Oil spills from Pasha bulker near Newcastle
Oil was spilling from the stranded bulk carrier Pasha Bulker into the sea off Newcastle last night as salvage crews came close to refloating the ship.
NSW Ports Minister Joe Tripodi said black fuel oil was spilling from both sides of the 40,000-tonne coal carrier, loaded with 700t of its own fuel.
"The Government has always made it very clear that the risk of an oil spill was real," Mr Tripodi told reporters at Nobbys Beach at 9pm, shortly after the spill was noticed.
"It has occurred, and we are ready, 100 per cent ready."
He said a 60-man oil response team, and the specialist oil containment vessel Shirley Smith, had been deployed to the ship which was pointing out to sea after being swung around over rocks last night by three tugs.
Mr Tripodi said the decision to move the ship out to sea now the bow had been moved into place had yet to be made by the salvage master.
With last night's 9pm king tide receding, and the oil spill being assessed, it was becoming increasingly likely the ship would stay where it was for the night.
The 225m-long Pasha Bulker ran aground 20m off Nobbys Beach in a severe storm on June 8, but the salvage effort in recent days has been hindered by a series of mishaps.
During the first attempt to pull the ship to sea on Thursday night, a towline to the tugboat Keera snapped.
Along with pounding waves, the lost line foiled the salvage team's efforts.
The following morning, just minutes after it was announced there would be a second attempt at that evening's high tide, a line to the large tug Pacific Responder snapped.
Less than half an hour later, one of three sea anchors failed. The salvage team then refilled the ship's ballast to anchor the vessel back in the sand.
The team planned to reattach all lines during Friday and on Saturday for another salvage effort on Saturday night.
But they ran out of daylight hours to reattach the lines and the operation was postponed until last night, when the tugs again attempted to free the ship, four days after their first attempt.
NSW Ports Minister Joe Tripodi said black fuel oil was spilling from both sides of the 40,000-tonne coal carrier, loaded with 700t of its own fuel.
"The Government has always made it very clear that the risk of an oil spill was real," Mr Tripodi told reporters at Nobbys Beach at 9pm, shortly after the spill was noticed.
"It has occurred, and we are ready, 100 per cent ready."
He said a 60-man oil response team, and the specialist oil containment vessel Shirley Smith, had been deployed to the ship which was pointing out to sea after being swung around over rocks last night by three tugs.
Mr Tripodi said the decision to move the ship out to sea now the bow had been moved into place had yet to be made by the salvage master.
With last night's 9pm king tide receding, and the oil spill being assessed, it was becoming increasingly likely the ship would stay where it was for the night.
The 225m-long Pasha Bulker ran aground 20m off Nobbys Beach in a severe storm on June 8, but the salvage effort in recent days has been hindered by a series of mishaps.
During the first attempt to pull the ship to sea on Thursday night, a towline to the tugboat Keera snapped.
Along with pounding waves, the lost line foiled the salvage team's efforts.
The following morning, just minutes after it was announced there would be a second attempt at that evening's high tide, a line to the large tug Pacific Responder snapped.
Less than half an hour later, one of three sea anchors failed. The salvage team then refilled the ship's ballast to anchor the vessel back in the sand.
The team planned to reattach all lines during Friday and on Saturday for another salvage effort on Saturday night.
But they ran out of daylight hours to reattach the lines and the operation was postponed until last night, when the tugs again attempted to free the ship, four days after their first attempt.