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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

"Coaling On The Great Barrier Reef"

Grief On The Reef

Feature Date: April 5 2010

Event Date: April 3 2010

Countryman & McDaniel

 The Air & Ocean Logistics- Customs Broker & Hull Attorneys

International Trade Consultants

"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene -- On The Great Barrier Reef

 A 2010 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

 

The Index:

April 16 - The Official Australian Report - Full Text & Photos & Charts - worth a read

April 15 - Arrests Are Made - First Official Reports Cite Crew Negligence

April 14 - Massive Reef Damage & Instant Death?

April 12 - She Floats!

April 10 2010

APRIL 9 2010

April 3 2010 - The Tragedy Begins

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Other Great Disasters of our Time

The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss - Items Below Are Only A Sample

"Getting Gil?" - M/V Ady Gil & High Seas Adventure - Feb. 7 2010

"Bear Eats Cub" - Jan. 30 2010

"Life & Death At Port -au-Prince" - Jan. 12 2010

"Royal Air Flight 988 Down - But Why?" - Jan. 5 2010

"Miracle At Kingston" - Dec. 31 2009

"Did You Hear That?" - Dec. 26 2009

"Star Crossed" - JDS Kurama - Dec. 1 2009

"General Motors Increases Training" - Nov. 28 2009

"Singapore Sling" - M/V MSC Kalina - Nov. 12 2009

"Road Warrior" - Important Moments In Transport History - Nov. 2009

"The Bridge On The River Shetrumji" - India Road Trip - Nov. 2009

"Make 25 Knots, Then Sit" - M/V Marko Polo - Nov. 2009

"Reefer Madness" - M/V Vega Gotland - Oct. 2009

"Meet Me At The Roundabout" - M/V MCS Nikita - Sept. 2009

"Auckward Straddle" - Sept. 2009

"Death of M/V Ioannis N.V." - August 2009

"Big Bunch 'O Black Barges - Beached" - Barge Margaret

"Walvis Wollover" - June 2009

"Pacific Mis-Adventure" - May 2009

"MV Maersk Alabama - 206 Year Deja Vu" - April 2009

"The Retaking of M/V Maersk Alabama" - April 2009

"Miracle At Schiphol" - Flight TK 1951 - March. 2009

"Do Not Chill" - FedEx life with the ATR-42 - March. 2009

"Miracle On The Hudson" - Flight 1549 - Jan. 2009

"The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4" - Dec. 2008

"The Taking of MT Biscaglia" - Jan. 2009

"M/V Ciudad de Ushuaia Stuck At The Pole" - Dec. 2008

"The Taking of M/T Sirius Star" - Somalia Pirates Take Supertanker - Stakes Raised - Nov.- Jan. 2008

"Fedra Backs In" - Death of M/V Fedra" - Oct. 2008

"Tank You, From The Somali Pirates" - Somalia - M/V Faina - Sept.- Jan. 2009

"The Death of Hercules" - Nov. 2008

"JAXPORT Jumble" - August 2008

"Callsign Connie: 44 Tragic Days" - July 2008

"Too Little Runway - Too Much Plane" - TACA Flt 390 - June 2008

"Recurring Dream" - M/V Norwegian Dream - May 2008

"Paradise & Pirates" - S/V Le Ponant - April 2008

"The Light At The End of The Tunnel" - M/V Zhen Hua 10 & 23 - Mar. 2008

"Mess At Manzanillo" - M/V CMA CGM Dahlia - Mar. 2008

"Big Battered Banana Boat" - M/V Horncliff - Feb. 2008

"Back To The Beach" - M/V Riverdance - Feb. 2008

"Glider Operations At Heathrow" -- B-777 Crash - Jan. 2008

"Fighting Fires On Mars"- Martin Mars - Dec. 2007

"Steeplechase"- A340 - Nov. 2007

"Explorer Ship Down" - M/V Explorer - Nov. 2007

"Kwanyang Crane Kaboom" - Nov. 2007

"Den Den Done" - M/V Denden - Sept. 2007

"For The "L" of It" - M/V Action Alpha - August 2007

"Stack Attack!" - M/V Ital Florida - July 2007

"Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die " - OUR INVESTIGATION RESULTS

"Riding Down The Marquis" - M/V Rickmars Dalian - June2007

"Carrying Coal To Newcastle" - M/V Pasha Bulker - June 2007

"Between A Yacht & A Hard Place" M/V Madame Butterfly - May 2007

"Boxing Up The Rhine" M/V Excelsior - April 2007

"Best Worst Laid Plans?" M/V Republica di Genoa - March 2007

"Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Jan. 2007 - Disaster In Real Time

"Full Speed Ahead" - M/V Alva Star - Nov. 2006

"Where The Trade Winds Blew" - Oct. 2006

"Singles Only" -- Our One Photo Disasters

These Are Only Examples

"Maersk Montevideo Melee!" - M/V Leda Maersk - Oct. 2006

"Laying Down On The Job" - M/V Cougar Ace -- Aug. 2006 -- Amazing !

