SHIPPING companies will temporarily pay a higher levy to help with clean-up costs related to the oil spill off the southeast of Queensland coast last year.
The Rudd government will temporarily raise the Protection of the Sea Levy by 3% in order to recover the clean-up costs of the Pacific Adventurer bunker oil spill incident off the Queensland coast last March.
The Pacific Adventurer’s owner, Swire Shipping, agreed last August to pay $25 million for compensation of oil spill but the estimated clean-up cost was $31 million.
Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says taxpayers should not have to bear the additional costs.
“In accordance with the 'polluter pays' principle, we are increasing the Protection of the Sea Levy by a small amount until the clean-up costs have been met,” he says.
“The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which coordinates oil spill responses, will reimburse the Queensland Government for the shortfall.”
According to the federal government, the levy will apply to vessels 24m or longer, with 10 tonnes or more oil as fuel or cargo.
The levy increase is expected to be in place from 1 April 2010.
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