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3 July 2007
River, bay pollution risk
Article from the Courier Mail
Brian Williams
July 03, 2007 12:00am
A PLAN to tow the freed coal carrier
Pasha Bulker to Brisbane for repairs has raised fears of environmental
damage to the city's waterways.
The tanker may be towed to a dock in the Brisbane
River after it was refloated last night.
The Pasha Bulker, which has been leaking oil
into the sea off Newcastle, could pose a serious threat to
the Brisbane region's delicate ecosystem.
Queensland Greens lord mayoral candidate Jo
Bragg said last night she was concerned at the prospect of
moving the carrier into the river.
"Quite a lot of community and government
effort has been put in to cleaning up the river," she
said. "So I'm extremely concerned that we aren't facing
the risk of oil getting in to that waterway."
Australian Marine Conservation Council spokesman Craig Baum
said he was concerned that the ship would enter the river
through the already fragile Moreton Bay Marine Park.
"Our greatest concern is that it's got
to go through the Moreton Bay Marine Park and if oil continues
to leak . . . well the park is under stress already,"
he said.
However, those involved in the operation claimed
no pollution from the Pasha Bulker would affect the river's
ecosystem – which has only recently been cleaned to
the point that dolphins were returning.
The tanker was scheduled to be towed to the
Forgacs Cairncross graving dock.
Forgacs managing director Steve Forgacs said
yesterday the 263m-long Cairncross facility was the only dock
large enough to take the 225m tanker.
A small amount of oil had escaped from the
ship's hull, but Mr Forgacs said the leak should not be an
issue in getting the vessel to Brisbane.
"They've shifted oil from the bottom tanks
to the top but they've probably lost some because you can
never empty them right out," he said.
Some salvage experts said the ship was bent
in the middle, suggesting her back was breaking.
"All I know is, that at this point in
time, they can't start the engine," he said.
Mr Forgacs said if it could be moved, the Bulker
was booked to arrive at Cairncross on Thursday or Friday.
A Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman said
his organisation and the Port of Brisbane would conduct a
risk assessment on the ship.
Its operators would have to ensure any pollution
risk was mitigated before permission would be given to bring
the ship into port.
Economic risks to port infrastructure and the
approach channel also would have to be addressed.
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