World Bunkering > News > Industry News > Officers charged after Australian spill

The master and chief engineer of the  6, 296 gt livestock carrier GL Lan Xiu, and her owner South Korean company Sejin Lines, have been charged with environmental offences following a five tonne  spill in Brisbane. They have been accused of contravening the  Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act.

The incident happened on Monday 23 January when the GL Lan Xiu was taking on bunkers from the barge Valiant III, at  Brisbane’s Hamilton Number 4 Wharf.

The GL Lan Xiu is a former feeder container ship built in 1995 but converted into a livestock carrier last year. The Australian flag, 1,315 dwt Valiant III is, according to the Equasis database, managed by Singapore company United Maritime  and owned by another Singapore company, Sino Tankers.

According to Maritime Safety Queensland Acting General Manager Jim Huggett various counter pollution  counter pollution measures already taken to support the Port of Brisbane’s response to the oil spill. “We have deployed oil skimmers and placed booms around the ship in addition to measures also being taken by the Port of Brisbane,” Mr Huggett said.

The spill disrupted commuter ferry services for a time but it appears much of the oil has been recovered.  A number of pelicans were reported to have been affected by the spill.