Hong Kong-based bulk carrier, Signe Bulker, took a wrong turn over the weekend while transiting the Great Barrier reef and ended up in hot water with Australian authorities.
While enroute to the northeastern Australia port town of Gladstone, the Signe Bulker cut through the Capricorn-Bunker group of islands making up part of the Great Barrier Reef. Since the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act of 1975, this island group has had a very distinct shipping-exclusion zone drawn around them, one that was blatantly crossed by the Signe Bulker.
In the Gladstone Magistrates Court, the ship’s officers pleaded guilty for entering a restricted zone and were fined a total of $53,000.
This same area was damaged in 2010 when the coal-carrying ship Shen Neng 1 strayed from the shipping lane and ran aground on Douglas Shoal spilling fuel oil and costing insurers $4MM.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
CANBERRA, May 24 (Reuters) – A 39-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark on Sunday while fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, police said, the second fatal shark attack...
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has wrapped up a 24-day emergency response after a disabled bulk carrier suffered engine failure in the Coral Sea, triggering a complex operation to keep the...
SYDNEY, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Australia on Monday reached a A$39.3 million ($29.66 million) out-of-court settlement with the owners of a Chinese coal carrier that ran aground in 2010 on...
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