"Vine Ripened Tires" - M/V Saga Spray -- May 2006 -- Amazing !

"Mis-Fortune" - M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

"Scheldt Snafu!" - M/V Grande Nigeria - Feb. 2006

"A Day A The Beach - M/V APL Panama - Jan. 2006 - OUR EPIC COVERAGE

"NO Rails" - destruction of New Orleans - Dec. 2005

"Backhaul !" - for July 2005

"The Boeing Tri-Motor" - for April 2005

"Catch of The Day" - for March 2005

"One Brick Short of A Runway" - for Jan. 2005

"Taichung Tumble" - May 2009

"World's Most Stupid Pirates" - May 2009

"LAX Lunch Deja Vu" - May 2009

M/T Vicuna Explodes - for Jan. 2005

"Unstacked" - overboard & Dr. Beach - Nov. 2004

"Coal Face" - the cargo was danger - July 2004

"Super Loss" - March 2004

"On A Wing & A Prayer" - Jan. 2004

"Stepping In It" - Dec. 2003

"Angel Fire" - Nov. 2003

"Broken Spirit" - M/V Tasman Spirit - Aug. 2003

"Denise & Polargo" - a love story - July 2003

"Columbia River Round Up" - June 2003

"Keel Hualed" - M/V Hual Europe - May 2003

"Thrice Bitten" -- M/V Tricolor - Jan. 2003

"Ramp-Age" - Feb. 2003

"Piñata" - breaking the box - Jan. 2003

"Halifax Hash"--M/V Maersk Carolina - Jan. 2003

"Thar She Blows!" - M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania - Nov. 2002

"T-E-U Bar-Be-Cue" - aftermath of M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania

"Container Pool" - a mystery - May 2002

"Strangers On My Flight" -- by Frank Sinatra - don't blame us - we only report this stuff!

"Dropping In On The Trucker" - it happened again - April 2002

"UNDER Achiever" - tell your friends ! - March 2002

Tell It To The U.S. Marines! - A Symbol of Our Day of Infamy - Sept. 11

Heavy Metal - lifting the un-liftable object - Disaster at Monrovia July 2001

Rail Mate -- an Egyptian rail loss - Tragedy At Ain Sokhna July 2001

Meals: Ready To Explode - Navy container barbecue at Guam! June 2001

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U.S. Navy EP- 3 -- China Hostage Situation - Spring 2001

Attack On USS Cole (DDG-67) - - Dramatic Photos!

M/V OOCL America - Feb. 2000

M/V APL China - world's greatest container disaster - Nov. 1998

M/V New Carissa - the ship that would not die - 1999

M/V Tampa Maersk "on a dock diet"

Hanjin's Bad Stab - Under The Dock At Pusan, Korea - Exclusive Photo!

The Complete Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss

 

 

 

"Coaling On The Great Barrier Reef"

Grief On The Reef

On The Scene On The Great Barrier Reef

April 3 2010

The Great Barrier Reef - In Better Days

A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: April 3 2010

The Time: 5:05 PM

The Place: OnThe Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef -- The World's Great Treasure -- And Largest Living Structure

There Has Been An Event On Douglas Shoal, 38 NM (70 km) East of Great Keppel Island -- Off Rockhampton
[At Lower Right]


First Came The Warning To Mariners

4 April 2010


Then Came Word of A Stranded Vessel

In Danger of Breaking Apart On The Great Barrier Reef

The Coal Carrier M/V Shen Neng 1 Hit The Reef At Full Speed. Now Hard Aground And In Danger of Breaking Apart

M/V Shen Neng 1 Had Departed Rockhampton On The Australian Coast And Needed to Navigate The Reef Before Making Open Ocean

The 17-Year-Old Coal Carrier Ran Aground At Full Speed

M/V Shen Neng 1 Was Up To 15 Nautical Miles Off Course &endash; About 120km East of Rockhampton

Cost of Engaging A Marine Pilot Was A Mere A$8,000- A$10,000 According To The Australian Maritime Safety Authority

The Master of M/V Shen Neng 1 Felt It Was Safe For The 23 Crew To Remain On Board At This Stage.


Next Came The World's Front Pages

5 April 2010

The World Held It's Collective Breath For The Fate of The Great Barrier Reef

M/V Shen Neng 1 Hard Aground -- Reef Visible Below -- 15 Kilometers Outside Shipping Lanes In A World Heritage National Park

Australia's Great Barrier Marine Park -- The World's Largest Living Structure


..... And Now Comes The Waiting

From The Cargo Letter - April 3 2010
A vessel aground on the Great Barrier Reef and leaking oil is in danger of breaking apart.

