Brisbane:
A coal-carrying ship that ran aground late on Saturday on Australia's Great Barrier Reef was on Sunday leaking oil and in danger of breaking apart, officials said on Sunday.
The Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng-I ran aground late on Saturday on Douglas Shoals, a favourite pristine haunt for recreational fishing, east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort, which lies off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off northeast Australia.
Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value.
The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometres) outside the shipping lane, Queensland State Premier Anna Bligh said.
A police launch was standing by to remove the 23 crew if the ship broke apart and an evacuation was necessary, she said.
Patches of oil were seen near the stricken ship early on Sunday, but Maritime Safety Queensland reported no major leaks from the 1,000 U.S. tons (950 metric tons) of oil on board.
Bligh said that although it was a relatively small amount of oil leaked so far, "this is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and any oil is unacceptable."
Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Patrick Quirk said the vessel was badly damaged on its port side, "but the vast majority of the oil is still on board the ship and that's where we want to keep it."
He added that the ship was in danger of breaking up and he was very concerned.
Australia's Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said authorities had been working through the night to determine what risks the ship posed to the environment.
A chemical that was not expected to have a lasting environmental impact would be sprayed on the oil to disperse it, Garrett said.
"The government is very conscious of the importance of the Great Barrier Reef environment and ensuring that impacts on its ecology are effectively managed," Garrett said in a statement.
The 755 foot (230 metre) bulk vessel was carrying about 72,000 U.S. tons (65,000 metric tons) of coal to China and ran aground within hours of leaving the Queensland port of Gladstone.
Conservationists have expressed outrage that bulk carriers can travel through the reef without a marine pilot with local expertise to guide them.
Greens candidate for the Australian Senate, Larissa Waters, spoke to reporters on Sunday.
"This sort of lack of monitoring is outrageous in the Great Barrier Reef. This is why we need marine pilots there shepherding these ships through the appropriate course on these reefs," she said.
Bligh also addressed the issue.
"I suspect that this incident will give even sharper focus to whether or not permanent pilots should be in that area," she said.