Canadian Miner
The Canadian Miner was a vessel in the fleet of Algoma Central. On September 20, 2011, she ran aground off the coast of Nova Scotia while being towed to Turkey for demolition.[1] She had on board "3,000 litres of oily waste". The Greek tugboat Hellas responsible for the tow was detained by Canadian officials. Estimates of the cost of cleanup has been estimated to be at least $5 million CAD. The government of Nova Scotia estimated that if the wreck couldn't be towed away, and had to be taken apart on-site, costs could rise as high as $25 million CAD.[2]
The vessel was commissioned the Maplecliffe Hall when she was launched in 1966, and was operated by Hall Navigation.[3] She was renamed the Le Moyne in 1988, after Hall Navigation dissolved and she was acquired by Canada Steamship Lines. She was renamed Canadian Miner by Algoma Central. Finally in 2011, she was acquired by Turkish firm Arivina Navigation SA and renamed simply Miner for her tow to the wrecker's yard.
Like most lake freighters the vessel was a bulk carrier shipping grain, ore, aggregates or coal.[3] The vessel was commissioned in 1966. She was powered by four 1471 kilowatt 2-stroke diesel engines. Unusually for lake freighters she was never equipped with a bow thruster.
In 1984 the vessel tried carrying standard shipping containers.[3] The experiment was not seen as a success.
The vessel was built with a rarely used owner's stateroom.[4] To help raise funds to equip Georgian College with a marine simulator Algoma Central offered a trip for two in the owner's stateroom as the grand prize in a raffle.
The Cape Breton Post reported on April 16, 2012, that the salvage experts contracted by the Government of Nova Scotia was expected to return a salvage plan shortly.[5] At that time the vessel was still aground just off Scatarie Island, which, in turn is off the east coast of Cape Breton Island -- the northern tip of Nova Scotia.
References
- ↑ "Tugboat detained after ship grounded off Cape Breton: Ship damaged in storm with 3,000 litres of oily waste still aboard". CBC News. 2011-10-07. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2011/10/07/ns-tugboat-detained-scaterie.html. Retrieved 2012-04-23. "The tug was towing the MV Canadian Miner in rough seas on Sept. 20 when a line broke. The old carrier, which was en route to Turkey to be scrapped, has been grounded near Scaterie Island ever since."
- ↑ "Hole in grounded ship worries fisherman". CBC News. 2011-10-07. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2011/10/10/ns-grounded-ship-fisherman.html. Retrieved 2012-04-23. "On Friday, the Nova Scotia government detained the Hellas, the Greek tugboat that was towing the Miner, after filing a $15-million claim. The province estimated it would cost nearly $25 million to remove the ship if it could not float."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 George Wharton. "Canadian Miner -- Maplecliffe Hall 1966 - 1988, LeMoyne (2) 1988 - 1994, Miner 2011 - 2011 (renamed for overseas tow)". boatnerd. http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/canadianminer.htm. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
- ↑ {{cite news | url = http://www.boatnerd.com/trips/oldtrips/tripowensound.htm | title = Win a Trip aboard the Canadian Miner | publisher = boatnerd | date = | accessdate = 2012-04-23 | quote = All Expense 7-10 Day Cruise Valued At $3500. Cruise To Be Taken During 2006 Sailing Season Aboard The 730 Foot Upper Lakes Freighter Canadian Miner.
- ↑ Chris Hayes (2012-04-16). "Salvage company takes to the skies to check out MV Miner". Cape Breton Post. http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-04-16/article-2956262/Salvage-company-takes-to-the-skies-to-check-out-MV-Miner/1. Retrieved 2012-04-23. "The Nova Scotia government hopes within a few weeks to see a salvage company’s plans for removing the MV Miner from the shore of Scatarie Island off Cape Breton."