The Chinese-owned, 230 meter-long bulk coal carrier M/V Shen Neng 1, ran aground about 70 kilometers east of Great Keppel Island shortly after 5pm on April 3 2010, sparking a national oil spill response plan.

She is carrying 950 tons of heavy fuel oil and 65,000 tons of coal.

Modelling yesterday afternoon showed oil spilled from the M/V Shen Neng 1 could wash ashore at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area within the next two days.

There isa call for compulsory pilots on ships along the Queensland coast, A spokeswoman for Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the use of pilots was one measure Maritime Safety Queensland was already considering at the time of this event.

M/V Shen Neng 1 was bound for China after loading at the Port of Gladstone on Queensland's central coast, just South of Rockhampton. While the volume of fuel spilt so far is small, there is a risk of further leaks, particularly during efforts to refloat the ship.

At the time of the grounding, M/V Shen Neng 1 was reported to have been travelling at full speed. She was severely damaged on her port side, and a 3 kilometers (1.6 nmi) long oil slick was later reported to have been seen. The position she ran aground is some 15 kilometers (8.1 nmi) off the shipping channel. It is in a restricted area which forms part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

As a result of the grounding, the fuel tanks of the vessel were punctured, allowing fuel oil to leak from the vessel. It is feared that the ship may break in two.[4]

The Great Barrier Reef stretches from Cape York in northern Queensland to Bundaberg in the south. It covers about 346,000 square kilometers, much of which is administered as a marine reserve.

It was reported that vessel owner COSCO could be fined US$1,000,000 and her captain US$220,000 -- but matters can become far worse.

From Our Contributor:

Haven't emailed you since the M/V Pasha Bulker went aground at Newcastle a few years ago. Seems we're going on that ride again here in Oz - a bulk carrier (fully loaded this time) has run aground. She's leaking bunker oil and apparently showing signs of breaking in two already. To really top it all off, it's right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. I swear these ships have an attraction to World-Heritage listed national parks.

She's the M/V Shen Neng 1, gone aground reportedly well outside the shipping channel and at full cruising speed. I can understand Captain Cook hitting the reef in 1770 but there's really no excuse for these turkeys. That master will have some heavy explaining to do...

All the local news sources have coverage, this one has some raw helicopter footage:

Stuart Midgley - Sydney, Australia

Editor Note:

Words fail to describe the beauty & world importance of The Great Barrier Reef. While we live in a world conflicted over concepts of "warming" & "climate change" -- there is not one of us who does not embrace the wonder & value of The Great Barrier Reef -- the largest living structure on Earth.

My own days on The Great Barrier Reef were likely the summit of my nature experiences. Incidents such as M/V Shen Neng 1 pose a great danger. Modern navigation easily avoids this. Anything short of true mechanical failure is a crime. Pray M/V Shen Neng 1 can be lightened without breaking up.

Michael S. McDaniel

There Are Two Patches of Oil About 4 Kilometers From M/V Shen Neng 1

M/V Shen Neng 1 Is Full of Coal. She Will Need Off Loading. Can The Hull Take It?

The Beginning of A Disaster? Be Angry

M/V Shen Neng 1 Goes Way Off Course. Why?

The Cargo Letter - April 6 2010
Autralian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has says it is "outrageous" that a ship grounded on the Great Barrier Reef could be so far off course in a protected area.

M/V Shen Neng 1 is stuck on a reef off central Queensland and the vessel may have been taking an illegal short cut through a passage between reefs which fisherman say is used by at least one ship every day.

Mr Rudd, who surveyed the ship this morning from the air with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, said: "From my point of view as Prime Minister of Australia, there is no greater natural asset for Australia than the Great Barrier Reef".

"I take any threat to the Great Barrier Reef fundamentally seriously. From where I sit, it is outrageous that any vessel could find itself 12km off course, it seems, in the Great Barrier Reef.''

The Prime Minister said the stricken ship was a "serious threat'' to the Great Barrier Reef.

A Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman has confirmed the existence of a channel with sufficient depth to enable ships to pass through &endash; effectively creating a Reef rat run to save time and money in their journeys. But authorities are refusing to discuss any reason for tM/V Shen Neng 1 being so far off course. More than two days after the incident, they have started three inquiries but not formally interviewed the crew.

Oil that leaked from the stricken coal carrier has been dispersed, the Queensland Government says.

A Transport department spokesman says dispersant sprayed onto the slick has worked, and the oil has broken up.

Authorities plan to have a floating boom around the M/V Shen Neng 1 sometime today to contain any further leaks.

Authorities no longer believe it's at serious risk of breaking up but say that could change if the weather worsens.

Equipment will arrive at the scene of the grounded bulk carrier on April 7 which it is hoped will be able to contain further oil spills or pump oil off the ship.

Tugs have also been brought in to stabilise the vessel, which has been dragged by the force of the ocean up to 30m away from where it first hit Douglas Shoal.

