Beached Coal Ship at Newcastle Port Leaking Oil During Salvage

The Pasha Bulker coal vessel, which ran aground on a beach near Australia's Newcastle Port in stormy weather, started to spill oil as attempts to re-float the 77,000- ton ship continue today.

``Aerial surveillance this morning reported a sheen at the stern of the vessel and oil-spill response teams believe the impact is minimal and is unlikely to impact on the shoreline,'' Newcastle Port Corp. said in a statement on its Web site.

The 225-meter (738-foot) long Pasha Bulker ran aground June 8 at Nobbys Beach south of the entrance to the world's biggest coal-export harbor, with 700 metric tons of fuel oil, 38 tons of diesel and 40 tons of lube oil aboard. The salvage work is being led by Svitzer, a unit of A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S.

After successful repositioning of the vessel last night, the salvage team is now preparing the Pasha Bulker for towing to sea when the conditions are suitable, the statement said. The salvage team estimates the vessel is less than 50 meters from deepwater, New South Wales Port Minister Joe Tripodi said in the statement.

The ship, a Panamax-size vessel that was brought into operation last year, is owned by Japan's Fukujin Kisen KK and is on charter to Lauritzen Bulkers, a division of J. Lauritzen A/S, a unit of Denmark's LK Fondet. Lauritzen has sublet the bulk carrier to another Japanese shipping company, Lauritzen said in a statement on its Web site.

source:bloomberg.com