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Shipping and the Environment: The

Great Barrier Reef PerspectiveRegional Ports Conference 28 June 2012

Mr Andrew Skeat,General Manager, Marine Park Management

Introduction

The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest

natural feature and one of the most diverse

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Good news

The Great Barrier Reef is:

• One of the most diverse and remarkable ecosystems in the world

• One of the healthiest coral reef ecosystems

• A leading example of world's best practice management

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What was once considered

‘pristine’…..1890

1994

Inshore biodiversity program

© Guido Parra

Because of the overwhelming

evidence, we have identified the need to have an integrated inshore biodiversity program

to address the cumulative impacts on inshore

biodiversity

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2010

Shipping was perceived as

the greatest threat to the

reef when respondents

were prompted on a

number of specific

threats(~60%) and second

highest when unprompted

Figure 1. Perceptions of the main threats to the Great Barrier Reef - Total

QLD Coastal Region and Southern Capital Cities (unprompted)

Perception studies

How much do you agree or disagree the Great Barrier Reef is under threat from shipping?

The grounding of the Shen Neng 1 is likely to have played a

major role in the observed increase of 'shipping' in the threats

ranking by the public.

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•12 ports in GBR

• Most ports are excluded from the Marine Park

•Cargoes > $17 billion

• > 10000 ship movements per year

•Many use “Inner Route”

•1 major incident every couple of years

•No major oil spill – yet ?

Shipping in the Reef

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6980

11633

8404

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

Capesize Vessel is based on 150,000 tonne dry bulk carrier (6.7 ships for 1 million tonne of cargo)

Panamax Size is based on 90,000 tonne dry bulk carrier (11 ships for 1 million tonne of cargo)

Capesize Vessels

Panamax Size

EPBC Referrals

Increases in Shipping

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Predicted increases in shipping vary

depending on the source (EPBC, Abbot

Point CIA, DRET, QRC)

It is safe to say that we can expect at least a

doubling in ship numbers in the GBR Region

Cairns

Townsville

Mackay/Hay Pt

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AIS Reports 2010 in GBR on a 2 x 2

kilometre grid – relative height

AIS 2010 2km x 2km Grid

GPS coordinates reported

<20

21 - 50

51 - 100

101 - 200

201 - 500

501 - 1000

>1001

This model incorporates data which is © Australian Maritime Safety Authority 2010

Cairns

Townsville

Mackay/Hay Pt

Expected trend using a trebling of

reports for future shipping volumes

AIS 2010 2km x 2km Grid

GPS coordinates reported

<20

21 - 50

51 - 100

101 - 200

201 - 500

501 - 1000

>1001

This model incorporates data which is © Australian Maritime Safety Authority 2010

Cairns

Townsville

Mackay/Hay Pt

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Great Barrier Reef

Shipping Incidents

Shen Neng 1

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Shen Neng 1 damage

GBR Region

expanding ports

Gladstone Port – Expanding

Hay Point– Expanding

Abbot Point– Expanding

Townsville Port – Expanding

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New proposed GBR

region ports

Wongai – New Port Proposal

• new port at Bathurst Head

• 1 berth/jetty

• Transhipping in the Marine Park

• Anticipated increases in shipping from 0 to 12 per

annum initially

Fitzroy Terminal Project – New Port Proposal

• new port in Raglan Creek (close to Port Alma)

• 1 berth/jetty

• Transhipping in the Marine Park

• Anticipated increases in shipping from 0 to 60 per

annum initially

Balaclava Island– New Port Proposal

• new port on Balaclava Island (close to Port Alma)

• 1 berth/jetty

• Involves 5.5 million cubic metres of dredging

• Disposal site unknown (Marine Park likely)

• Anticipated increases in shipping from 0 to over 60 per

annum initially

Wongai Underground Mine Proposal

Port of Townsville Berth 12 and Port

Expansion

Fitzroy Terminal Project

Balaclava Island Coal Terminal

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In Summary

1. Currently 298 mtpa coal export throughout all of Australia in 2010

(31% of the worlds total)

