Question Period Note: Environmental Response – M/V CORMORANT

• The Cormorant was assessed as a threat of pollution and the Coast Guard is taking action to remediate this threat.
• On March 6, 2020, the Coast Guard issued a public notice indicating the Minister’s and Coast Guard’s intention to address the threat of pollution posed by the vessel.
• Following a Request for Proposals to remediate and remove the Cormorant, a contract was awarded and work has commenced on this operation.
• The Cormorant left Bridgewater, Nova Scotia under tow on November 18, 2020, and has now arrived Sheet Harbour, where it will be dismantled and removed from the marine environment.

• In 2015, considering the threat posed by the vessel, the Coast Guard took necessary action to refloat and stabilize the M/V Cormorant. Since that time the Coast Guard has not had care or custody of the vessel and is not in a position to speculate on any changes to the vessel.
• A technical assessment of the ship was completed in late 2019, concluding that the vessel posed a grave and immediate threat of pollution. Additionally, the assessment concluded that there has been no ongoing maintenance on the vessel, and mooring lines were deteriorating.
• The Port of Bridgewater and a numbered company agreed to assume ownership of the Cormorant and this was accepted by the Federal Court in a consent judgement dated November 8, 2019.
• The Coast Guard’s Environmental Response Team and equipment arrived on November 30, 2019 to commence Phase 1 operations. As a result of the Phase 1 operations, approximately 19,000 litres of oily bilge water were removed from the hull and machinery spaces on board the vessel, approximately 13,000 liters of water from the accommodation spaces onboard the vessel that had down flooded from the upper decks, and 5,300 litres of oil from various tanks.
• On March 6, 2020, the Coast Guard issued a 21-day public notice indicating the Minister’s and Coast Guard’s intention to address the threat of pollution posed by the vessel which may include actions up to disposal of the vessel. The notice directed anyone with liens or other interests in the vessel, or questions to contact the Coast Guard’s Environmental Response Unit.
• A tender notice was publicly posted on June 30, 2020 to address operations for phase 2, including removal of the remaining bulk pollutants; create a tow plan to move the vessel to a recycling facility; and finally, tow and recycle the vessel to permanently eliminate the threat of pollution.
• On July 31, 2020, the Port of Bridgewater and its President, Richard Welsford, filed a statement of claim against the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan and Canada with the Federal Court to stop the process of disposing of the Cormorant.
• On November 8, 2020, the Federal court dismissed the interim injunction filed by the vessel owner.
• Tow operations commenced on November 18, 2020, in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. The vessel has now arrived to its final destination, Sheet Harbour, where it will be dismantled and removed from the marine environment.
• The removal and dismantling of the Cormorant has resulted in the complete removal of the environmental threat that this vessel posed to the LaHave river.

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