English Bay barge to be assessed, repaired in coming days to prepare for removal

Vancouver -

Plans are in place to assess and repair the runaway barge that’s been attracting a lot of attention on Vancouver’s Sunset Beach since it ran aground over three weeks ago.

On Wednesday, the city said the work will take place “in the coming days” to prepare for the barge’s removal.

Naval architect Robert Allan said ultimately, the task of moving the barge would be helped along by a very high tide “and depending upon how impaled it is on the rocks...a fair amount of tugboat power just to pull it off.”

Allan said he expects there is likely some damage to the hull, although he doesn’t feel the barge would sink.

“It is subdivided,” he said. “It would probably be easier to do some patching before they try and pull it off, but the actual act of pulling it off might cause damage, too.

Allan said ideally the move would take advantage of a high tide as a “lifting force," along with a more powerful tugboat.

“The first few days I was down here, I noticed them trying to pull it off with a very old tug with about 700 horsepower, and it was doing nothing so it’s got to be many multiples of that,” he said. “What they’ve tried so far obviously hasn’t worked. They need a bigger tow truck.”

Though the city said the barge doesn’t pose a public safety risk, staff are asking people to keep their distance and abide by signage and barriers in the area as a precaution, noting security will also be on site 24 hours a day until the barge is removed.

Despite the warning, some people could still be seen on Wednesday clambering on the rocks at one end of the barge to get photos.

The city said Transport Canada has now received a recovery plan from the barge’s owner, but the removal date has yet to be determined.

On Wednesday morning, a tugboat and crane could be seen near the barge. The city said that work was halted due to windy conditions.

The barge’s owner, Steve Budd of Sentry Marine Towing, told CTV News he was expecting crews and equipment on site by sometime on Friday, and more arriving the following week. He said the barge had incurred several holes from rocks that would need to be repaired.

The barge got loose on Nov. 15 during a powerful storm that hit the South Coast.