Moreton Island Oil Spill

In recent months Australia has certainly had it's share of problems. To add to the global financial crisis that's affecting just about everyone on the planet, there have been the horrendous bush fires in Victoria and South Australia, and flooding in Far North Queensland.

To top it all off, Cyclone Hamish has caused wild weather along the Queensland coast, generating winds of up to 85km per hour and 9 metre seas. So why, one has to ask, did the ships master of the Pacific Adventurer think it was a good time to set sail from Newcastle to Brisbane?

Part of the cargo of this vessel is Ammonium Nitrate. 5 tonnes of this was spilled onto the deck of the ship, and subsequently ran off into the sea. This is on top of the 32 containers of the chemical that went over the side.

If this wasn't bad enough, one of the containers that fell overboard knocked a hole in the hull of the ship, releasing oil into the sea. This has now washed up on the beaches of Moreton Island, Bribie Island and a number of beaches along the Sunshine Coast (where I live).

Ammonium Nitrate is commonly used as an agricultural fertiliser, and as an oxidising agent in explosives. Although it is unlikely that it would cause an explosion in the conditions on the Pacific Adventurer (unless it is exposed to heat or chlorine), it is very likely it will cause environmental damage in the ocean.

Dumping a large quantity of Ammonium Nitrate into the sea, has a similar effect to a massive run off of storm water that finds it's way from the land into the sea. Storm water is a problem as it often contains large amounts of nutrients that run off from agricultural properties that have used the likes of Ammonium Nitrate in their fertiliser mix. This has the effect of encouraging algal blooms that clog up waterways and cause meadows of seagrass, kelp beds and entire ecosystems to die.

This effect could occur around Moreton Island where the majority of the Ammonium Nitrate was dumped and where there are kelp beds east of the island. (I know, as I've been scuba diving in them.)

The Environmental Protection Agency reckons this won't be a problem, as a 'single spike' of this chemical into the environment won't cause any long term damage, but I don't think they have truly thought through the long term effects.

Let's hope the Australian authorities pursue this company for it's incompetence with the full force of the law. Unlike the damage that the bushfires, floods and cyclone caused, this event was entirely avoidable. Now the already over burdened Australian tax payer will have to foot the bill for the clean up, and live for years with the damage to the environment that this has caused.

This damage not only has an immediate effect on the local wildlife, but will remain in the food chain of the local eco system for years.

UPDATE: Oil Spill in Brisbane River

The latest update to this sorry saga is that the ship, which is now berthed at Hamilton dock in Brisbane, has leaked oil into the Brisbane River. This is despite there being a boom around the ship to contain continued leakage into the sea.

Full details can be found on the Courier Mail website.

News & Information Links:

• Damage to Coastline - ABC Online
• ABC News
• The Australian
• Maritime Union of Australia
• Swire Shipping Company (Operators of the Pacific Adventurer)
• Maritime Safety - QLD