Ship of shame loses containers of ammonium nitrate in heavy seas
Thirty-one containers holding the volatile explosive ammonium nitrate
have gone overboard off our coast last night from the Hong Kong
registered flag of convenience ship the Pacific Adventurer.
The 17-year-old, general cargo ship was carrying Australian cargo from
Newcastle to Brisbane on the coastal domestic run, once reserved for
Australian shipping when it hit heavy seas and lost the containers.
The Pacific Adventurer, owned by Swire &Sons Ltd London, managed by
Swire Navigation HK and Registered Blue Wind Shipping HK reportedly has
another three tonnes of ammonium nitrate spilt on deck.
"The MUA and the International Transport Workers' Federation have been
calling for the federal government to rebuild the decimated Australian
coastal shipping industry after 11 long years of Howard Government
deregulation," said Mick Doleman MUA Assistant National Secretary.
"This domestic coastal trade was once reserved for highly regulated
Australian ships to ensure it meet the most stringent international
safety and security regulations."
The union has been saying that volatile cargos, particularly ammonium
nitrate, should be regulated on our coast and pristine waterways.
"It shouldn't be left to the lowest possible international shipper
using the cheapest international crews," said Mick Doleman. "These
containers pose a serious and immediate danger to navigation as well as
presenting a major environmental catastrophe. At this stage nobody can
estimate how damaging the effects of 600 tonne of ammonium nitrate
slowly leaching out of these boxes will have on our coast."
"The Rudd Government has committed rebuilding the Australian merchant
fleet which means safer, more secure and reliable coastal trade," he
said. "This heightens the urgency of acting sooner rather than later."
This grade of ammonium nitrate is widely used in agriculture and in
mining. It is the weapon of choice for terrorists who have used it in
both the Bali and the Oklahoma bombings. Unleashed into the marine
environment the damage will be enormous.
This is the second incident involving ammonium nitrate in recent weeks.
The Panamanian registered Migah Tiga, FOC owned operated and crewed out
of Indonesia is still alongside Newcastle after being condemned by
class and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority 10 days ago. The
vessel had started to load but after inspection showed it was not
seaworthy and had to discharge.
The MUA have described this as yet another rust bucket undermining the
Australian industry and our marine enviroment.
Contacts: Mick Doleman, MUA Assistant national Secretary: 0418 391528;
Dean Summers, ITF: 0419 934 648
No comments:
Post a Comment