left by a Chinese coal carrier that ran aground on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and left a trail of leaked oil and paint, the reef’s chief scientist said today. The Shen Neng 1 cut into large parts of the shoal, leaving a 2-mile-long scar and smearing paint that may severely affect marine life even if severe toxic contamination is not found at the site, said scientist David Wachenfeld. “There is more damage to this reef than I have ever seen in any previous Great Barrier Reef groundings,” Wachenfeld said of the April 3 accident that left the 755-foot shipping vessel run aground on the reef.
The ship was successfully removed yesterday after crews spent three days lightening the load by pumping fuel from the ship. The damage to the reef was particularly harsh because the vessel was repeatedly pushed up against the reef by the tides and currents, he said, noting that it completely flattened the structure of the shoal in some places and crushed and smeared potentially toxic paint onto coral and plants, as well. In some areas, “all marine life has been completely flattened and the structure of the shoal has been pulverized by the weight of the vessel,” Wachenfeld said. Scientists with the reef authority are planning to analyze paint left by the ship to see if it contains heavy metals. If it does, Wachenfeld said, it could also prevent new life from colonizing there. The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism spot (Kristen Gelineau)
Greenwire
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AP/San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/12/international/i050003D44.DTL
2-mile scar on Barrier Reef after ship grounding
By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Rob Griffith / AP
FILE – In this Monday, April 5, 2010 file photo, a ribbon of oil snakes away on the surface from the Chinese-registered bulk coal carrier Shen Neng 1, off the coast of Rockhampton, Australia. The coal carrier that ran aground and leaked about 3 tons of oil on the Great Barrier Reef was refloated Monday, April 12, 2010 after being stuck for more than a week.
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(04-13) 09:18 PDT SYDNEY, (AP) —
A Chinese coal carrier rocked back and forth over a section of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after running aground, inflicting a gash 2 miles (3 kilometers) long into a shoal that will take 20 years to heal. A leading marine scientist called it the worst damage he’s ever seen to the world’s largest coral reef.
The Shen Neng 1 veered into protected waters and ran aground on Douglas Shoal on April 3, immediately leaking 2-3 tons of fuel when coral shredded its hull.
The 755-foot (230-meter) ship was successfully lifted off the reef Monday after crews spent three days pumping fuel to lighten it. Salvage crews later towed it to an anchorage area near Great Keppel Island, 40 nautical miles (45 miles, 70 kilometers) away.
Its refloating left a scar 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) long and up to 820 feet (250 meters) wide.
“There is more damage to this reef than I have ever seen in any previous Great Barrier Reef groundings,” scientist David Wachenfeld told reporters Tuesday.
The oil that first leaked from the hull was quickly dispersed by chemical sprays and is believed to have caused little or no damage. Small amounts of oil, however, have begun washing up on beaches near where the ship ran aground, according to Maritime Safety Queensland.
The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism hub.
The reef was hit particularly badly because the vessel did not stay in one place once it grounded, Wachenfeld said. Instead, tides and currents pushed it along the reef, crushing and smearing potentially toxic paint onto coral and plants, he said.
In some areas, “all marine life has been completely flattened and the structure of the shoal has been pulverized by the weight of the vessel,” Wachenfeld said, speaking of the fragile coral and the plants and fish that may have inhabited the area.
Even if severe toxic contamination is not found at the site, initial assessments by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority indicate it could take 20 years for the coral reef to recover, Wachenfeld.
Perhaps most concerning to the scientists is the chemical makeup of the paint used on the ship’s hull, which divers have found spread across the vast majority of the impacted region.
Many oceangoing vessels are covered in what is known as “anti-fouling” paint, which prevents marine life from growing on their hulls and creating drag. Certain paints contain chemicals that prevent such growth, while others simply act as a barrier.
Scientists with the reef authority plan to analyze paint left by the Shen Neng to see if it contains heavy metals. If it does, Wachenfeld said, it would not only kill the marine life on the shoal, but prevent new life from colonizing there.
It will be at least another week before the full extent of the damage is known.
Australian authorities are investigating alleged breaches of law connected with the accident. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has since warned that cargo ships entering restricted waters would face the full force of the law.
The ship’s owners, Shenzen Energy Transport, said last week they were cooperating with the investigation. They said the ship was traveling through a legal channel when it inexplicably failed to turn eastward to avoid Douglas Shoal.
The grounding forced a review of shipping regulations in the fragile area. Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh vowed Monday to sharply increase penalties on ships causing oil spills.
Bligh said the maximum penalty for corporations would increase from 1.75 million Australian dollars ($1.64 million) to AU$10 million, and individuals would face fines of AU$500,000 – up from AU$350,000.
The proposed new penalties are the latest sign that authorities are serious about stepping up protection of the delicate reef.
On Monday, three crewmen from another boat that allegedly entered restricted reef waters on April 4 were charged with entering a prohibited zone without permission. The South Korean master and two Vietnamese officers of the Panama-flagged coal boat, MV Mimosa, were granted bail and ordered to reappear Friday. They face maximum fines of 220,000 Australian dollars ($205,000).