Derelict vessel ‘Spudnick’ breaks away from moorings in Squamish

WATCH: The ‘Spudnick’ broke free from its moorings today and began drifting towards Britannia Beach. As Rumian Daya reports, given the contents on board there were serious concerns about the possibility of a spill.

VANCOUVER – The Coast Guard is now towing the derelict vessel ‘Spudnick’ to New Westminster after it broke away from its moorings earlier today.

The 59.7-metre long vessel is a former U.S. Navy transport freighter, which is usually anchored at Nexen Beach in Howe Sound. Coast Guard spokesperson, Dan Bate, says since the boat was moored there in March they have been receiving calls from locals concerned about the fuel on board the rusting ship.

There is 5,000 litres of diesel and 1,500 litres of lubricating oil on board and locals were concerned about it leaking into the sound.

By the end of September the Coast Guard issued an order for the owner to take action to mitigate the release of the fuel, but Bate says the owner was in the process of doing so, but hadn’t completed the task.

At 7 a.m. on Wednesday they were informed the vessel had broken from its moorings and was adrift.

They sent out the tugboat ‘Cutlass’ and it now has the vessel under tow. It is set to arrive at Amix Marine Services’ facility in New Westminster at some point tonight.

Bate says the fuel will then be removed, possibly at the owner’s expense.