Grounded Ship Leaves TBT-based Antifoulant on the Great Barrier Reef: An Overview of the Environmental Response (original) (raw)

On November 2, 2000, the container ship Bunga Teratai Satu grounded on Sudbury Reef, causing significant localized physical damage and the release of TBT-based antifoulant into the marine environment. Although no fuel or cargo was lost, the incident led to severe contamination of sediments near the grounding site, with TBT levels measured at dangerously high concentrations. This overview examines the environmental response to the grounding, highlighting the immediate impacts, the recovery efforts, and the ongoing concerns regarding the ecological health of the Great Barrier Reef.