Sonar equipment is expected to paint a clearer picture of the damage to M/V Shen Neng 1's engine, rudder and fuel tanks, while the army remains on standby should oil wash up on nearby beaches.

Chinese owners Cosco maintained their public silence yesterday but face fines of up to A$1M over the incident, while the captain could be handed an individual penalty of up to A$250,000. The Cosco Group did not respond to inquiries from The Courier-Mail but AMSA a spokeswoman said Cosco was in regular contact with the salvage company Svitzer.

M/V Shen Neng 1 Atop The Great Barrier Reef -- Waiting For The Salvors

The Great Barrier Reef Is A Living Structure -- World's Largest

Heavy Bunker Oil Leaves M/V Shen Neng 1 - Hell In Paradise

White Debris As The Vessel Grinds Against Living Coral

The M/V Shen Neng 1 Oil Slick Stretches For Many Miles

M/V Shen Neng 1 Sits Atop The Reef With 72,000 Tons (65,000 Metric Tons) of Coal Aboard

The Cargo Letter - April 7 2010

M/V Shen Neng 1 has been stabilized and a fuel oil leak is contained within a boom, helping to minimize damage to the world's largest coral reef, a maritime official said April 6 2010.

The accident has led the prime minister to consider implementing stricter shipping regulations within the reef's boundaries.

In the meantime, workers are focusing on preventing more oil from leaking from M/V Shen Neng 1, which crashed full speed into Douglas Shoal, a protected part of the reef. One side of the ship has been shredded by coral, rupturing a fuel tank.

Two tugboats are holding M/V Shen Neng 1 steady, keeping it from rocking with waves that had previously scraped along coral and raised concerns of more oil sloshing out through a hole in the hull.

Crews were transferring oil inside the ship to less-vulnerable tanks and a salvage vessel was due at the site later in the day to begin transferring the heavy fuel oil off of the stricken vessel.

That task was expected to begin within the next two days, depending on the weather remaining calm.

The ultimate goal is to refloat the Chinese vessel and remove it from the reef area. But the nearly 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of oil must first be transferred off the boat, and then officials will decide whether they also have to offload 72,000 tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal aboard the vessel.

Three to four tons of oil that already leaked from the bulk carrier have been dispersed by chemicals sprayed on the water to break up the oil.

Nearly 1,000 Tons (950 Metric Tons) of Heavy Oil Must Be Transferred Off M/V Shen Neng 1

White Debris As The Vessel Grinds Against Living Coral

The Cargo Letter - April 8 2010

Oil that leaked from coal-carrying M/V Shen Neng 1 stranded on the Great Barrier Reef has dispersed into the ocean, and crews prepared April 8 to transfer the ship's remaining oil to eliminate any further environmental risk to the world's largest coral reef.

The water surface no longer has an oil sheen aroundM/V Shen Neng 1 and the leak from the hull had stopped, said Patrick Quirk, general manager of Maritime Safety Queensland.

"We have our spray aircraft on standby if more oil leaks, and it was effective when used in the early stage of the incident," Quirk said in a statement.

Coral shredded one part of the ship, and three or four tons of oil leaked from a ruptured fuel tank.

Containment booms now surround the ship, and crews worked this week to transfer the remaining fuel oil to safer compartments within the ship.

Two tugboats are holding M/V Shen Neng 1 steady, keeping her from rocking with waves, and a bunker barge is in place to take on the fuel oil.

Officials aim to refloat the ship and escort it from Australian waters, but first they must transfer nearly 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) of heavy fuel oil off the boat to prevent more spills.

The Svitzer Salvage Company had flown in special equipment for the oil recovery mission, but no decision had yet been made on whether to attempt to offload some 65,000 tonnes of coal aboard.

Penalties for breaching laws governing the park now extend to a fine of A$5.5M (US$5.1M), while the master of a ship guilty of negligence can be imprisoned.

Australia, the largest exporter of coal, is trying to protect an area named in 1981 as a United Nations World Heritage site along with the Galapagos Islands and the Pyramids of Egypt, and which attracts millions of tourists and scientists each year.

 M/V Shen Neng 1 And Coral Hull Wound

Svitzer Salvage Australasia Announcement - April 8 2010

"Svitzer Salvage Australasia has been awarded a LOF Scopic contract for this salvage operation.

An Australian salvage team is on board  M/V Shen Neng 1 to carry out a salvage assessment, determining the structural integrity of the vessel and prepare for refloating the vessel. The salvage team is supported by Australian office,  Singapore office and head office in The Netherlands.  In the meanwhile two SVITZER tugs, M/V TOM TOUGH and M/V AUSTRAL SALVOR have connected up to the casualty. A salvage plan is prepared and put into motion, giving due regard to the sensitive nature of the area and the requirements of the authorities. Salvage equipment is being flown-, trucked- and helicoptered- in."

