06 August 2017

Former Digby ferry may be scrapped in Sydney Harbour

Marine Recycling Corp. of Ontario has won a $2.6-million federal tender to scrap the MV Princess of Acadia — the former Digby ferry — which has been tied up at a private dock in Sydney Harbour. A spokesman for the shipbreaking company says details on the work are still being worked out.

SYDNEY — Marine Recycling Corp. has won a $2.6-million federal tender to scrap the former Digby ferry, and a spokesman for the Ontario company says the work may be done in Sydney Harbour, where the vessel has been tied up while awaiting demolition.

The 146-metre-long MV Princess of Acadia, built in 1971 to run between Digby and Saint John, N.B., was taken out of service two years ago and replaced by a modern vessel. Earlier this year, the federal government moved the former ferry to a private dock at Sydport Industrial Park, across from the downtown cruise ship terminal, and issued a request for proposals to scrap it.

Wayne Elliott, director of business development for Marine Recycling, said the company expects to issue a news release on its plans in the next week or so.

"That's still being worked on," he told Local Xpress.

The tender called on the successful bidder to scrap the ship and dispose of or recycle the materials, and to dispose of any hazardous remains. The work is to be completed by June 30, 2018.

Marine Recycling won the tender with a bid of $2,662,783. The company, located in Port Colborne on Lake Erie, has run Help Wanted ads online, seeking health and safety workers and security guards for an unspecified number of jobs in Sydney.

Nothing has been decided yet, Elliott said, but it's a possibility the ship could be scrapped in Sydney Harbour.

"Anything's possible," he said. "We will be doing some work in Sydney, for sure."

Source: local xpress. 13 July 2017

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