Photos: Abandoned Boats To Be Removed
Thirty seven “abandoned and derelict boats” will be “removed from the water and disposed of,” the Ministry advised, with the boats located in the Riddell’s Bay, Lagoon Park, Stock’s Harbour, Marginal Wharf, St. George’s Harbour and Great Bay areas.
A Government spokesperson previously said, “This is a joint programme between Government and Keep Bermuda Beautiful [KBB] in accordance with an MOU signed by the Minister of Transport.
“Government cannot currently find any characteristic names or boat registration details on these abandoned and derelict boats,” the Ministry explained.
They added that if you are the owner of any of these boats, you have 30 days from January 17th 2022, to remove your vessel from its current location. To review the notice and list of abandoned and derelict vessels, visit gov.bm/theofficialgazette/notices/gn00862022.
The Government added, “Pursuant to the Marine & Ports Authority [Dumping] Regulations 1967, the Minister of Transport may direct the disposal of any vessel which has been abandoned and is likely to become unsightly or impede the free navigation of the territorial waters of Bermuda.”
The images below were extracted from a document provided by the Government:
It’s great to see the KBB take a more holistic approach to keeping Bermuda beautiful.
Derelict houses next?
Thank you KBB and the leadership provided by Katie Berry during her tenure. She will surely be a huge miss.
I am confused by the inability to identify the boats and their owners. As far as I know a boat has a serial number stamped in the transom. Most of the boats have a transom. When you register your boat you are asked for this serial number. Surely the database can be cross-referenced. Am I missing something?
This clearly creates a dangerous precedent in that boat owners who decide not to maintain their boats, or to discard following a damaging event, now have the government forking out for the clean up of same.
If you can afford a boat, you should be forced to cover the cost of the responsible disposal of same at the end of its life.
Going forward, why not have removal insurance coverage a requirement for boat registration?