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 the Great Barrier Reef. The settlement, dismissed by an environmental group as not enough, is less than a third of what the Australian government was seeking from the ship's owner - Shenzhen … [Read more...]
Australia Charges $120m for Ship Damage To Great Barrier Reef
Australia is asking Shenzhen Energy Transport, the owners of the Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng 1, to pay $120m for damage to the Great Barrier Reef. But Shenzhen Energy Transport says it won't pay for clean-up of the Douglas Shoal, which was severely damaged when the Shen Neng 1 went off-course and ran aground on the reef in 2010. The Australian … [Read more...]
Australia Approves Dredging for Controversial Coal Port Near Great Barrier Reef
By James Regan SYDNEY, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Australia approved on Tuesday a controversial expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal, which environmentalists fear will damage the Great Barrier Reef but supporters say is needed to protect the sector from decline. The expansion work will require dredging 1.1 million cubic metres of seabed near the Great Barrier Reef Marine … [Read more...]
Australia Fines Master, Owner Over Dumping Garbage in Great Barrier Reef
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it has successfully prosecuted the master and owners of the Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier ANL Kardinia for illegally dumping garbage in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. One Armania Shipping Ltd and the master of ANL Kardinia were found guilty on July 20 in the Townsville Magistrates Court on one charge each of … [Read more...]
Australia Finds Oily Water Patches Near Great Barrier Reef
By Alex Morales (Bloomberg) -- Patches of oily water detected near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a Unesco-protected site, will be investigated further Saturday morning, local authorities said. “We can confirm some patches of oily water have been sighted in the water south of Townsville,” Maritime Safety Queensland said in an e-mailed statement Friday. “A water police … [Read more...]
Australian Government Hopes UNESCO Won’t Blacklist Great Barrier Reef
By David Gray LADY ELLIOT ISLAND, Australia, June 29 (Reuters) - With the Australian sun illuminating the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef in all their glory, UNESCO World Heritage delegates snorkelled for hours surrounded by manta rays, dolphins and reef sharks. Their mission was to check the health of the world's largest living ecosystem, thousands of … [Read more...]
Two Shipping Companies Busted for Illegal Dumping in Great Barrier Reef
Australia has successfully prosecuted two shipping companies for illegal dumping garbage within the Great Barrier Reef in two separate incidents. The prosecutions were announced Thursday by the Australian Maritime Safety Board. The Masters of the ships in both cases were also fined. According to AMSA, Tokyo based Perses Maritima Ltd and the master of its Japan … [Read more...]