2009 southeast Queensland oil spill
Encyclopedia
The 2009 southeast Queensland oil spill occurred on 11 March 2009 off the coast of southeast Queensland
, Australia
, in which 230 tonnes of fuel oil
, 30 tonnes of other fuel and 31 shipping container
s (620 tonnes) of ammonium nitrate spilled into the Coral Sea
, north of Moreton Bay
during Cyclone Hamish
after unsecured cargo on the container ship
, damaged other cargo, causing the spillage. Over the following days, the spill washed ashore along 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) of coastline encompassing the Sunshine Coast
, Moreton Bay
, Bribie Island and Moreton Island
.
The ship proceeded through Moreton Bay and docked at the Port of Brisbane
where it continued to spread a 500 m (1,640.4 ft) long slick in the mouth of the Brisbane River
.
The Queensland government declared a state of emergency. Premier Anna Bligh
described the spill as the "worst environmental disaster Queensland has ever seen." It took over 1,425 people 16 months to clean up the affected areas at a total cost of A$4 million, including $2 million of public funds.
to the Port of Brisbane
in Moreton Bay
. Cyclone Hamish
had formed off the coast of Queensland. Subsequently the improperly stowed cargo dislodged from the deck damaging other cargo and containers onboard causing various substances to spill into the ocean. The ship was damaged at and below the waterline and began to leak fuel and lubricant oil. Over the following days the spill washed ashore over a 60 km stretch of coastline. In an interview of the crew of the ships, the crew stated that the captain was to blame for the incident. The captain decided to stay on course, directly through the storm. As the ship encountered large swells, the 20 crew members went below deck, fearing the safety of their lives. At 3:12 a.m., a wave broke the restraints for the cargo and sent 31 containers of ammonium nitrate overboard. The Queensland maritime safety authorities estimated that the ships was at a 25 degree angle at the time the containers were knocked off. When the ship came back down, one of the containers damaged the hull. After rolling to the opposite side, it crashed onto another container, creating a large hole underneath the ship, which was not noticed until the ship docked in Brisbane.
The shipping company, Swire Shipping
, initially reported that only 20 tonnes had been spilled. This was later revised to 30 tonnes, then revised again to 100 tonnes, and further to 230 tonnes. The latest estimates of the amount of fuel has reached 250 tonnes. The Queensland Government reacted to the situation based on the initial information of 20 tonnes, which was later discovered to be inaccurate, leading to claims of an inadequate initial clean up response. After divers inspected the ship for the source of the spill, two holes were found. One, located just above the waterline, was 10 mm (0.4 in) long 15 mm (0.6 in) wide. The second and larger hole was located underneath the ship. The length of it was about 1 m (3.28 ft) and the width was 300 mm (11.8 in).
declared two islands and parts of the Sunshine coast disaster areas. Cleanup efforts were reportedly going to cost at least A$
100,000 a day and last more than a week as the oil continued to spread. Several search parties have been sent to the spill area to attempt to find the potentially explosive materials that were in the 31 containers. Press reports stated that if the ammonium nitrate were to mix with the heavy fuel, the mixture could ignite and cause a large explosion. If the chemical did not react with the fuel but still leaked out, marine life could be threatened by large blooms of algae. By 15 March, the cost of the spill jumped to A$10 million ($6.6 million USD). A team of 88 people were sent out to begin the cleanup process and another 58 were expected to join within the following days. On 16 March, the Australian Navy began searching for the 31 containers of ammonium nitrate which were knocked off the ship. A navy mine hunting ship was sent to look for the containers to reduce the amount of impact the chemical could cause.
The clean-up is a delicate operation as beaches had already been eroded from the high tides after ex-tropical cyclone Hamish battered the coast over the past week. High tides were carrying off some of the fuel oil initially deposited along shorelines and dispersing it back into the sea. By 15 March, the Government of Australia reported that 50% of the oil had been contained. The slick has been removed from about 95% of Bribie Island, 85% along the Sunshine Coast, and 25% around Moreton Island. On Moreton Island, a total of 290 people are working to clean up the oil with most of them focusing on Middle Creek and Cape Moreton. Even though hundreds of people are working on cleaning the spill, the average amount of oil cleaned each day was 1 km (0.6 mi) per day. At this rate, it would take more than a month to clean all the affected areas. The Federal Government promised to provide A$2 million ($1.3 million USD) to help with the cleanup.