2. The biggest coal export port in the world proposed at Abbot Point

3. Between 700 and 800 million tonnes of coal being proposed for

export from GBR Region ports, with ships travelling through the

Marine Park

4. If approved, the current proposals for new ports and expansion of

existing ports may have local and regional impacts on the GBR and

its users

Major GBRMPA

ConcernsDeclining inshore Great Barrier Reef:

1. potential impacts of dredging and dredge

material disposal at sea are

i. the reduction of light penetration,

ii. direct smothering of benthic habitats,

iii. consequent impacts on inshore fauna and

impacts on other users of the Marine Park

2. Increase in shipping and associated risks

3. Impacts of coal pollution

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Outlook Report

•Produced by the GBRMPA

Key Threats:

• Climate change

• Catchment runoff

• Coastal development

• Fishing

Outlook Report 2009

"The impact of dredging and construction of port

facilities – such as seabed disturbance,

transport and re-suspension of contaminants,

alteration of sediment movement and changes

in coastal processes – can be significant, but

are localised."

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Management of

Shipping in the GBR

� Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) declaration in 1990

� Compulsory pilotage regime implemented in 1991

� Ship reporting system established in 1997 where ships are required to report their position

� Coastal vessel traffic service in 2004 allowing near real time monitoring of ship traffic

� Zoning plan introduced in 2004 allowing

ships to transit the reef in Designated

Shipping Areas only

� Emergency management towage system

in 2006

� An extensive aids-to-navigation network

such as lights, buoys and satellite

systems

� Extension of the vessel traffic service

REEFVTS (ship reporting and monitoring

system) to the southern most boundary

of the Great Barrier Reef in July 2011

Management of Shipping

(continued)

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Designated Shipping

Area

•Ships may only navigate within

the DSA and the General Use

Zone.

•Ship operators require a permit

from GBRMPA to navigate outside

the DSA or General Use Zone.

•Fines up to A$5.5 million apply

for operating a ship in a zone

other than those mentioned

above without the written

permission of the GBRMPA.

Compulsory Pilotage

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• Mandatory reporting

• Monitoring and surveillance

•Automatic Identification

System

•Automated Position Reporting

•VHF Reporting

Vessel Tracking

Service

VTS has reduced groundings by about 80%

GBR Strategic

Assessment

GBRMPA and the Queensland Government have formally agreed to undertake a comprehensive strategic assessment of the Great Barrier

Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent coastal zone

• It will examine the effectiveness of existing management arrangements in protecting Great Barrier Reef values

• It will also look at the cumulative impacts of development proposals on Great Barrier Reef values

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GBR Strategic

Assessment

SHIPPING

CUMULATIVE

IMPACTS

WATER

QUALITY

INITIATIVES

ISLAND MGT

QUEENSLAND ASSESSMENT

GBRMPA ASSESSMENT

Terms of Reference

• Describe existing management arrangements

• Describe GBR values (matters of national environmental significance)

• Identify and analyse impacts, including cumulative impacts, on GBR values

• Describe how management arrangements avoid, mitigate, offset impacts on GBR values

• Identify key uncertainties and risks in decision making processes, describe how these will be addressed, including monitoring, reporting and adaptive management processes

• Recommend changes to existing management arrangements where deficiencies are identified

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GBR Strategic

AssessmentBoth Strategic Assessments are being carried out under the Environment

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

2012

• Public comments received for draft Terms of Reference (April)

• Comments considered and final TORs being prepared (June)

• NOW - Draft strategic assessment

2013

• Public comment on draft strategic assessment (March)

• Finalise strategic assessment (July)

Potential Future

Management?

• Need inclusion of environmental protective

measures for shipping management

• Review of Associated Protective Measures

(PSSA)

• Caps on ship numbers (?)

• Limitation of ship sizes (?)

• Further compulsory pilotage (?)

• North East Shipping Management Plan

• AMSA/MSQ/GBRMPA

• Holistic shipping management for the region

• Torres Strait

• Coral Sea

• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

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Management- History

of key issues

Ports and

shipping?

www.gbrmpa.gov.au

andrew.skeat@gbrmpa.gov.au

Thank you