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N' then I might just
Jump back on
An' ride
Like a cowboy
Into the dawn
........To Montana.
Great Barrier Reef oil spill - potential major disaster
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef off northeast Australia, listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...GfOawD9ES1MS00
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle7087194.ece
The damned thing was 15 kilometres (9 miles) outside the shipping lane, in a restricted zone and hit the reef at full speed.
They worry that the vessel will break in half, spilling more of the 950 ton store of oil ...a fuel tank with 150 tons of heavy oil was already breached with oil spilling out.
imagine that ...our own personal Exxon Valdez spill. 
david
No longer a Flashkit mod, not even by stealth
Insanity is just a point of view. After all, the world looks pretty normal through your own underpants.
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supervillain
Any comments on how they got so far outside of their shipping lane?
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pablo cruisin'
9 miles is not that far to be outside of a shipping lane. Winds, fog, inexperience, etc. can easily set a ship that size outside of the lane(s).
The more unfortunate part of that story is the fact that it seems as if local officials have allowed greed to cloud their judgment on shipping practices...
Conservationists have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a marine pilot with local expertise.
"The state government is being blinded by royalties and their shortsightedness will go down in history as killing the reef," said Larissa Waters, spokeswoman for the Queensland Greens environmentally focused political party.
Bligh said the question of when ships should require a marine pilot on the reef was under review because of the increase in freight traffic that will flow from new gas and coal export contracts to China.
Last edited by hanratty21; 04-04-2010 at 02:22 PM.
 "Why does it hurt when I pee?" -- F. Zappa |
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N' then I might just
Jump back on
An' ride
Like a cowboy
Into the dawn
........To Montana.
@gerbick ...not that I have seen ...but hanratty is right. It has been a major concern that pilots are not required on vessels travelling within the boundaries of the reef, and this sort of disaster was inevitable as traffic increased.
Whoever made that decision should be out on the reef cleaning Nemo (in ball and chain).
It is too bad that World Heritage listing does not carry some requirements to make sure that such areas are truly protected for all, and not abused for the commercial interests of some.
david
No longer a Flashkit mod, not even by stealth
Insanity is just a point of view. After all, the world looks pretty normal through your own underpants.
-
N' then I might just
Jump back on
An' ride
Like a cowboy
Into the dawn
........To Montana.
 Originally Posted by hanratty21
9 miles is not that far to be outside of a shipping lane. Winds, fog, inexperience, etc. can easily set a ship that size outside of the lane(s).
While you might be right, fog is unlikely there, and inexperience should not be a factor in such a region
...lets face it, we are not talking about a time when navigators dangled their balls in the water to feel the currents and water temperature, or watched the flight of seabirds. There is such a thing as GPS, and I personally think that 9 miles is a damned long way to be outside a shipping lane.
That is not only not on the highway, but in the next town.
david
No longer a Flashkit mod, not even by stealth
Insanity is just a point of view. After all, the world looks pretty normal through your own underpants.
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supervillain
Looks like greed scores another one...
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Flashkit historian
David, i hope your justice system moves faster then ours.
Exxon Mobil didn't pay out till 2008 when the sinking occured in 1989
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...2_exxon07.html
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pablo cruisin'
Originally Posted by david petley
...a time when navigators dangled their balls in the water...
Useless thread without pics. 
"Why does it hurt when I pee?" -- F. Zappa |
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supervillain
I have to kindly request no pictures of aforesaid event.
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pablo cruisin'
^ ^ ^
For fear of this turning into another 'teabag' thread?
"Why does it hurt when I pee?" -- F. Zappa |
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supervillain
HA!
Wow. I really didn't see that one coming.
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N' then I might just
Jump back on
An' ride
Like a cowboy
Into the dawn
........To Montana.
It is being reported in this morning's news that the ship may have been taking a 'shortcut'.
If it was, they should lock up the captain until any damage they discover (to the reef) is not visible anymore.
No longer a Flashkit mod, not even by stealth
Insanity is just a point of view. After all, the world looks pretty normal through your own underpants.
-
As an Australian I have to say that this is terrible. I've been to the great barrier reef many times and this just makes me sad 
-
N' then I might just
Jump back on
An' ride
Like a cowboy
Into the dawn
........To Montana.
...it makes me
...they should take whoever is responsible and use them to remove the barnacles from the hull of that ship.
No longer a Flashkit mod, not even by stealth
Insanity is just a point of view. After all, the world looks pretty normal through your own underpants.
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