The Australian Government provided A$750,000 to help jump-start the tourist industry. Fourteen of the 19 beaches affected along the Sunshine Coast which have been cleaned were reopened in March 2009.
explained: "If there is any grounds for prosecution of this ship and its owners we will not hesitate to take that action." and "We will also be pursuing them for compensation as this is going to be a very big clean-up cost and I want those ship owners to be paying for it." Following the environmental disaster, the company could be fined an additional A$248.6 million ($163.5 million USD).
In August 2009 after lengthy talks with the Queensland government the vessel's owner, Swire Shipping, agreed to pay A$25 million towards clean-up costs.
Once the ship was at port, the captain was forced to surrender his passport to Australian officials and he was to remain in Brisbane for at least two weeks to help with the investigation.
reports that the full extent of wildlife affected by the spill has yet to be realised. "The flow-on effects of oil spills can be substantive," according to a spokesperson for the agency. "The longer-term impacts are yet to be realised." Several birds have been found covered with oil. By 17 March, about 30 animals had been recovered after being covered with oil. All of the animals were immediately treated and cleaned.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in which 230 tonnes of fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
, 30 tonnes of other fuel and 31 shipping container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
s (620 tonnes) of ammonium nitrate spilled into the Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
, north of Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
during Cyclone Hamish
Cyclone Hamish (2009)
Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish was the first Category 5 cyclone within the Australian region since Cyclone George in 2007. The seventeenth tropical low and eight named storm of the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season, Hamish developed out of an area of low pressure on 4 March near the Cape...
after unsecured cargo on the container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
, damaged other cargo, causing the spillage. Over the following days, the spill washed ashore along 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) of coastline encompassing the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
, Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
, Bribie Island and Moreton Island
Moreton Island
Moreton Island is a large sand island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay, on the coast of south-east Queensland, Australia. Moreton Island lies 58 kilometres northeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. The island is 95% National Park and a popular destination for four wheel driving, camping,...
.
The ship proceeded through Moreton Bay and docked at the Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane is the shipping port of Brisbane, on the east coast of Australia. It is located in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River on reclaimed land that was once called Fisherman Islands at the mouth of the river. It currently is the third busiest port in Australia and the nation's...
where it continued to spread a 500 m (1,640.4 ft) long slick in the mouth of the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
.
The Queensland government declared a state of emergency. Premier Anna Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
described the spill as the "worst environmental disaster Queensland has ever seen." It took over 1,425 people 16 months to clean up the affected areas at a total cost of A$4 million, including $2 million of public funds.
Cause and initial responses
The ship MV Pacific Adventurer was sailing from NewcastleNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
to the Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane is the shipping port of Brisbane, on the east coast of Australia. It is located in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River on reclaimed land that was once called Fisherman Islands at the mouth of the river. It currently is the third busiest port in Australia and the nation's...
in Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
. Cyclone Hamish
Cyclone Hamish (2009)
Severe Tropical Cyclone Hamish was the first Category 5 cyclone within the Australian region since Cyclone George in 2007. The seventeenth tropical low and eight named storm of the 2008–09 Australian region cyclone season, Hamish developed out of an area of low pressure on 4 March near the Cape...
had formed off the coast of Queensland. Subsequently the improperly stowed cargo dislodged from the deck damaging other cargo and containers onboard causing various substances to spill into the ocean. The ship was damaged at and below the waterline and began to leak fuel and lubricant oil. Over the following days the spill washed ashore over a 60 km stretch of coastline. In an interview of the crew of the ships, the crew stated that the captain was to blame for the incident. The captain decided to stay on course, directly through the storm. As the ship encountered large swells, the 20 crew members went below deck, fearing the safety of their lives. At 3:12 a.m., a wave broke the restraints for the cargo and sent 31 containers of ammonium nitrate overboard. The Queensland maritime safety authorities estimated that the ships was at a 25 degree angle at the time the containers were knocked off. When the ship came back down, one of the containers damaged the hull. After rolling to the opposite side, it crashed onto another container, creating a large hole underneath the ship, which was not noticed until the ship docked in Brisbane.
