SYDNEY, N.S. — A New York-based salvage company has yet to inform the provincial government of its intentions to walk away from the MV Miner project.
Bennington Group threatened to abandon the job earlier this week after the province requested more information from an independent engineer on the safety of the planned operation.
However, as of Thursday afternoon, Oct. 25, no such notification had been received by the provincial government.
“Bennington is working to address the need for additional information and submission under the engineering assessment,” said Chrissy Matheson, a communications adviser with the Department of Labour.
“Once that information is received, and our concerns are adequately addressed, the stop-work order will be lifted. Our main focus remains on worker safety.”
The province issued the stop-work order last week after concerns were raised about the structural integrity of the ship’s hull, forcing Bennington Group to hire an independent engineer to produce a safety report on the salvage plan.
The company had entered into a joint venture with MV Miner owner Arivina Navigation SA of Turkey to remove the wreck from Scatarie Island for the cost of its scrap metal.
The stop-work order is the latest in a series of delays that Bennington Group has blamed for pushing the beginning of the salvage from its original July 10 start.
