Attached is a revised version of our recent article
on this topic, taking into account in the "In More
Detail" section the latest amendments to MARPOL Annex V which
our article overlooked.
There are a plethora of regulations in place to try and minimise
the effects of shipping on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
eco-system. Failure to adhere to these regulations can, and often
does, result in costly fines and delays. More often than not
breaches of these regulations are caused through easily preventable
errors.
Navigation
The officer on watch of a bulk carrier was recently fined a
record A$85,000 for travelling inside a prohibited shipping area
within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The master was also
fined A$40,000 bringing the total fine for the breach to A$125,000.
The vessel was also detained for failing to carry relevant nautical
charts and failing to prepare a voyage plan taking into account the
designated shipping area of the Great Barrier Reef