The shipping company, Swire Shipping
Swire Group
The Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
, initially reported that only 20 tonnes had been spilled. This was later revised to 30 tonnes, then revised again to 100 tonnes, and further to 230 tonnes. The latest estimates of the amount of fuel has reached 250 tonnes. The Queensland Government reacted to the situation based on the initial information of 20 tonnes, which was later discovered to be inaccurate, leading to claims of an inadequate initial clean up response. After divers inspected the ship for the source of the spill, two holes were found. One, located just above the waterline, was 10 mm (0.4 in) long 15 mm (0.6 in) wide. The second and larger hole was located underneath the ship. The length of it was about 1 m (3.28 ft) and the width was 300 mm (11.8 in).
Affected areas
In the days following the spill, substances washed ashore along a 60 km (37.3 mi) stretch of coastline. Oil covered beaches, rocky reefs, coastal wetlands and mangrove wetlands. Most of these areas have been declared restricted zones and have limited public access: Radar Satellite images acquired in preparation for cyclone damage captured the extent of the oil spill before it hit the coastline.- Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, QueenslandThe Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
- Bokarina beachBokarina, QueenslandBokarina is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, located within the Kawana urban centre.The suburb is home to Kawana Waters State College.-External links:*...
- Marcoola beachMarcoola, QueenslandMarcoola is a suburb on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. It includes the developments of Town of Seaside and Mount Coolum Shores as well as being a popular destination for tourists....
- Maroochy RiverMaroochy RiverThe Maroochy River is a river in South East Queensland, Australia. The river rises from the eastern slopes of the Blackall Range and flows east through Eumundi, before entering the sea at Maroochydore...
mouth - Minyama beachMinyama, QueenslandMinyama is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, located within the Kawana urban centre. Situated on the Mooloolah River, the suburb is almost entirely surrounded by water, and artificially constructed harbours and waterways dominate the topography. The suburb's main thoroughfare,...
- Mudjimba beachMudjimba, QueenslandMudjimba is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and forms part of the Maroochydore urban centre. Mudjimba gets its name from the local plant, the Midyam bush....
- Warana beachWarana, QueenslandWarana is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, located within the Kawana urban centre.-External links:*...
- Wurtulla beachWurtulla, QueenslandWurtulla is a suburb of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, located within the Kawana urban centre. The name means "southward" in the local Aboriginal language, and it was named by Kawana Estates employees in the 1970s.-External links:*...
- Bokarina beach
- Moreton BayMoreton BayMoreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
- Bribie Island – northern coastline
- Moreton IslandMoreton IslandMoreton Island is a large sand island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay, on the coast of south-east Queensland, Australia. Moreton Island lies 58 kilometres northeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. The island is 95% National Park and a popular destination for four wheel driving, camping,...
– from Eagers Creek on the ocean beach, north around Cape MoretonCape MoretonCape Moreton is a rocky headland located at the north eastern tip of Moreton Island in South East Queensland, Australia. The surrounding area is part of the Moreton Island National Park. 5 km north-west of Cape Moreton is Flinders Reef....
and on to Comboyuro Point, in Moreton Bay- Brisbane RiverBrisbane RiverThe Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
mouth – 500 m (1,640.4 ft) long slick
- Brisbane River
Clean up
Following the oil spill Queensland Premier Anna BlighAnna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
declared two islands and parts of the Sunshine coast disaster areas. Cleanup efforts were reportedly going to cost at least A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
100,000 a day and last more than a week as the oil continued to spread. Several search parties have been sent to the spill area to attempt to find the potentially explosive materials that were in the 31 containers. Press reports stated that if the ammonium nitrate were to mix with the heavy fuel, the mixture could ignite and cause a large explosion. If the chemical did not react with the fuel but still leaked out, marine life could be threatened by large blooms of algae. By 15 March, the cost of the spill jumped to A$10 million ($6.6 million USD). A team of 88 people were sent out to begin the cleanup process and another 58 were expected to join within the following days. On 16 March, the Australian Navy began searching for the 31 containers of ammonium nitrate which were knocked off the ship. A navy mine hunting ship was sent to look for the containers to reduce the amount of impact the chemical could cause.
