The Australian Marine Conservation Society is shocked that a vessel has grounded within the Great Barrier Reef marine park. It is of major concern that one of the wonders of the natural world is still not adequately protected from shipping.

"The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders of the natural world. It is of huge environmental and economic importance, with tourism to the reef alone worth over $5 billion to Australia's economy every year. That ships can still end up on the reef spilling oil into a World Heritage listed marine environment beggars belief," said Darren Kindleysides, Director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

The bulk coal carrier the Shen Neng 1 strayed 15 nautical miles from an authorised safe shipping channel through the reef before grounding east of Great Keppel Island. With the real risk of the vessel breaking up, salvaging the vessel, its cargo and its fuel oil is the immediate priority.

"If this vessel breaks up there is a real risk of an environmental disaster with upwards of 950 tonnes of fuel oil and 65,000 tonnes of coal lost into the sensitive ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef marine park," he continued.

Maritime traffic is increasing on the East coast and set to increase further in light of the expansion of coal exports and the emergent LNG industry. This incident has further underlined the need for urgent improvements in the protection of the Great Barrier Reef from shipping. 

"There should be no short cuts in ensuring the reef is properly protected from ship traffic. It is just plain common sense that vessels passing through an area of such immense environmental sensitivity and economic value must be required to carry pilots. That a ship could stray 15nm off course without being detected also highlights weaknesses in the current vessel monitoring system that need to be urgently addressed," Kindleysides concluded.