Chinese Merchants To Face Charges For Damaging Great Barrier Reef

When a Chinese coal carrier rammed into the Great Barrier Reef almost two weeks ago, environmental protection groups around the globe cringed in fear for what would become of one of the most ecologically diverse parts of the world. Now, the Australian government must decide what will become of the ship’s captain and his first mate, the two being held responsible for what has been called an ‘ecological time bomb’.

On April 15th, they are due to appear before court in Gladstone, Queensland, and soon to find out whether running a ship aground in a reef may come with steeper consequences than anyone could have ever imagined. The ship’s captain could face fines of up to 55,000 Australian dollars, roughly equivalent to 51,500 US dollars, which many would agree is minor compared to neglect and carelessness that led to this disaster. The ship’s first officer, however could face far more serious consequences.

Accused of being in command of the ship when the carrier collided with the reef, the first officer could face fines of up to 220,000 Australian dollars, putting him out of over 200,000 US dollars. Charges were not limited only to monetary compensation, however. The first officer could also face up to 3 years in an Australian prison.

This incident has not only been a reflection of poor navigation skills on the part of the captains, but also showed the carelessness of the parent company, Shenzhen Energy Transport Co. Ltd., in its attempt to take advantage of maritime shortcuts in areas that could result in the damage of ships and the environment alike.

The structural impact to the reef is significant, but if any sort of relief can come after such an incident, it comes from the fact that oil damage to the reef was minimal, limited to trauma to the coral and ecosystems thriving under the sea, but most could agree that an oil spill would have caused uproars from around the globe, and would have undoubtedly taken months, if not years to thoroughly clean.

Environmental agencies seem confident that the reef will continue to thrive, and that, given time, the Great Barrier Reef will once again become the gleaming national treasure that Australia is so very proud to have.

Image: ABC News