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Major Oil Spills in Australia

Pacific Quest – oil spill near Border Island, Queensland 25 December 2002

Vessel particulars

Name:	PACIFIC QUEST
IMO:	8130019
Port of Registry:	Liberia
Owner:	Mattrim Marine Inc.
Tonnage:	11 346 net, 31 403 gross, 32 631 dwt
Dimensions:	218 m L, 32.26 m B, 18.93 m D
Type:	Container Carrier

Background

On 25 December 2002, an oil slick was sighted by an aircraft east of Border Island near Hayman Island in the Whitsunday Islands group in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The initial extent of the slick was reported to be about 30-40 metres wide extending about 20 nautical miles in length. Customs National Marine Unit officers from the Australian Customs Vessel BOTANY BAY were able to take samples from the sea that same day.

Oil Slick from Pacific Quest

Oil samples

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The investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) was coordinated with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) with assistance from Maritime Safety Queensland. AMSA took immediate action to identify ships that were in the vicinity of the oil spill and commenced arrangements to obtain samples from suspect ships at Australian and overseas ports.

Six ships were identified as being in the vicinity at the time and samples from waste oil tanks were collected from all six ships. This included a sample taken from the PACIFIC QUEST in Auckland, New Zealand by Maritime Safety Authority officers.

Several analytical tests were performed on the samples taken from the sea and the six ships. These tests confirmed that the fuel oil samples taken from the container ship PACIFIC QUEST matched with the samples from the slick.

Response authorities monitored the area for a number of days as the slick eventually dispersed naturally out to sea. There were no reports of environmental damage or affected wildlife.

Satellite imagery of the spill provided crucial evidence for the prosecution by showing the full extent of the slick and also helped to eliminate other ships from further investigation. Analysis of the imagery showed that the total slick extent was more than 70 kilometres in length.

imagery showing slick

Charges

Charges were issued as follows:

Against the Master of the Pacific Quest

Section 9(1B) of the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983,

Section 11(1) of the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983, and

Section 12(5) of the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983.

Against the Owners, Mattrim Marine Inc.

Section 9(1B) of the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983.

Plea

On 2 June 2005 before His Honour Judge Forde in the Brisbane District Court, the defendant Mattrim Marine Inc. pleaded guilty to an offence against Section 9(1B) of the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983 that on 25 December 2002 at Marine Waters near Border Island off the coast of Queensland did discharge an oily mixture from a ship into the sea. The defendant is the owner of the vessel PACIFIC QUEST.

Charges against the Master were discontinued when Mattrim Marine Inc agreed to plead guilty.

Mitigating circumstances

The Court took into account the following mitigating circumstances:

The spill did not cause any discernable environmental problems.
The defendant cooperated fully with authorities once a problem was identified including the provision of oil samples.
The defendant had continued investigations to try to find the crew members responsible.
The defendant had no previous convictions for similar offences.
The safety procedures on board the ship in relation to pollution measures and ongoing supervision seemed to be exemplary.

Sentencing

Mattrim Marine Inc. was convicted as charged and fined $180 000.

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September 2008