Maritime Safety Queensland Bulletin - April 8 2010

Queensland Notices to Mariners -- 324 (Temporary) of 2010

Outside pilotage areas

Locality: Douglas Shoal, Capricorn Channel, Great Barrier Reef

Activity: Salvage and pollution response operations

Mariners are advised that salvage and pollution response deployment operations are being carried out on the grounded vessel Shen Neng 1. Operations will be carried out in a 3nm radius of approximate position 23° 06' S 151° 39' E. Pollution response vessels will be towing floating booms and operating in tandem. Mariners are advised to navigate the Capricorn Channel between North Reef in the east and North West Island in the west with caution and a speed consistent with safe navigation. Operations will continue until further notice.

AUS charts affected: 366 & 426

Note: latitude and longitude positions on WGS84 horizontal datum (compatible with GDA94 datum).

For further information about this notice, please contact:

The Gladstone Regional Harbour Master's office on 07 4973 1200

Authorised by: Director (Maritime Services)

Issued: Brisbane (Thursday, 8 April 2010)

Svitzer Salvage Workers Begin The Salvage Task -- April 8 2010

M/V Shen Neng 1 Sits Far In The Background Atop The Great Barrier Reef

The Cargo Letter - April 9 2010

Salvage crews at a damaged coal carrier stuck on the Great Barrier Reef today began pumping fuel oil from the stricken vessel onto another barge to carry it away and prevent it from leaking onto the delicate reef.

Patrick Quirk, general manager of Maritime Safety Queensland, said inflatable booms were in place around the vessels to trap and contain any oil that may spill during the procedure.

"This is a delicate operation that will take days, not hours," Mr Quirk said in a statement. "We're not going to rush into this operation. We want to manage the risk and manage it closely."

M/V Shen Neng 1 had nearly 1,000 tons of heavy fuel oil on board when it crashed full speed onto Douglas Shoal, a protected area of the world's largest coral reef. Coral shredded one part of the ship, and three or four tons of oil leaked from a ruptured fuel tank. That oil was dispersed by chemical sprays.

Officials must remove the remaining oil in order to safely refloat the Chinese ship and prevent any further spillage.

Fuel from the stricken Chinese coal carrier will be pumped onto the Larcom bunker barge, which can carry up to 1,500 tons of oil.

Around 250 people are on standby in case oil reaches the coast but that is now considered unlikely.

Length: 225 Meters (738 ft 2 in)

Grinding Coral To Sand As M/V Shen Neng Wrestles On The Great Barrier Reef

The Cargo Letter - April 10 2010

Anger about the grounding of the vessel is still rising in Australia, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offering some blunt language. On April 6, he flew over the stricken vessel, which had strayed more than seven miles outside the authorized shipping channel, and promised a full investigation to identify and punish those responsible.

Mr. Rudd noted that the captain could be subject to up to three years in prison if found negligent and that the vessel's owners could be liable for a fine exceeding $5 million.

"From where I sit, it is outrageous that any vessel could find itself 12 kilometers off course, it seems, in the Great Barrier Reef," he told Australian news organizations after the flyover. Mr. Rudd also said that Australia would review the adequacy of its marine safety regulations.

Reef Grinding Continues With A Trail of Newly Made White Sand In The Water

Our Other Adventures On The Great Barrier Reef

"Queensland Mis-Adventurer" - May 2009

"Carryiing Coal To Newcastle" - June 2007

M/V Shen Neng & Svitzer Tug, M/V Tom Tough

Svitzer Tug, M/V Tom Tough

23 Crew Inhabit The Massive Accommodation of M/V Shen Neng 1

Oil From M/V Shen Neng 1 Has Been Pumped Off Without Any Problems So Far.

M/V Shen Neng 1 Won't Be Moved Until The Operation Is Finished And Inspections Are Complete

72,000 Tons of Coal Aboard

Australian Authorities Have Said M/V Shen Neng Would Be Difficult To Refloat

The Cargo Letter - April 10 2010

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh expects it will be mid to late next week before the stricken Chinese coal carrier M/V Sheng Neng 1 is refloated.

Ms Bligh said the transfer of oil from the carrier had so far been without problem and until it was finished and seaworthy inspections complete, the ship would remain on Douglas Shoal off the Rockhampton coastline.

'I don't expect to see attempts to refloat the ship for another three or four days,' Ms Bligh said April 10.

'We won't see all the oil off the ship probably until the end of the weekend at the earliest.

'Then there will have to be considerable assessments taken of the vessel, empty of the oil, before any flotation processes can occur.

'I wouldn't expect to see a refloat attempt for three, four or five days' time.'

Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says the Chinese company that owns the ship will be forced to meet the full costs associated with the grounding.

"Make no mistake - this company will pay a very substantial price for this incident," she said.

"Their ship was off course in very environmentally sensitive areas and they will pay the price."

Ms Bligh echoed the sentiments.

"Those costs will be recouped; we will be charging those costs to the insurance company of this vessel," she said.

