MV Canadian Miner History and Recovery Story

The MV Canadian Miner's history is a remarkable one. The ship was built in 1979 and initially operated as a bulk carrier.

It was later converted to a cargo ship and began carrying general cargo, containers, and even vehicles. This versatility allowed it to serve a wide range of clients.

The Canadian Miner's journey took a dramatic turn in 2018 when it suffered a severe fire while at sea. The incident resulted in significant damage to the ship's engine room and other areas.

Despite the setbacks, the ship's crew and owners worked tirelessly to repair and restore the vessel to its former glory.

The MV Canadian Miner was a sizeable vessel, measuring 222.5 metres long overall and 215.7 metres between perpendiculars.

Her beam was a substantial 23 metres, giving her a wide profile on the water.

The ship had a relatively shallow draught of 8.2 metres, which would have been beneficial for navigating shallow waters.

She had a gross tonnage of 17,831 and a deadweight tonnage of 27,650, making her a heavy-hauler.

Canadian Miner was powered by a quartet of 1,471-kilowatt diesel engines, which provided a significant amount of power.

Her top speed was a respectable 17 knots, making her a reliable and efficient vessel.

The MV Canadian Miner had a long and varied service history. The vessel was constructed in sections and launched on November 13, 1965. It began service in 1966 as the MV Maplecliffe Hall.

The ship changed hands several times, being operated by Hall Navigation until 1988, then by Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) as the MV Lemoyne from 1988 to 1994. After that, it was sold to Upper Lakes Shipping and renamed the MV Canadian Miner in 1994.

The ship's final voyage ended in disaster when it broke its tow line and ran aground near Scatarie Island, off the coast of Cape Breton, Canada in 2011.

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In 2014, the Government of Nova Scotia posted a request for proposal to remove and salvage the MV Miner.

The contract was awarded to RJ MacIsaac Construction in May 2014 for $12,000,000.

The wreck was expected to be removed by November 2014, but a significant discovery was made that would delay the process.

The MV Miner was found to have an unexpected 26,000 litres of diesel fuel, as well as 32 tonnes of asbestos, which added complexity to the salvage operation.

The removal of the wreck was finally completed on June 22, 2015, almost a year after the initial expected completion date.

The salvage plan for a stuck ship is a complex and time-consuming process. A Dutch salvage company, Mammoet Salvaging, prepared a salvage plan for the MV Canadian Miner, which was presented to Canadian authorities.

The MV Canadian Miner broke its tow line and ran aground near Scatarie Island, off the coast of Cape Breton, Canada. This incident is not the first ship to run aground off Cape Breton's Scatarie Island.

In 2014, a salvage contract was awarded to RJ MacIsaac Construction to remove the MV Miner, with a budget of $12,000,000. The salvage process was delayed due to the discovery of 26,000 litres of diesel fuel and 32 tonnes of asbestos on the wreck.

The Conservative government has been slow to take action on the MV Canadian Miner removal plan, despite the NDP's calls for immediate approval.

The provincial NDP government gave approval to the Bennington group plan within 24 hours, which could have led to work starting as early as next week.

The Conservative government's delay has put the clean-up process at risk, with the September hurricane season quickly approaching.

The ship remains a threat to local lobster fishing and a risk to the ecosystem, and needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

The Federal government has been accused of washing its hands of their responsibility, and it's time for action to be taken.

The Conservative government has refused to take a leadership role in the clean-up effort, and has been slow in granting approval for work to establish an environmental baseline of the wreckage area.

The clean-up process has been mired in red tape, and as a result, the plan to have the work completed before the September hurricane season has been seriously delayed.

The Conservative government created the MV Miner mess, then refused to take responsibility, and now it's delaying the removal process, which is just unacceptable.

The final cost of removing the MV Canadian Miner from Scatarie Island is $18.5 million, which is $6.6 million more than the original contract price of $11.9 million.

An arbitration process was necessary to determine the final cost, which was influenced by the unanticipated discovery of asbestos and diesel fuel on board the vessel.

The province of Nova Scotia took on the responsibility of cleaning up the wreck, despite it not being their responsibility, and has now finalized the costs.

A settlement was constructed on the island to accommodate workers during the cleanup, with the goal of leaving a minimal footprint once the work was completed.

The provincial government is now considering next steps with regards to approaching the federal government to request reimbursement for the costs incurred.

Amanda McDougall, a community advocate, expects the next steps to be expensive and is urging the federal government to assist with the cost.

The payment dispute surrounding the MV Canadian Miner's cleanup is a complex issue.

The provincial government is still waiting for the final bill from the contractor, R.J. MacIsaac Construction, to determine the total cost of the removal and cleanup.

The removal of the ship was completed in 2015, but the government and contractor are taking their time to sort through the details of the cost.

The province initially absorbed the cost of the cleanup, but is now hoping the federal government will reconsider and pay some of the costs due to the unexpected discovery of asbestos and diesel fuel.

The federal government has asked for detailed information and breakdowns of the project costs, leaving the outcome of the payment dispute uncertain.