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Derelict boat is environmental hazard, says Port Edward Mayor

The Fairwind poses “three real dangers” but Scotch Cap is being dismantled
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The derelict vessel Fairwind is boomed and at anchor in Port Edward harbour on Jan. 20, with Mayor Knut Bjorndal stating it is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View)

There are “three real dangers” creating heightened concern with the abandoned and derelict fishing vessel Fairwind, currently anchored in Porpoise Harbour, Port Edward Mayor Knut Bjorndal said on Jan. 27.

“It is an environmental hazard should it break loose. The boat is in dire shape. No one can guarantee what it looks like under the waterline,” Bjorndal told The Northern View. “I think the best course of action would be to have it dismantled as soon as possible.”

The boat, Fairwind, and its partner, the barge Scotch Cap, have been increasing worries for the municipality residents since becoming unmoored from the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) dock in September 2021 incident resulting in the Scotch Cap becoming grounded.

The decommissioning of the Scotch Cap started on Jan. 10 and while Bjorndal commended the dismantling progress, he said no plans have been announced about what is happening with the Fairwind. The boat is currently afloat in the small Port Edward harbour.

Three real dangers exist with the boat remaining in its current position, Bjorndal said.

“The ship sinks and creates a pollution problem. It breaks loose from its moorage it could endanger vessels moored at the Port Edward Harbour Authority which is just a few hundred metres west of where the Fairwind is anchored.”

The third and most serious situation according to Bjorndal, is that the vessel becomes unmoored and winds up at Zanardi Rapids, between Watson and Kaien Island, which is the only link between Prince Rupert and a portion of CN’s mainline.

The two sea vehicles were abandoned on a Prince Rupert Port Authority leased water lot more than 10 years ago. The unauthorized vessels were left behind by a former tenant, according to Ken Veldman, PRPA vice-president, public affairs and sustainability.

The issues have been ongoing for several years, and the September incident has brought them to a head, he said. At the time PRPA worked with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) to stabilize both vessels in the intertidal zone and anchor the boat in the waterlock.

Considering the derelict condition of the boat, PRPA was not looking to “just tow it somewhere,” he said.

“Quite frankly, given the liability that it is, there really isn’t another dock that would be willing to take it and certainly, from a PRPA perspective, we don’t have a suitable spot for it,” Veldman said.

Because of the vessel’s condition, Veldman said the decision was made to secure the vessel in its current spot in Porpoise Harbour, and there are plans in the works to remove it.

“With regards to the Fairwind — yes, it is at anchor. It is anchored quite securely with ten-tonne anchors at the bow and stern within the waterlock.”

“Numerous measures have been put in place. It’s not a long-term solution. This is a short-term solution,” he said adding several layers of monitoring and security have been established to ensure safety. These include daily monitoring and reporting on both vessels during routine patrols.

“We have Port Security Operations Centre cameras on it 24/7. The Canadian Coast Guard Vessels of Concern program has installed a monitoring system on it that will give an alert if anything significant changes in terms of its condition.”

“The Canadian Coast Guard, through its vessels of concern program, has confirmed that they will be removing the Fairwind. They’re going through their process right now to secure the services they need to do that. We’re confident that will take place here in the coming months.”

Just how many months that will be, Veldman said he doesn’t know as it falls under the CCGs responsibility.

“While it took a while this is a good example of a collaboration between a federal government program and the port authority being able to deal with an issue, that while it wasn’t our doing, is a collaborative solution to reach a result,” Veldman said.

“They’ve already got a contractor dismantling the Scotch Cap, so it would probably be in the best interest of everyone if they dismantled the Fairwind at the same time, while they have the experts and the people who can dismantle vessels already here,” Bjorndal said.


 K-J Millar | Journalist 
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