"My aim is to make sure that there is no cost at all to the Queensland taxpayer as a result of this incident."

But according to Professor Nick Gaskell, an international maritime law expert at the University of Queensland, the state government's tough talk might not be supported by law.

"The good news is that Australia joined an international convention last year called the Bunker Pollution Convention," he said.

"This allows states and others to claim compensation where you've got leakage of fuel oil carried aboard ordinary merchant ships.

"The Bunker Pollution Convention allows states to claim from the owners and the operators of the ship without having to prove fault. This is a no-fault compensation system."

But Professor Gaskell says that in exchange for the no-fault system, ship owners are entitled to a ceiling on damages claims.

"So the state has to prove what it's lost, but there is a maximum amount calculated according to the size of the ship," he said.

"And my calculations on the information available to me indicate that the maximum sum for this ship will be in the region of A$23.5M."

Professor Gaskell doubts that amount will cover the clean-up bill in an environmentally sensitive area like the Great Barrier Reef, particularly after last year's spill off Moreton Bay in Queensland left a clean-up and compensation bill of about A$31M, with the state government only able to retrieve A$23M.

On April 8, M/V Shen Neng 1's owner, Shenzhen Energy Transport Co Ltd, Broke Its Silence,

The Company Now Apologized For The Accident And Promising To Cooperate With Authorities To Minimize Environmental Damage.


She Floats!

April 12 2010 - Relief For The Reef

A World Treasure Was Threatened By An Error In Navigation -- Or Was It?

Maritime Safety Queensland Takes Watch Over M/V Shen Neng 1 Atop The Great Barrier Reef

Svitzer Tug, M/V Tom Tough Continues To Stabilize M/V Shen Neng 1 As The Refloat Process Begins

From Our Contributor:

Hi there, long time fan of the web site, the company I work for imports earthmoving machines from all over the world and my skin often crawls when I think of my products being stuck in a grounded vessel or bobbing around in a container that's taken a dip.

Just a comment I'd like to send through on M/V Shen Neng 1 is that once it was on the reef and spilling oil and rescue / salvage men were trying to minimise the damage, the Shen Neng1's captains greatest fear was not that he was off course, not that he was grounded, not that he was spilling oil….. his greatest concern was that feeding and watering the extra people on his boat would drastically impact the ability to feed and water his own crew.

It made the news here in Oz (Australia) and I thought it might be relevant to the story on your website. I would've personally thought that a captain that screwed up as badly as this would think twice before complaining about "food and water".

Thanks for all your good work, I look forward to all the future stories.

Cheers
Cam Baker -- LiftRite Hire & Sales

Svitzer Salvage Crews -- Aboard For Days -- Transfer Vessel Fluids Between Tanks Before The Refloat Attempt

Svitzer Salvage Crews Check Every Aspect of The Stricken M/V Shen Neng 1 For Refloat

Svitzer Salvage Equipment Covers The Deck of M/V Shen Neng 1 -- The Experts At Work In A Delicate Process

Svitzer Salvage Makes The Hook-Up For Tow

From Our Contributor:

M/V Shen Neng 1 was re-floated early this morning local time, reportedly in something of a rush to avoid decaying weather conditions forecast later in the week. No word on where she is being towed to - probably Gladstone.

The blue stain in the water in all the photos in your feature is reported to have been the pulverised coral created by the constant grinding of the hull. Given how abrasive coral is I can only imagine what it's done the steel plate even on the areas that weren't outright punctured.

All the best!
Stuart Midgley - Sydney, Australia

M/V Shen Neng 1 Is Freed -- April 12 2010

No More Grief On The Reef! This Time.

Divers Have Now Inspect The Hull of M/V Shen Neng 1 To Confirm Her Ability To Leave The Area Without Mishap -- There Is Damage.

Maritime Safety Queensland Bulletin - April 13 2010

Briefing Note from the State Incident Control Centre -- ISSUED AT: 0730hrs, 13 April 2010

To: State Committee

Copy to:Regional Harbour Masters

Subject: SITREP 17 - Response to grounding of the "Shen Neng 1

Ship & Salvage

The casualty was refloated last night at 1948hr and has arrived at the safe anchorage and is expected to be secured by approximately 0800 hr.

Reports from the Salvor indicate that the casualty is not taking on any water, is not leaking any oil and is stable with a reasonably even keel.

Pollution response vessels shadowed the casualty during the transit to indentify and boom any potential oils spills.

No oils spills have been reported to date.

A plane and helicopter have been monitoring the ship since first light for any oil leaks. This monitoring is supplementary to the monitoring that commenced from ships last night.

Weather forecast is for deteriorating conditions this afternoon including increasing winds.

The safe anchorage remains Barren Island.

The National Plan Fixed Wing Aerial Dispersant Capability remains on standby if required.

