Qld: Bulk carrier successfully refloated

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2007
Qld: Bulk carrier successfully refloated

BRISBANE, Dec 19 AAP - A bulk carrier which ran aground in Gladstone Harbour, becoming
the second vessel to get stuck in the same central Queensland port area this month, has
been refloated.

The Grain Harvester was on its way from Hay Point to Brazil when it stopped to refuel
at Gladstone Harbour.

The 220-metre carrier, fully loaded with coal, was leaving the port at about 5.30pm
(AEST) yesterday when it ran aground near Gatcombe Channel, about 3.7 kilometres downstream
from where the bulk carrier MV Endeavour River ran aground on December 2.

A spokesman for Maritime Safety Queensland said five tugs successfully refloated the
Grain Harvester about 3am (AEST) today on the rising tide.

"It's been towed out to an outside mooring clear of the harbour," he said.

"There's been no pollution and it will now undergo a full survey and inspection."

It took salvage crews five days to refloat the Endeavour River.

The 75,000-tonne bauxite carrier had sailed with a full load from Weipa on Cape York
bound for the Queensland Alumina Ltd (QAL) wharf at Gladstone when it became stuck in
mud.

AAP rm/jt/jlw

KEYWORD: CARRIER REFLOATED

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