The MV Ancier’s owner has been fined for a fuel spill incident that occurred in Charlottetown Harbour two years ago, as per insights from CBC News. The former passenger-vehicle ferry, previously known as CTMA Vacancier, had a 17-year history of voyages between the Magdalen Islands and Montreal. On January 14, 2024, the vessel docked at Charlottetown Harbour before departing for dismantling in India.
During a refuelling operation, a portion of the fuel spilled into the harbor waters, prompting containment and cleanup actions. Local residents reported detecting a strong odor in the Hillsborough River and observing an oily sheen on the ice and water surfaces.
CBC News revealed that the vessel faced three violations under the Canada Shipping Act, leading to a penalty of $17,850 imposed on its owner. Transport Canada’s records indicated that the ship breached rules by discharging a prescribed pollutant and failing to adequately document and report prohibited discharges.
Subsequent inquiries by CBC News to various federal agencies sought details on the spill’s extent and recovery efforts. Despite some information disclosure, the exact quantity of fuel released from the ship remained unconfirmed by the government.
Following a federal access to information request by CBC News, 840 pages of documents were obtained, shedding light on the spill incident. Aerial observations on January 17, 2024, indicated a diesel sheen of approximately 150 liters on the water surface. The Canadian Coast Guard reported non-recoverable fuel sheening of around 167 liters on January 19, 2024. However, official documents revealed a potential release of 1.3 metric tonnes (1,530 liters) of fuel, highlighting a discrepancy of two metric tonnes (2,353 liters) between the ship’s and the fueling company’s records.
Sierra Club Canada, an environmental non-profit organization, emphasized the environmental risks associated with diesel spills, citing concerns about toxicity to aquatic life and ecosystems. The spill raised worries among local associations, including the P.E.I. Shellfish Association, regarding potential impacts on wild oyster and quahog fisheries in the area.
Although provincial environmental assessments on January 17, 2024, reported no immediate impacts from the spill along the Hillsborough River, transparency and accurate assessment of the damage were stressed by environmental advocates. Further attempts by CBC News to reach out to relevant Canadian authorities for a definitive account of the spill’s magnitude yielded limited information, with the vessel’s registered owner in Singapore reportedly unaware of the MV Ancier’s situation.
The MV Ancier has since reached India for scrapping, marking the end of its maritime journey.