HALIFAX - The salvage and cleanup costs associated with removing a bulk carrier stranded off Cape Breton could hit $24 million if the ship breaks up, the Nova Scotia government says in an affidavit filed with the Federal Court.
Duff Montgomerie, deputy minister of the Natural Resources Department, filed the affidavit to secure the arrest Thursday of the Greek-owned Hellas, a tug that was towing the MV Miner.
The ship broke free and ran aground off Scatarie Island, a provincially designated wilderness management area, on Sept. 20. It was on its way from Montreal to Turkey, where it was supposed to be scrapped.
Repeated attempts to free the ship have failed, and the Canadian Coast Guard spotted additional damage to the hull on Thursday.
In the affidavit, Montgomerie says salvage of an intact ship would cost between $400,000 to $600,000, but that could increase to $24 million if it were to break up.
The Canadian Coast Guard says a Dutch salvage company has already removed 6,000 litres of marine diesel and another 3,000 litres of oily waste water from the ship, but there is more waste water onboard.
A provincial spokeswoman said the coast guard was planning another aerial inspection Friday afternoon, weather permitting.
The Nova Scotia government has also filed a statement of claim against the tug owners for $15 million, or the amount it will cost to remove the ship from the rocks and clean up the area.
The claims have not been proven in court and the ship's owners have 30 days to file a statement of defence.
The statement of claim also says if the tug owners fail to pay up, the ship should be sold and the money awarded to the province.
On Thursday, Premier Darrell Dexter said he would make sure the stricken vessel is quickly removed if the current salvage operation gets bogged down in red tape.
Dexter said he was concerned the salvage operation, which is largely within federal jurisdiction, could be delayed further because of arguments over who will pay the bill.
Government spokeswoman Karen White said the province was negotiating with the lawyer for the tug "to protect provincial interests" in the event the environment, which is near a productive lobster fishing area, is affected.
