Barge removal process starting this week, Vancouver officials say

Seven months after an intense storm sent a wayward barge crashing onto the Vancouver shoreline, the process of deconstructing and removing the massive vessel is finally set to begin.

That process will start this week with the installation of safety barriers and fences, paving the way for Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. to begin taking the barge's walls and hulls apart in sections, the City of Vancouver said in a news release.

"All material will be loaded onto support barges and hauled away by sea to a staging area to be processed and recycled," the city said.

The deconstruction and removal is expected to take up to 15 weeks, but officials said the seawall will remain open and there are no traffic impacts expected.

The work will generally take place during the week from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the city warned that "periods of noise are expected."

Updates on the removal process will also be posted on English Bay Barge Deconstruction, a website set up by Vancouver Pile Driving.

The barge washed up on Sunset Beach on Nov. 15, 2021, and was grounded on rocks that left the vessel structurally unsound. Initial attempts to tow the barge away in one piece were unsuccessful.

In preparation for the deconstruction, Vancouver Pile Driving undertook structural, environmental and archaeological assessments, according to the city.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada also helped in the planning process, providing advice on avoiding and minimizing impacts to fish and fish habitats during the removal.