Driving along the Saint John River in the Browns Flat, NB area, it’s hard not to notice something sticking out of the water.
It is the mast of the approximately 13-meter-long ship known as “Not a Starship,” which has not moved from its location for months. The ship had been frozen in ice during the winter months, before sinking in the river in February.
With the boating season quickly approaching, John Williamson, MP for New Brunswick Southwest, and Bill Oliver, MP for Kings Centre, are calling on the federal government to immediately remove the boat in a joint declaration.
“I’ve done some research around the country regarding vessel abandonment and sometimes it can take a long time for the federal government to act,” Williamson told CTV Atlantic via Zoom. “We don’t need the federal government to study this, consult on it and then make a decision later this year or in the future; we need the sailboat removed immediately.”
“It is a danger to navigation,” says Oliver. “We are also concerned about the impact on the environment because it has batteries and diesel. The owners planned to stay there through the winter, but we saw what happened, you can’t fool Mother Nature.”
The owner of the now-sunken ship was given until April 30 to remove the ship, and Williamson says he would fully support the government charging the owner for the cost of removing the ship. That said, he and Oliver aren’t looking to place blame or fight over who’s responsible for the next steps, but instead want them taken as soon as possible.
In February, the Canadian Coast Guard conducted an assessment of the ship and told CTV Atlantic that the sunken ship did not pose a risk in terms of pollution damage.
The matter is now in the hands of Transport Canada, and those who use the waterway want a conclusion to be reached as soon as possible.
“Boating season is starting,” says Denise Miller, communications director for the Saint John Power Boat Club. “We are approaching the May long weekend, traffic on the river will increase and the mast sticking out of the water like that is a terrible danger to navigation.”
Miller says boaters have been monitoring the ship’s condition for months, and it’s frustrating to see little done at this point, since authorities have known about the sailboat for some time.
It won’t be long until the river is filled with boaters enjoying the water, and she worries that someone will run toward the wreck, especially at night when visibility is lower.
Most locals know the ship, but Miller worries about those who aren’t as familiar with the ship’s condition.
“If they come from the United States into our river system, they may not be aware of this saga,” Miller says. “It’s something that’s a danger and it’s staining our beautiful river system.”
Williamson also shares those concerns.
“Even on a nice day, the charts and maps that sailors use often indicate danger,” Williamson says. “A ship like this will not be on any current charts. “This is a problem and if the ship breaks and someone crashes into it, the disaster will be much worse.”
Oliver says if the federal government gives him the green light, he has local people willing and ready to help remove the ship once and for all.
“By talking to a local dive team, they can get it out of the water pretty easily and move it,” says Oliver. “They have all the equipment and the means to do it, so it could certainly be ready in a couple of days.”
CTV Atlantic has reached out to Transport Canada for an update on the situation and is still waiting for a response.