offshore Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Many may not have seen this, but on top of the fires in Victoria, massive flooding in Nth Queensland, and a cyclone, we now have a major environmental disaster unfolding. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7941169.stm The reported 30 tons of oil, has now been upgraded to 42.5 tons, and tonite oil is appearing on beaches over 100km from the original spill. Some absolutely pristine island and mainland beaches are now heavily contaminated. To compound the problem, some imbecilic bureaucrat, allowed the damaged ship to enter the Brisbane River, and tie up. No oil booms, no contingency plans, and you guessed it, the Brisbane River & port area is now subject to a major oil slick! 24 hours after the ship berthed, they have decided to erect a spill boom around the vessel! Really! And this state goes into an election in 2 weeks.....gotta believe the opposition are having a field day with this one. Friday 13th indeed! Well its said things come in 3's! And BTW, the reason for the initial problem, was containers washed off the deck, during the cyclone, which was smashing the Queensland coast, from Cairns to Brisbane. One of the containers holed the vessel in a fuel bunker. Murphy's law. If it can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment. Offshore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Terrible. The four hammer blow. This year is only 72 days deep and I already want it all behind us. And we're not even into hurricane season yet. It doesn't loom well. Take heart, thoughts and well wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 This is in very poor taste but for now i need to say the scotch made me do it..... Now i think I better go to bed and sleep it off. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Yep, we just can't win can we? Bunker fuel at least breaks down in deep water. Beter than the more refined stuff. The other problem is the contaners were lost in a major trawling area. They now have 30 odd objects on the bottom any one of which can hook up a net and capsise the boat! It will be a long time before they are all safely located and ploted. Lets hope no one finds one the hard way in the meentime. A lot of operators are staying in port due to the risk. That's all they need after loseing a week due to the weather. Col. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted March 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Latest reports are now that up to 200 ton of fuel oil has been spilled. (200,000L) The ships master "underestimated" how much had been lost! I suppose we must be thankful he was only in charge of a commercial freighter. Pretty horrifying to think what could happen if he was for instance in charge of a passenger airliner! He may have "underestimated" how much fuel he had in his planes tanks, with potentially some worrying results The other environmental headache, is the ongoing potential damage to sealife, as the contents of the 31 containers of ammonia nitrate, (around 100tons) leaches into the sea. Nothing can be done about that, short of trying to recover the containers from the seabed....an impossibility at the moment given the weather conditions. Ahhhh, Queensland...Perfect one day...polluted the next! Offshore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllergyDoc Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 It's global warming, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Actually, the contaminants; the crude and the, I presume ammonium nitrate, could be worse, a lot worse. The crude is naturally occuring, stable, remains reasonably suspended out of solution, will make a horrible mess on the shore and when in direct contact with littoral zone sea life, but the fishery, in the deeper, lower water columns, will be spared. The ammonium nitrate, although used in explosives, as a catalyst only to the reaction, is basically 'fertilizer', and naturally occurs as well, as a byproduct of the natural nitrogen cycle of the sea. As a 'salt' compound, easily dissolved in solution, and if the area of concern is subject to strong currents, the concentration should be effectively dilluted to banality in short order. Especially if the spill were 'off-shore' (no pun intended) where higher forms of algae are not present. In a fresh water estuary there may be some serious long term ramifications. Although reckless and unfortunate, considering the recent events in Oz, a mere hick-up. @ Doc The political shift, in the wake of good science debunking "Global Warming" per se' as 'man made' is to the new politically correct term "Climate Change" due to carbon emission. Please make note. There are actual studies ongoing that may lend meteorologists to agree, localized flooding then localized draught in neighboring longitudes due to alternating warm and cold water currents (El Nino, El Nina), result in cyclical higher wind rates and are affecting patterns of hurricane and wild fire, what Australia, California and the South Eastern US are experiencing. That is the science. The politics are; "Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Kings can stop the trend. With your vote and tax dollars." Don't fall for the hype. Just cut the bush back from your foundation, restrap your A-frame, buy a good set of slickers and buy stock in a dry cell battery corp. Then just vote for the 'lower taxes' candidate. That is an area which 'men with votes' can influence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted March 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Ammonium, indeed Dems, fertiliser at it's best! The authorities are railing on about algal blooms, but I do think those containers are in reasonably deep water, well offshore, and subject to good tidal movement and weather. Couldn't we just mix the fertiliser and the fuel oil, and blow the living beejeezus out of the sealife? May be kinder. O/S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Woooooow! This is bad.....OS, how far from the Great Barrier Reef? This is really bad! Unbelievable! Have they contained the ship yet? I feel so bad for the area......wow.....I'm speechless! I was there 4 years ago.................. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted March 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Hike, It's a fair bit south of the reef, just out of Brisbane. The southern end of the reef is maybe a couple of hundred kms north of this area. Unfortunately very adjacent to National Parks, both sea and land, and major tourist areas. The area where the containers are lost, is in the centre of a large prawn fishery, as Col alluded to. So the trawler skippers will be concerned on snagging a net and capsizing. Not to mention that their ongoing catches may be well fertilised Offshore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hike, It's a fair bit south of the reef, just out of Brisbane. The southern end of the reef is maybe a couple of hundred kms north of this area. Unfortunately very adjacent to National Parks, both sea and land, and major tourist areas. The area where the containers are lost, is in the centre of a large prawn fishery, as Col alluded to. So the trawler skippers will be concerned on snagging a net and capsizing. Not to mention that their ongoing catches may be well fertilised Offshore Thanks! It's worst than first reported......an update! http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-03...il_N.htm?csp=34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 humans got to love it http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=22b_1231118982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Ya. Dems, The problem is that AN is a fertisiler. Lagre increases in the levels of AN create massive algal booms as OS said. This has a hugly detremental effect on sealife as a whole. SO bad that there is allready a problem with the amount being leached into the sea from farming operations esp cane. This amount pales beside what is currently lying on the bottom in these containers. Col. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guinea Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 (edited) I'm not trying to make light of the situation, but this reminded me of just about the funniest video on the internet. Classic Ozzie humour Edited March 16, 2009 by guinea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 LOL, John Clarke and Bryan Dawe have been doing one of those "interviews" every week on the thursday Seven Thirty Report for years. John has a hugely dry whit and has played just aboul every pollie in OZ during these little bits. Google him on Utube and see what else turns up. Col. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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