Ship Grounded on Great Barrier Reef

[Wotname]

She has just been refloated

[David M]

Penalizing an individual does little to nothing. This is because there will always be someone else following in his shoes that is willing to do the same job and the same thing again.

When you fine the owner(s) of the ship hundreds of millions of dollars, this has an impact in preventing them from doing the same thing again. It also has an impact with other shipping companies knowing that if they do the same thing, they could be fined as well.

Throwing an individual captain in jail is not a solution towards prevention. All too often, if a Master, Mate or other crew member does not do what they are told, illegal or not, they lose their job. This is not as often with the worlds more developed nations but is more frequent with less developed nations who have a merchant marine. The penalties for breaking the law must be painful to those at the top of the policy making hierarchy....the owners.

Given China is a communist country where ultimately the state owns everything and is heavy handed in making policy for its industries, as I see it, the county of China is financially responsible. Make China pay out that money and you can bet the people who run that country will change their policy regarding where their ships can and cannot go when transiting Australian waters. If China does not want to pay the penalty and change their policies, then Australia needs to ban all Chinese ships from Australian waters.

I hope the Australian government has the courage to put their foot down.

[Eleven]

Just heard on the 15:00 GMT BBC News that this boat has been floated off.
On the good side, it won't get any worse, there has been some leakage apparently.
On the down side this won't be the last one and maybe the 'authorities' need to monitor polluting cargo ships better in terms of condition and routing.
It's become a standard cost saving to short cut through the reef.

[Stillraining]

Any estimations on total Oil spilt? Size of area affected?

I agree with the points about fining the owners big time.

[beneteau-500]

well at least as of today that bit of old china junk has been re-floated

[TaoJones]

From today's New York Times, comes word that the devastation to the reef was greater than originally suspected.

* * *

2-Mile Scar on Barrier Reef After Ship Grounding

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 13, 2010

Filed at 8:05 a.m. ET

"SYDNEY (AP) -- A Chinese coal carrier that ran aground and leaked oil on Australia's Great Barrier Reef cut a 2-mile- (3-kilometer-) long scar into the shoal and may have smeared paint that will prevent marine life from growing back, the reef's chief scientist said Tuesday."

* * *

For the rest of the article, go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010...rier.html?_r=1

TaoJones

[Stillraining]

When I have to carry 10K spill liability on a 40' sail boat or a 27' Sea Ray...10 mil still seems chump change for the damage caused here....if not so much the damage then the blatant disregard and breech to the navigation rules of that area in the name of saving time ( Looking good) and there for saving money for the company.

If I was incharge of the powers at large in Australia I would impound the ship, its cargo, its fuel and its Officers on no bail pending trial, verdict and payment of penalties.

China has done worse !

[hummingway]

At least they''re assiging some personal responsibility:
MV Mimosa sailors fined for reef shortcut - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by hummingway

At least they''re assiging some personal responsibility:
MV Mimosa sailors fined for reef shortcut - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Thats the other one

These guys took a different shortcut about 300nm miles north to a different coal terminal and did not run aground as reported here

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post435670

[cagney]

For those of us who like to know more about what really happened in this grounding, Cargolaw has a comprehensive report including
"The Official Report, April 15 2010,Australian Transport Safety Bureau"
"Marine Occurrence Investigation No 274"
Scroll down quite a bit for this report.
A short summary of the direct cause would be ....a lazy mate who postponed plotting a position 30min and did not enter a waypoint in the gps to cover a change of plan.....

It also shows that my first guess at the scenario wasn't to far out.

Thomas