Leaking ship passed through Barrier Reef

A foreign container ship, which was leaking a highly combustible gas was allowed to travel through the Great Barrier Reef by Australia's maritime safety bureau.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its findings into the journey of the Kota Pahlawan through the Great Barrier Reef, which went ahead despite the ship's master reporting the ship was leaking a dangerous chemical. The German-owned, Liberian-registered ship Kota Pahlawan departed Singapore for Brisbane on June 12, with eight containers on board carrying chemicals known as xanthates, which are used in industry and mining. ATSB report says that a highly flammable and foul-smelling vapour known as carbon disulphide is emitted by xanthates when it is exposed to moisture. The safety body also has called for a review of the international guidelines for the packaging of xanthates.

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