Barrier Reef ship is floated clear

The cargo ship that ran aground and leaked tons of oil on the Great Barrier Reef was refloated today after being stuck for more than a week.

The 755ft Shen Neng 1 was successfully lifted off the coral reef after three days pumping heavy fuel oil out to lighten it.

Salvage crews planned to tow it to an anchorage area about 40 miles away.

The ship slammed into a shoal on April 3, and coral shredded part of its hull, causing a leak of about three tons of oil. That oil was dispersed by chemical sprays and is believed to have caused little or no damage to the reef.

The Australian Federal Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority were investigating alleged breaches of the law in the accident.

The grounding forced a review of shipping regulations in the fragile area. Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh vowed to sharply increase penalties on ships causing oil spills.

“This increase in penalties will send a message to the thousands of ship crews who pass through Queensland waters that nothing but the greatest attention to safety and care will be tolerated,” she said.

The proposed new penalties are the latest sign that authorities are serious about stepping up protection of the fragile reef.

Three crewmen from another boat that allegedly entered restricted reef waters on April 4 appeared today in court on charges of entering a prohibited zone of the reef without permission.

The South Korean master and two Vietnamese officers of the Panama-flagged coal boat MV Mimosa were granted bail.