Hong Kong: China Navigation Company subsidiary Swire Shipping has agreed to pay A$25 million ($21 million) to compensate for the bunker spill from its vessel the Pacific Adventurer (pictured) which affected beaches across southeast Queensland.
Swire said the compensation far exceeded its legal obligation of up to A$17.5 million, AFP reported.
"We very much regret the accident, caused by Cyclone Hamish, that resulted in the oil spill - and also the effect of the spill on the Queensland coastal environment and the people of Queensland," said Bill Rothery, head of Swire's Australian operations.
The incident occurred in March when the vessel encountered heavy weather off Queemnsland and spilled a number of containers overboard, one of which punctured the bunker tank allowing an estimated 270mt of bunker fuel to leak into the sea, causing Queensland's worst ever oil spill. [10/08/09]
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