MONTREAL – The dismantling of an abandoned, rusting cargo ship along the shores of the St. Lawrence River southwest of Montreal should begin next spring, the federal government announced Thursday.
A contract has been awarded for the construction of a protective embankment around the Kathryn Spirit to allow it to be taken apart in the water next year.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau laid out details of the plan at a news conference near the hulking vessel just three days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined a $1.5-billion marine protection plan for Canada’s oceans.
“One element of that was measures to put in place, for the future, with respect to abandoned or derelict vessels,” Garneau said.
While the exact numbers aren’t available, Garneau said estimates suggest there are between 600 and 700 abandoned vessels on Canada’s three coasts.
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“We are putting in place measures that will penalize – and there will be very strict penalties – those who are owners of ships and abandon their ships,” he said.
The Kathryn Spirit was brought to Beauharnois in 2011 by a private Quebec firm hoping to dismantle it in the St. Lawrence and sell it for scrap.
That project didn’t materialize and the bulk carrier was sold to Mexican interests who have since declared bankruptcy. They abandoned the vessel last year.
Garneau says the ship has been largely emptied of any hazardous materials and that the Coast Guard has been keeping close tabs on it since the summer.
Deputy commissioner Julie Gascon said the dismantling will take place on site because the ship’s condition rules out transporting it elsewhere.
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“The situation with the vessel is stable, however building the embankment is a priority in order to isolate completely the vessel from the environment,” Gascon said.
Construction of the embankment will cost $7.9 million and will be carried out by the Quebec firm that bought the ship in the first place: Groupe St. Pierre.
Garneau defended the decision to use the company, which is located near the ship and is able to begin construction immediately.
Once the first phase is done, Ottawa will put out a tender to find someone to actually dismantle the ship, probably next spring.
The cost of tearing down the vessel isn’t known, Garneau said.
A working group comprised of federal and local officials had been discussing the matter since February.
Beauharnois Mayor Claude Haineault said he is pleased with Thursday’s announcement.
He has worked tirelessly to have the ship removed from his town, about 60 kilometres southwest of Montreal.
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