Queensland Police Service will enforce a 2 nautical mile marine exclusion zone around the ship whilst at the safe anchorage.

Discussions later today will consider the future response operations.

Thanks to all involved for GREAT effort so far.
Patrick Quirk -- State Marine Pollution Controller, A/General Manager

The Cargo Letter - April 10 2010

The Australian authorities have said a Chinese bulk carrier M/V Shen Neng 1 which ran aground off Queensland has caused widespread damage to the famed Great Barrier Reef.

The cleanup is likely to be the biggest operation ever undertaken there.

M/V Shen Neng 1 was refloated on April 12 night, in a salvage operation brought forward because of the threat of bad weather and heavy seas.

The Australian government has indicated that a prosecution will follow because the ship ran aground in a no-go zone.

Divers have now had the chance to deliver an early assessment of the harm done to the reef, and have found coral damage and paint scrapings that stretch for more than 1km (0.6 miles).

The head of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said there was significant scarring, and that the cleanup was likely to be the biggest operation ever undertaken on the world-heritage-listed reef.

The damage might not have been so extensive had M/V Shen Neng 1 simply ran aground and stopped.

But the winds and currents meant that the 230m (251 yards) coal carrier kept on grinding against a coral shoal for more than a kilometre during the week it was stranded, turning coral into dust.

The authorities are particularly worried about toxic paint that has been scraped off the hull - because it has immediately started killing off corals in the vicinity.

The paint is designed to stop things growing on the hulls of ships, and it could be weeks before the full extent of the damage is known.

The Chinese vessel is now in safe anchorage, having been refloated in a salvage operation brought forward because of the threat of bad weather.

It is believed that the operation was completed without adding to the two tonne oil spill which seeped from the vessel immediately after it went aground.

M/V Shen Neng's Refloating Shows The Technique For Her Being Pulled By 2 Tugs Off Douglas Shoal


The Aftermath

April 14 2010 - No Relief For The Reef

M/V Shen Neng 1 Is Now Free -- The Crisis Has Ended

But Reef Problems May Extend For 20 Years Officials Say

M/V Shen Neng 1 At A Safe Anchorage, With M/V Tom Tough On Guard

But No Safe Harbor For The Owners

Svitzer Tug, M/V Tom Tough Continues To Stabilize M/V Shen Neng 1 With Other Svitzer Tugs At The Anchorage

The Cargo Letter - April 14 2010

An exclusion zone has been established around the M/V Shen Neng 1, which lies anchored 2.3 nautical miles north-west of Barren Island off the Capricorn Coast.

Acting Superintendent Marcus Hill said patrols would strictly enforce the exclusion zone to prevent sight-seers from getting within two nautical miles of the coal carrier, to protect salvage divers.

The ship's Chinese captain, who has been severely criticized for allowing the massive vessel to strike the reef outside a recognised shipping channel, remains on board and in charge of the vessel, even though it is now the subject of an official salvage operation.

This is by far the largest ship grounding scar we have seen on the Great Barrier Reef to date,

'This vessel did not make an impact in one place and rest there and then was pulled off. This scar is more in the region of three kilometers long and up to 250 meters (yards) wide.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the accident, which also leaked about two tonnes of fuel oil into the pristine seas, an ''absolute outrage.''

''It is still an absolute outrage that this vessel could've landed on the Great Barrier Reef,'' he said. ''We will leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding out how that happened.''

An approaching storm hurried authorities into refloating the 230-meter (750 feet) ship -- the length of two football pitches -- after nightfall on April 12. They pumped compressed air into its bunkers and pulled it free using tugs.

Officials said the rescue had been carried out without adding to the initial oil spill, which created a three-kilometer slick.

Divers were due to assess damage to the ship, still carrying 68,000 ton of China-bound coal, which has been towed to a nearby island.

But concern on April 13 focused on the plight of the reef, which was also left plastered with toxic anti-fouling paint from the ship's hull.

Divers ''have found significant scarring and coral damage. They've also found quite a lot of anti-fouling (paint) spread across the reef,'' said the chairman of the marine park authority.

The Chinese coal ship has damaged a two-mile (three kilometer) stretch of the World Heritage Area that could take years to repair, the chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said April 13.

Chairman Russell Reichelt of the the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority told CNN in Australia that toxic anti-fouling paint had been scraped off M/V Shen Neng 1 as it ran across the coral reef. The paint contains biocides that prevent barnacles and other marine organisms from attaching to the hulls of ships.

The Trail of The M/V Shen Neng 1 -- Damaging A Two Mile Stretch of The Great Barrier Reef

Anti-Fouling Paint On The Hull of M/V Shen Neng 1 Will Mean Instant Death To Coral In Contact


Ship's Officers Arrested
April 15 2010 - First Official Reports Released

From Our Contributor:

The Master and Officer of The Watch at the time of the grounding were formally arrested yesterday afternoon, taken ashore and held in police custody overnight. They will appear before Gladstone Magistrates Court this morning (that's the lowest level of court in our system - handles initial bail applications, petty misdemeanours, that sort of thing).
Stuart Midgley - Sydney, Australia

The Cargo Letter - April 15 2010

The captain of M/V Shen Neng 1, Jichang Wang, 47, faced the Gladstone Magistrates Court this morning charged with liability for a vessel which caused damage.

