Hazardous spills in NW Australia, 2009-2013

Australia is the fifth largest user of shipping in the world with more than 11,000 vessels from 600 overseas ports visiting Australia's 65 major ports each year. This creates the potential for hazardous spills of various types (most notably oil spills - such as the Montara spill of 2009), which could damage key coastal and marine ecosystems. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is responsible for coordinating response to such spills (see their policy on Marine Pollution Response).

Explore the interactive map below to see where hazardous spills of various types have occurred over the past decade near the Oceanic Shoals CMR. Click on the icon with four arrows at the top left of the map to see a full screen version. Then, you can choose to view each of five types of hazardous spills.

How to use the map

Full extent icon Click on this icon at the top left of the map to see a full screen version.
Zoom Icon Click on this icon also at the top left of the map to zoom in closer to (+) or further from (-) the map.

Click on the type of hazardous spill that you want to view in the list of overlay layers to the far left of the map. If one type of spill data is already checked in the list, you'll need to click on it to turn it off.

You can also choose to see the Key Ecological Features in the Oceanic Shoals CMR by clicking on that layer in the list.