Shipping containers holding thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate have fallen off a cargo ship bound for Brisbane after rough seas from cyclone Hamish battered the boat.
The Pacific Adventure lost 31 containers in waters off Point Lookout on Stradbroke Island on Wednesday, after leaving from Newcastle with the chemical.
According to a report from the Brisbane Times, three tonnes of the powder has also spilt on the deck of the ship, which could potentially cause harm to those on board.
In Queensland, the majority of ammonium nitrate is used as an explosive in mining and minerals processing operations.