Maritime Safety Queensland responding to small oil spill
Maritime Safety Queensland is preparing a helicopter to overfly the scene of an oil spill at Hamilton Wharves on the Brisbane River.
About five tonnes of fuel oil spilled during a ship refuelling operation at Hamilton Wharf this morning shortly after 6.45 am.
Maritime Safety Queensland Acting General Manager Jim Huggett said the flight was in addition to 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.
“Maritime Safety Queensland will investigate the circumstances of the spill but our priority at this stage is to contain the oil and clean it up soon as possible."
The oil was lost during the refuelling of a cargo ship, the GL Lan Xiu, by a refuelling vessel, the Valiant III, at Hamilton Number 4 Wharf.
About 2000 head of cattle due to be loaded on board the vessel which was bound for Japan remain on the shore.
Environmental authorities have been notified and clean-up crews are on stand-by.
