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Marine News
Apr 16,2010
Shen Neng 1 Officers Fined
Giant ore ship ‘Shen Neng 1’ was underway from Gladstone, Queensland to China when it struck a reef, gauging a 3 kilometer path of destruction on the pristine coral and spilling over two tonnes of oil into the ocean.
Along with the damage to the coral reef, oil believed to be from the ship is washing up on a nearby wildlife sanctuaries.
Gang Chun Han, 63, the South Korean master of the Panama-flagged MV Mimosa, and the officers, Tran Tan Thanh, 32, and Nguyen Van Sang, 26, both from Vietnam, all pleaded guilty in Townsville Magistrates Court to breaching the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act have each received a mere fine of $70,000 au.
Instead of following plotted shipping channels through the reef, the ship was piloted on an unapproved route that put it in the path of coral reefs.
The incident occured on April 4, the day after the Chinese registered Shen Neng 1 strayed off a recognised shipping route off Gladstone and grounded on Douglas Shoal.
Ships of more than 50m in length are not allowed to enter protected areas on the reef under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, and the Mimosa is 189m long.
Australian's are left wondering how is going to pay for the repair of our poor reef and marine life?
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