Environment Minister Peter Garrett will inspect the site of an oil spill in the Great Barrier Reef as officials prepare to transfer heavy engine oil from the stranded bulk carrier.
Mr Garrett will fly over the coal carrier Shen Neng 1 for an aerial inspection this morning before meeting officials from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and representatives from the Scientific Panel in Rockhampton.
A barge will leave Gladstone today to collect more than 950 tonnes of heavy engine oil from the bulk carrier stranded on the reef.
The Chinese-registered Shen Neng 1 is stuck on a protected part of the reef off central Queensland after crashing into it at full speed on Saturday.
The 50-metre bunker barge Larcom will be sent to pull alongside the damaged vessel where oil on board will be pumped across in daylight hours, to ensure any spillage can immediately be seen.
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Salvage and response vessel The Pacific Responder will use specialised boom equipment to assist with the external transfer.
Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says authorities are ready for the worst case scenario of a major oil release. Arrangements were being made to set up command stations and decontamination units and to bring in 250 clean-up workers if any oil washed ashore, Ms Nolan said.
"This remains a precarious situation and one of the most delicate operations in recent marine history is about to get under way," she said. AAP stg/goc/ 08-04-10 0741
