Grounded Barrier Reef bulkship seen stuck for days
Date: 02-Aug-02
Country: AUSTRALIA
The Greek-owned ship remained stable and posed no danger of breaking up or discharging its cargo of 62,000 tones of coal, 375 tonnes of fuel oil and 37 tonnes of diesel oil, maritime and transport officials told Reuters.
A spokeswoman for salvage operator Adsteam Marine Ltd said a second tug would leave Brisbane yesterday night and would take around four days to reach the grounded vessel. One tug is already with the bulkcarrier.
The Doric Chariot, stuck near important bird and turtle nesting sites, could not be moved without a second tug, she said.
The next tides likely to be high enough to raise the vessel from the sandbar would not occur until the weekend, government officials said.
The 73,350 deadweight tonnes vessel, carrying coal to India, ran aground on Monday on the southern end of Piper Reef, 600 km (375 miles) north of Cairns, near the top of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland state.
It is within the marine park set up to protect the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living organism and a World Heritage site.
Environmental officials say anti-fouling paint that could kill coral had undoubtedly rubbed off during the grounding and the vessel's owners could potentially face fines of up to A$1.1 million (US$600,000) if environmental damage occurs.
The vessel, owned by Chios Navigation Co Ltd, is stuck in a passage between Australia's continental landmass and the Great Barrier Reef, although it has not struck a coral reef.
Larger vessels are required to travel at sea outside the main reef, which stretches for 2,300 km (1,400 miles) down the coast of Queensland.
