Sydney Ports Responds To Queensland Emergency

Earlier this month, Queensland experienced its worst ever oil spill and a team from Sydney Ports Marine Operations were amongst a group of NSW experts sent to help.

In maintaining its Port Safety Operating Licence, Sydney Ports is required to rapidly respond to marine pollution incidents all over the State and is obligated to respond to National emergencies under the relevant Commonwealth Intergovernmental Agreement.

On March 13, Sydney Ports was asked to provide an Operations Officer to support Maritime Safety Queensland in their response to the oil spill from the Pacific Adventurer.

Sydney Ports Senior Manager Marine Operations, Graham Edgley explains the role the Sydney Ports team has played and will continue to play in cleaning up the biggest ever oil spill in Queensland.

“Queensland’s request for assistance was made under the National Plan arrangements,” Mr Edgley said.

“NSW Maritime, acting in the role as co-ordinating agency for the State, selected the most appropriate personnel from New South Wales to head up north.

“One of Sydney Ports’ Operations Managers was dispatched to Brisbane on the March 13 and filled numerous roles over the ensuing nine days, including that of Operations Officer for the Moreton Island cleanup.

“In addition, from Monday 16 March, ten Sydney Ports personnel made the trek up north to assist in the recovery.

“This included three of our experts from the Sydney Ports Emergency Response Team based at Glebe who acted in role of Section Team Leaders, four shift staff who were allocated Team Leader roles in the clean up sectors on both Moreton Island and on the Sunshine coast and a specialist equipment operator who was allocated to the Brisbane River where the ship is currently moored.

“All personnel except the Brisbane River personnel returned to Sydney on Monday 23 March at the completion of their seven day rotations.

“A further request for shoreline team leaders came in Wednesday of this week, whereby two more shift staff were allocated to Moreton Island yesterday 26 March."

Mr Edgley said Sydney Ports Marine Operations are continuing to maintain a standby list of suitably qualified and experienced operators and managers, ready to depart at a moments notice.

“We expect that the operation to clean all impacted areas will continue until after Easter, with Sydney Ports remaining as an integral part of the cleanup process,” Mr Edgley said.

“Sydney Ports is committed to remain as a core member of the National Response Team, and to assist our mates in Queensland in dealing with this significant environmental spill,” Mr Edgley said.