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Tue 15 Sep 2009, 09:16 GMT

Bunker spill captain faces court in November


The master of the Pacific Adventurer faces a charge of disposal of oil in coastal waters.

The master of the Pacific Adventurer cargo vessel that spilled 270 tonnes of bunker fuel off Australia's Moreton Island earlier this year will face court in November.

Filipino national, Captain Bernardino Gonzales Santos, 47, has been charged with disposal of oil in coastal waters, which carries a fine of up to $350,000. He is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on November 16th after the matter was adjourned on Monday.

The bunker spill took place on March 11th 2009, when the Hong Kong-flagged Pacific Adventurer was travelling from Newcastle to Brisbane. 31 containers of ammonium nitrate broke loose in rough seas in the wake of Cyclone Hamish and a falling container damaged the ship's hull where the heavy fuel oil was stored, causing the bunker fuel to leak into the open sea.

Following the incident, vessel operator Swire Shipping said that it accepted responsibility in connection with the incident and, after lengthy talks with the Queensland government, reached an agreement in August with Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to make a payment of $A25 million ($21 million) as compensation.

The Pacific Adventurer has since be renamed Pacific Mariner.

Australia 
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