Leaking Chinese oil carrier damaging Great Barrier Reef

Brisbane (Queensland), Apr.5 (ANI): Leaking oil from a Chinese bulk coal carrier is causing considerable damage to Queensland's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) says salvage experts have boarded the Chinese-registered Shen Neng 1 and will focus on stabilizing the vessel amid fears it could break up, news.com.au reports.

The ship's owners, the Cosco Group-China's largest shipping company -- could be fined more than a million dollars and its captain 220,000 dollars, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said.

MSQ says a tug boat is at the site of the grounding, 70km east of Great Keppel Island, trying to stabilise the ship"One of the most worrying aspects is that the ship is still moving on the reef to the action of the seas, which is doing further damage," MSQ general manager Patrick Quirk said today.

The MSQ sent up aircraft this morning to monitor oil leaking from the ship, which is carrying 975 tons of heavy fuel oil and 65,000 tons of coal. (ANI)