Ship Detained in Australian Port Over Oil Spill Suspicion - Maritime Executive

Posted - July 30, 2013 -  Maritime Executive

Australian authorities have issued a detention order to prevent a ship from leaving the Port of Brisbane while an investigation into an oil spill continues.

The order was issued on Tuesday afternoon to the master of the Dominica-flagged Danny Rose, which was docked at Fisherman Islands' wharf near where the oil was discovered.

Queensland's Marine Pollution Act 1995 gives the state government the right to hold the vessel in the port if authorities believe it may be responsible for the oil spill.

• The spill clean-up is currently ongoing, after leaving a nearly one-mile oil slick at the port on Sunday night.
• Investigators have already interviewed crewmembers of the detained ship and taken oil samples.
• A marine engineer has also inspected the ship's fuel systems.
• Five oil-slicked birds have been found so far, but wildlife officials are searching for others.
• Danny Rose is managed by Neptune Pacific Agency and was built in 1988.
• The official statement from Maritime Safety Queensland is below:

Maritime Safety Queensland and Port of Brisbane pollution response crews are assessing the extent of an oil spill reported near Fisherman Island wharves in the Port of Brisbane.

First reports of a suspected spill were received overnight however response crews had to wait until morning to assess the nature and extent of the spill by daylight.

Initial inspections have identified small globules of oil in the water concentrated near the outer Fisherman Island wharves with some coating of oil on wharf structures.

Maritime Safety Queensland and Port of Brisbane oil spill response crews are on standby with containment and clean-up equipment while a full assessment is conducted.

It is anticipated that booms will be put in place around areas where the oil is concentrated.

While it is not expected that the incident will have a significant effect on shipping through the port some vessels may be delayed until the affected wharves are determined to be clear of any oil contamination.

Maritime Safety Queensland is also conducting an investigation into the cause of the spill.

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