Tag: Great Barrier Reef

New fines for federal criminal offences across the board

WWF-Australia called on the Queensland Government to cancel all new reef port development

Lawsuit Targets $3 Billion in U.S. Funding for Fossil Fuel Project in Great Barrier Reef

Ship s master and owners fined for pollution in Great Barrier Reef

ATSB report systemic found safety issues re pilot training & fatigue management (Photo: Queenland coast/ Great Barrier Reef - satellite photo)Systemic safety issues in Queensland coastal pilotage operations have been identified in an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report.Coastal pilots form a key defence against a serious shipping incident in parts of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait as part of a suite of broader protective measures already in place.(Photo credit: ATSB)The ATSB began an investigation into coastal pilotage operations in December 2010 following the release of its report into the grounding of the piloted tanker Atlantic Blue in the Torres Strait and a request from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)-the coastal pilotage safety regulator. That report identified safety issues affecting coastal pilotage which indicated that other systemic issues may also exist that would benefit from the ATSB further investigating.The ATSB's safety issue investigation found that under the coastal pilotage regulations, no organisation, including the pilotage provider companies, has been made clearly responsible and held accountable for managing the safety risks associated with pilotage operations. This has meant that responsibility for managing the most safety critical aspects of pilotage has rested with individual pilot contractors instead of ...

Reef shipping study skewers coal critics claim

AMSA video for shipping management in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait

North-East Water Space Management Working Group

Green groups in Australia have found an ally in the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in protecting the country's Great Barrier Reef.UNESCO, which released over the weekend its assessment of the reef's state of conservation, was critical of Australia's management of the 2,300-kilometre long reef which was listed in 1981 by the agency as a World Heritage site. It asked Canberra not to allow the development of new ports along the Great Barrier Reef.There are liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants at Curtis Island in Gladstone Harbour which sparked a UNESCO mission to visit the area in the early part of 2012. The report pointed out the potentially significant impact of the unprecedented scale of development being proposed or affecting the reef.Like us on FacebookUNESCO pushed for the conduct of an independent review of the management arrangements of the Gladstone Harbour to ensure the harbour's development of port infrastructure is consistent with best practices globally.Environmental groups have blamed the harbor dredging at Curtis Island and the LNG developments for mass fish deaths and diseases at Gladstone Harbour and water turbidity problems, but the accusations have not yet been proven.UNESCO had expressed alarm that in the past five years, ...

Incident update The incident involving the ID Integrity took place 175 nm off the Queensland coast, in the Coral Sea, approximately 65 nm east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park boundary.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) responded immediately by tasking appropriate assets to attend the scene, including the deployment of AMSA's designated Emergency Towage Vessel (ETV) Pacific Responder from its routine training duties in the Torres Strait.While awaiting the arrival of assistance, AMSA and the owners of the vessel were in constant communication, as has been the case for the entire incident. The owners were proactive in minimising the risk of a potential grounding by releasing ballast water to allow for a safe distance between the vessel and Shark Reef. They also contracted in the nearest tugs to respond to the drifting ship.Once the tugs arrived on scene, the ID Integrity was secured and the drifting ship stabilised by bringing the ship head to wind and stopping any further drift towards reefs. With the arrival of the larger Pacific Responder the tow was taken over and the vessel started the towing passage to the repair port of Townsville.As at 22 May, the intention is to tow the vessel to ...