The clean-up is a delicate operation as beaches had already been eroded from the high tides after ex-tropical cyclone Hamish battered the coast over the past week. High tides were carrying off some of the fuel oil initially deposited along shorelines and dispersing it back into the sea. By 15 March, the Government of Australia reported that 50% of the oil had been contained. The slick has been removed from about 95% of Bribie Island, 85% along the Sunshine Coast, and 25% around Moreton Island. On Moreton Island, a total of 290 people are working to clean up the oil with most of them focusing on Middle Creek and Cape Moreton. Even though hundreds of people are working on cleaning the spill, the average amount of oil cleaned each day was 1 km (0.6 mi) per day. At this rate, it would take more than a month to clean all the affected areas. The Federal Government promised to provide A$2 million ($1.3 million USD) to help with the cleanup.
Cleanup efforts complete
In late July 2010, the cleanup effort was declared "complete". Federal Environment Minister Peter Garret attended cleanup sites to celebrate the end of cleanup efforts. The total cost was $4 million with $2 million contributed form the Federal Government. 1,425 personnel took 16 months to clean up 155 hectares of coastal area. This included 21,220 plants and 2.6 km of fencing to protect recovering vegetation.Disaster declaration
Shortly after the slick washed ashore the Queensland government declared a state of emergency. The disaster declaration will restrict public access to beaches affected by the oil slick and allow clean-up teams unobstructed access. The declaration covers:- All of Moreton Island.
- Coastal waters and beaches in the Sunshine Coast, Redcliffe and Brisbane disaster districts.
- The southern tip of Bribie Island to Point Arkwright.
Local economy
Several of the local restaurants which receive shipments of fish from the waters off the Queensland coast refused to stock any more fish due to the spill. The cost of the cleanup has also hurt the economy, costing at least A$10 million ($6.6 million USD). In July 2009 the total clean-up bill was estimated to be A$34 million.The Australian Government provided A$750,000 to help jump-start the tourist industry. Fourteen of the 19 beaches affected along the Sunshine Coast which have been cleaned were reopened in March 2009.
Fines and legal implications
The shipping company and the ship's master are expected to be fined A$2 million ($1.3 million USD) and $500,000 respectively. In addition the Queensland Premier Anna BlighAnna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
explained: "If there is any grounds for prosecution of this ship and its owners we will not hesitate to take that action." and "We will also be pursuing them for compensation as this is going to be a very big clean-up cost and I want those ship owners to be paying for it." Following the environmental disaster, the company could be fined an additional A$248.6 million ($163.5 million USD).
In August 2009 after lengthy talks with the Queensland government the vessel's owner, Swire Shipping, agreed to pay A$25 million towards clean-up costs.
Once the ship was at port, the captain was forced to surrender his passport to Australian officials and he was to remain in Brisbane for at least two weeks to help with the investigation.
Wildlife
The Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency (Queensland)
Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency was for some time a separate department of the Queensland Government, and, following 2009 State elections, became a part of the Government's larger Department of Environment and Resource Management.This part of the Department of Environment and...
reports that the full extent of wildlife affected by the spill has yet to be realised. "The flow-on effects of oil spills can be substantive," according to a spokesperson for the agency. "The longer-term impacts are yet to be realised." Several birds have been found covered with oil. By 17 March, about 30 animals had been recovered after being covered with oil. All of the animals were immediately treated and cleaned.
See also
- 2010 Great Barrier Reef oil spill2010 Great Barrier Reef oil spillThe 2010 Great Barrier Reef oil spill occurred on 3 April 2010, when the Chinese bulk coal carrier, ran aground east of Rockhampton in Central Queensland, Australia. The vessel is owned by Shenzhen Energy Transport Co. Ltd....
- Environmental issues in Australia
- List of oil spills
- Spill containmentSpill containmentSpill containment is where spills of chemicals, oils, sewage etc are contained within a barrier or drainage system rather than being absorbed at the surface. One method is to use an inflatable stopper or pneumatic bladder which is inserted into the outflow of a drainage system to create a...