The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 1,200 miles off the northeast coast of Australia, is in danger of being damaged due to a stranded Chinese ship. The 230-meter Shen Neng I that was carrying 65,000 tonnes of coal, along with 950 tonnes of oil to China from the Queensland port of Gladstone, ran aground on a shoal on Saturday. The ship that was located 43 miles east of Great Keppel Island, offshore from the city of Rockhampton is said to be in a dilapidated condition. A few patches of oil have been seen polluting the waters.
Although every possible effort is being made to keep the negative impact as low as possible, the local ecosystems in this area will still have to deal with its share of harm. The ship’s owners have employed a salvage company to carry out a salvage assessment from the vessel. The Great Barrier Reef that brings a lot of tourists to the country is considered highly vulnerable to damage from pollution.
Via: Telegraph