The Pasha Bulker

[Flash]

Well the Pasha Bulker is sitting on sharp rocks at Bens Reef at Noobys

I just saw Tro[pdi on Sky andf he brushed asife the question " If you
knew there was oil why didnt you pump it out before" ?

2KO/2HD Mikes were in his face. It is stoill; stuck there no matter
what spin you out on it

2NC 1233 sAYS

Specialist teams are on standby off Newscastle's coast to monitor oil
that is leaking from the stranded Pasha Bulker.

The New South Wales Ports Minister Joe Tripodi says the oil that has
leaked is only minimal, but emergency crews are keeping a close watch
of the situation.

"It is 0.0001 millimetres thick on the advice that I've received, but
we've responded in a very serious fashion by activating the oil
response teams," Mr Tripodi said.

Tonight's attempt to refloat the grounded bulker is expected to go
ahead at about 9:00pm AEST with high tide at about 1.9 metres.

Mr Tripodi says the ship is emptying its ballast water and all four
tugboats are in position to try and winch the freighter off Nobbys
Beach where it has been grounded for more than three weeks.

[Flash]

Yes well Mr Tripodi is standing by the decision not to pump oil off the ship after it ran aground. (AAP: Sergio Dionisio)

So it is still there and It is is not known at this stage how long it will take to winch the bulk carrier off the Rocks at Bens Reef
Nobbys Beach.

How much oil is it leaking?

Attempts to pull the stranded Pasha Bulker off Newcastle's Nobbys Beach have halted for the night while specialist teams respond to an oil leak that has been detected on the bulk carrier.

New South Wales Ports Minister Joe Tripodi will not confirm the size of the oil spill, saying only that crews are continuing their onboard opperations.

He is standing by the decision not to pump oil off the ship after it ran aground.

"We believe that every measure to date has been an intelligent, well informed move based on lots of experience," Mr Tripodi said.

Crews managed to move the carrier 90 degrees to face it towards the ocean, but were unable to free the stern from the reef before the tide receded.

The bulk carrier is now facing out to sea and tug boat crews are expected to resume the salvage on tomorrow evening's high tide.

It is is not known at this stage how long it will take to winch the bulk carrier off Nobbys Beach.

[Flash]

Greg Wendt and Matthew Kelly
July 2, 2007

THE Pasha Bulker has budged but is still stuck fast on the reef at Nobbys Beach, Newcastle. Damage to the environment from oil spilling from the ship remained unknown early today.

Critical response teams swung into action late last night as joy again turned to despair during the attempt to refloat the Pasha, stranded since June 8.

With three powerful tugs straining, the giant red hull was swung around and pointed seawards last night. The ship now sits with its stern still stuck fast on the reef but her bow pointed out to sea.

The oil spill vessel Shirley Smith steamed out of Newcastle Harbour about 9.30pm after heavy fuel oil was detected spilling from the wounded carrier.

The Shirley Smith remains positioned north-east of the vessel, while oil response teams scour the shore on Nobbys Beach.

The Ports Minister, Joe Tripodi, had said earlier that oil had leaked from the vessel but it was unknown how severe the spill was. He said the ship was only a couple of degrees off the point where it could be towed out to sea.

It had seemed certain that was about to happen when the salvage operation stalled.

The salvage company Svitzer would not comment last night, but a spokesman for the minister said the salvage operation would continue through the night, and a full assessment of the oil spill would be made at daylight.

The tugs Pacific Responder, Keera and Woona remained attached to the ship last night.

Mr Tripodi said grinding noises had been reported from the ship during last night's salvage attempt. He said these might be rock grinding on the ship's bottom.

About 1pm yesterday a response team was deployed after a minor oil leak was detected. Mr Tripodi said a sheen of oil a micron (0.001 of a millimetre) thick was seen on the water surface at the stern of the carrier, but dissipated within an hour of being discovered.

"The Government has always made it very clear the risk of an oil spill was real," Mr Tripodi said. It has occurred and we are ready, 100 per cent ready."

The oil in the first spill may have come from pumping out of seawater during the operation to de-ballast and lighten the ship. The first attempts to pull the ship out to sea last week were plagued by towlines that snapped and a failed anchor.

Industry sources have estimated that the Pasha Bulker salvage operation has cost between $200,000 and $300,000 per day.

with AAP