The impact of Motor Tanker (MT) Alex grounding on a patch reef ‘Gosong Panjang’ in the Manggar waters, Bangka-Belitung Province

Abstract

The ship’s ran aground on coral reefs often result in severe physical and biological damage. It is including the removal and crushing of corals reefs (dislodging), the destruction of coral skeletons (pulverization), the erosion and removal of sedimentary calcium carbonate. It is almost cause the loss of three-dimensional complexity. Moreover, this event occurred in the patch reef was far away from the nearest land, located in the waters of Manggar-Bangka-Belitung Province with a distance of ± 65 nautical miles from the city of Manggar. The ship ground has caused damage to the marine environment especially the patch reef ‘Gosong Panjang’ at the location. The Fishbone method with the transect gauge is used to measure the extent of the affected area in each zone and underwater photo transect to measure the level of coral reef damage. Total extent of the affected area of each zone taking into account the survival of corals i.e., 10.177 square meter. Hard coral cover condition in the affected area of 7.7% goes to serious damage or poor. Hard coral species was affected in location where 43 species and 21 species are listed as red IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) with vulnerable status and near threatened.