Fuel spill cleanup in St. Lawrence Seaway progressing

CORNWALL, Ont. — The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) has reported that the cleanup of fuel spilled as a consequence of a vessel grounding on Monday evening in the Seaway’s South Shore Canal is progressing. The spill has been contained by a series of booms, according to the group.

At approximately 7:30 p.m. on July 12, the Canada Steamship Lines bulker Richelieu lost engine power and contacted the canal bank just above the Cote Ste. Catharine lock within the South Shore Canal. A fuel tank was punctured resulting in a spill estimated to amount to 50 to 200 tonnes of bunker fuel.

The vessel’s crew deployed some booms and SLSMC staff activated the Seaway’s Emergency Response Plan, deploying resources to seal the lock at Cote Ste. Catharine, and halt the current in the canal. Oil spill response specialist ECRC was summoned, and was on the scene deploying additional booms to contain the spill.

“Given the rapid response, the spill was contained within the canal above the lock, with no oil entering the lock or moving downstream. No impact has been observed on municipal water intakes within the surrounding municipalities,” SLSMC officials said in a release.

Navigation was suspended in the South Shore Canal immediately after the spill. The balance of the Seaway (west of the South Shore Canal, extending to the Welland Canal) remains open to traffic.

Clean up efforts are presently underway and will continue, with the South Shore Canal expected to re-open to navigation within two days, according to the SLSMC. “While we regret spills of any nature, we are pleased to note that our emergency response plans came together smoothly to ensure this incident was quickly dealt with, sharply limiting the impact” said SLSMC president and CEO Richard Corfe.