By Canadian Press

Quebec town hopeful dismantling of rusting cargo ship will go smoothly after fire

Apr 26, 2018 | 1:01 PM

MONTREAL — A southwestern Quebec town is counting down the days until an unwelcome piece of marine history disappears from its shores.

Officials say they hope the dismantling of the Kathryn Spirit proceeds smoothly after a fire a few weeks ago aboard the rusting cargo vessel parked off its shores.

“You know how badly we want this to be behind us,” said Beauharnois Mayor Bruno Tremblay, the latest elected official to take up the cause.

“We would like for Beauharnois to be known for something other than the Kathryn Spirit.”

Fire broke out earlier this month in the engine room of the corroding ship, which has been moored about 60 kilometres south of Montreal since 2011.

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The fire caused some concern among local firefighters, who said they were unaware there was still dangerous materials on board. Anne Minh-Thu Quach, the New Democrat MP for the local riding of Salaberry-Suroit, raised the issue in the Commons.

In a statement Wednesday, the Canadian Coast Guard said the machine room contained only petroleum residue and lead paint and that the blaze was triggered during work that involved cutting through the ship’s steel.

The coast guard says loose paint and asbestos had been previously removed and that any other hazardous materials aboard the vessel, including PCBs and mercury-filled items, were all taken out then.

Authorities have previously said the “vast majority” of hazardous or flammable materials were removed in 2013.

The recent fire broke out due to sparks from a torch used to cut through the steel, igniting residual substances absorbed by other materials over time.

“They are using pneumatic-powered tools to avoid another catastrophe like this from happening,” said Tremblay, adding sprinklers are also in place.

Barring delays, Tremblay said, the hull is expected to be dismantled by late June or early July. The cofferdam — an enclosure built around the ship to remove the water around it — will need to be taken down carefully after spawning season has ended for local marine life.

“It’s a delicate job because they can’t move the sediments at the bottom, so it’s an operation that should begin about September,” Tremblay said, with work to be wrapped up by December.

Built in 1967, the 150-metre-long Kathryn Spirit was used to haul cargo. In 2011, local company Groupe St-Pierre bought it with the idea of stripping it for scrap. Those plans were scuppered by the province and local residents.

A Mexican company subsequently bought the ship and intended to bring it back to Mexico but the tugboat hired to tow it was impounded in Halifax and the company eventually went bankrupt.

The federal government announced last year that a joint venture between Groupe St-Pierre and Englobe Corp. would oversee the dismantling for just over $11 million.

Tremblay said the town will be happy to see the ship vanish from the local landscape.

“We don’t mind being on the map, but could we please find a different subject?,” the mayor quipped.

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press