Bougainville Reef News

As of July 27, 11.45 a.m., the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is coordinating a maritime casualty response in the Coral Sea for the fully loaded bulk coal carrier Ocean Emperor, in liaison with Maritime Safety Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The Ocean Emperor is currently situated approximately 130 kilometres east of Cooktown off the outer Great Barrier Reef, and is drifting slowly westwards towards the reef. As the ship has broken down and drifted several times over the last few weeks, she was being escorted out of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by the tug PB Karori. The ship most recently broke down north east of Bougainville Reef at 2:00am (AEST) Monday 26 July.