Jump to content

containers overboard

AZZA

By AZZA
in Politics and Environment

Recommended Posts

AZZA Newbie

AZZA

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Robyn Ironside

March 11, 2009 06:27am

8am UPDATE: CHEMICAL experts have warned the spill of 32 containers of ammonium nitrate into Moreton Bay could "hammer the environment".

The MV Pacific Adventurer , travelling from Newcastle, lost the containers in heavy seas, off Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

Each of the containers is believed to hold up to 20 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a toxic white powder used as fertiliser and in explosives.

It was the main ingredient in the Bali bombings in 2002 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1985.

Another three tonnes is believed to have spilled on board the ship which is due into the Port of Brisbane about 11am.

Director of Chemistry at the University of Newcastle, Dr Ian van Altena said there was "no risk of an explosion" from the spill.

"Not a chance. You need to mix ammonium nitrate with proportionate amounts of diesel for that," he said.

However the risk of an environmental disaster was fairly high.

"It has the potential to cause some drastic changes to the ecology," Dr van Altena said.

"We all know about the problems in the Great Barrier Reef caused by fertiliser washing off the canefields."

He said the chemical could promote the growth of algae and seaweeds and seriously impact the important seagrasses in the bay.

"It all depends on the current flows and how quickly it disperses. Certainly I would say you'd want to whip that back out of the ocean as quickly as possible, particularly if it's in a sensitive and relatively shallow area."

The Brisbane Harbour master, Martime Safety Queensland and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service's Hazmat team are investigating the spill.

More details soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dhess Newbie

dhess

Posted
Posted

Thats pretty crap to hear.

Hopefully all will be well with the northerly current still being pretty strong this time of year. 32 containers sounds like a huge amount but is not that huge when you consider the factor of dilution. Also consider how much nutrient rich soil is blown into the ocean or how much dissolved nutrients get washed down in runoff.

I still think the persons/persons responsible should be strung up by the testicles.

BTW Which area was it? Point Lookout, Cape Moreton or Moreton Bay? The article lists multiple locations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dhess Newbie

dhess

Posted
Posted

I'm assuming they would have sunk straight to the bottom then. Ammonium nitrate being significantly denser than water. Thats probably not such a bad thing as it will take many years for the containers to corrode completely and even then due to its hydroscopic nature the ammonium nitrate is probably stored in airtight drums or bags.

As long as there isn't a sudden release in to the water there won't bee any harm done.

Both ammonium and nitrate get readily consumed by marin bacteria with harmless nitrogen gas being the end result.

ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate -> nitrogen

Its called the nitrogen cycle and most poeple that are into marine aquariums know about it as part of the hobby.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wesfish Newbie

wesfish

Posted
Posted

bloody hell!!!!!!!!!!! its a worry considering no containers are air tight but hopefully the drums or packaging is still air tight....its weird that with the knowledge of rough seas and a cyclone so close that they still risk the big ships with such a hazardous materials !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
noname Newbie

noname

Posted
Posted

what i want to know is.

who is going to clean up this mess, oil slick and sand don't mix.

i heard the containers are not to be recovered, so i guess an illegal dump. and should be fined accordingly.

dangerous navigation, re conditions.

not stowing goods properly, and so on.

it seems like we fisher folk are the ones concerned most of all, because we do know the damage this could cause, as for the govt, 1st priority is to smoke screen the entire event, she'll be right mate, we'll get out top bloke right onto it, and call for an enquiry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dhess Newbie

dhess

Posted
Posted

As I said before the ammonium nitrate is not likely to kill anything unless it comes in very close contact just after it was dissolved. Its only mildly toxic. The fuel oil on the other hand is much worse especially for birds.

The worst thing the ammonium nitrate will cause is an algal bloom, but I doubt that will even happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Malexander Newbie

Malexander

Posted
Posted

I have tipped fert. before...

They aren't all water tight, but they would go to some measure ( such as putting sheet of would in the door)

But once the container corrodes eventually, the sheet is useless.

However, EPA shoud know what to do. After they know how to handle fishermen... What about industry? BIG industry?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bogan Newbie

bogan

Posted
Posted

From what i heard, it was pretty rough, and they decided to anchor in moreton bay.

sensible from that point of view.

But what sort of wave/storm can dislodge 32 full containers inside a bay with only 3 metre swell? obviously not laden properly.

fine the company for illegal dumping if they are not retrievable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dasa05 Newbie

Dasa05

Posted
Posted

this is not good news at all if the boat is still heading to brisbane to port what about the fuel/oil leak hopfully they don't bring it in cos there goes alot more than the point:angry: i was only just talking about this crap the other day only containers falling off in melb area they don't sink cos the air in them keeps them submerged or semi under water so carefull doing a bar crossing that way for a whileB) all the same this is bad news does anyone know where the boat was coming from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dasa05 Newbie

Dasa05

Posted
Posted

bogan wrote:

From what i heard, it was pretty rough, and they decided to anchor in moreton bay.

sensible from that point of view.

But what sort of wave/storm can dislodge 32 full containers inside a bay with only 3 metre swell? obviously not laden properly.

fine the company for illegal dumping if they are not retrievable.

I heard it was 5 mt seas so understandbly that this would dislodge containers fairly easy but if it was in the bay then no not a chance

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bogan Newbie

bogan

Posted
Posted

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/769766/ship-spills-chemicals-in-moreton-bay

Quoted from this site:

"Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) said the vessel and its 15 crew, who left Newcastle on Tuesday bound for Brisbane, had anchored in calmer water in Moreton Bay as a precaution and to carry out a damage assessment."

so appears as though the damage happened outside the bay, then they anchored inside to inspect damage, sorry for mislead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
maxi Newbie

maxi

Posted
Posted

from newcastle and heading to indo....

the master of the ship has all responsibility in these matters and can be fined accordingly..

lets hope they hammer the mongrel gutted a*** hole im pretty sure i heard he was warned off and kept coming up the coast without altering course to avoid hamish.... but dont quote me on that ....please ... anyway ya look at it its either a major disaster now or one waiting to happen with the containers freeballing around out there ...sucks grrrrrrrr....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bogan Newbie

bogan

Posted
Posted

maxi wrote:

and can be fined accordingly..

But Maxi, don't we have a Rudd Government? And Hong-Kong is China? Our prime-minister speaks Mandarin? Will anybody be fined? LMFAO!!!!

Probably be lots of terrorists out on the bay trying to get their bomb making material back.

Make sure you have that national security hotline ph# handy: 1800 123 400

edit: president-->prime minister

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...