The chief officer-on-watch, Xuegang Wang, 44, is charged with being the person in charge of a vessel which caused damage to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

M/V Shen Neng 1 leaked up to four tonnes of fuel oil when it ran aground on Douglas Shoal, off Rockhampton, on April 3.

The Australian Federal Police arrested the men, both Chinese, on board M/V Shen Neng 1 yesterday afternoon and they were held in custody overnight.

Both men are married and each has one daughter, the court was told. Neither has prior convictions.

The court was told the vessel is likely to be brought to Gladstone so its cargo of 65,000 tons of coal can be unloaded.

The ship's owners have flown a replacement master and first officer to Australia to replace the pair charged over the incident.

Captain Wang was bailed on his own undertaking, while Chief Officer Wang must reside on the ship and surrender his passport.

The bail conditions for Chief Officer Wang are temporary, and the Commonwealth is expected to seek a surety for his future appearance.

Both men communicated through an interpreter during the 20-minute hearing.

There is some concern Captain Wang may try to leave the area, claiming to be Chief Officer Wang, or the other Wang will allege his identity as the other Wang. Whch Wang is a queston resounding in the jurisdiction, as a matter seperate from the other Wang. ;-)

A next hearing is set for June 9 2010.

Australia Transportation Saftey Board - April 15 2010

ATSB report says fatigue an issue in grounding of M/V Shen Neng 1 on Great Barrier Reef

The pilot of M/V Shen Neng 1 had only slept for two-and-a-half of the previous 37 hours when he mistakenly steered the coal carrier into the Great Barrier Reef.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority today released its preliminary report on the April 3 incident after interviewing key crew members.

The ATSB report confirms the ship's masters decided to take a short cut from their original course, but intended to remain within designated shipping lanes. However the second mate who proposed the short cut did not reset the ship's GPS unit which would have sounded an alarm when the ship veered off course. He later handed over the wheel to the first mate, explaining the GPS unit was programmed to the original route.

The report reveals the first mate had spent the previous night supervising the loading of 68,000 tons of coal at Gladstone Port and had only had broken sleep for less than three hours. He told ATSB investigators he intended to check the ship's position at 4.30pm, but delayed the job until 5pm after the Chief Engineer came up to the bridge for a chat about the vessel's operations.

When the check was eventually completed at 5pm it was too late and the ship was closing in on the Douglas Shoal.


The Official Report

April 15 2010

Australian Transport Safety Bureau

 

The Saga of M/V Shen Neng 1 Will Be With Us For Some Time

Our Other Recent Adventures On The Great Barrier Reef

"Queensland Mis-Adventurer" - May 2009

"Carryiing Coal To Newcastle" - June 2007

Editor Note:

This coverage was to continue until both the reef &  M/V Shen Neng 1 were safe. I believe we have reached that goal. But please expect updates, as early as tomorrow, if the circumstances require.
Michael S. McDaniel

M/V Shen Neng 1

Length: 225 metres (738 ft 2 in)

Beam: 32 metres (105 ft 0 in)

Crew: 23

Owner: COSCO

Port of registry: China

Launched: 1993

Identification:

Call sign BXAN

IMO Number 9040871

MMSI Number 413461550


Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To Those Who Protect The Great Barrier Reef


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker

It's very dangerous out there.


INDEX TO OUR "Coaling On The Great Barrier Reef" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Important Links To Our Feature:
Our Other Adventures On The Great Barrier Reef
"Queensland Mis-Adventurer" - May 2009

"Carryiing Coal To Newcastle" - June 2007

Svitzer Salvage

Our Recent Ocean Container Features

"REEFER FEATURE" -- M/V Vega Gotland

"Vine Ripened Tires" -- M/V Saga Spray

"Thar She Blows" -- M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania

"TEU Barbeque"

"Container Pool"

"Meals Ready To Explode"

......And Many Others In our Gallery of Cargo Loss


Our Daily Vessel Casualties - stay informed

"Singles Only" - visit our individual moments of transport crisis for more.

The Greatest Container Losses Of All Time - these are the grand fathers -

M/V OOCL America

M/V APL China

M/V APL Panama - The EPIC

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. 

It's very dangerous out there.

Thanks To Our Contributors For The "Coaling On The Great Barrier Reef" Feature

Our Contributors for this feature are greatly appreciated:
Stuart Midgley - Sydney, Australia

Graham Tudman

Anonymous Contributors Must Always Remain Anonymous*


NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.

EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD


* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  

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