(Resource News International) — Navigation on the St. Lawrence Seaway system is expected to resume sometime on Wednesday, according to a spokesman with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.
“The oil spill caused by the running aground of a bulk carrier south of Montreal late on July 12, has been contained and was in the process of being cleaned up,” said Andrew Bogona, communications officer for the SLSMC.
The cleaning process was expected to be completed by Wednesday sometime, he said.
Five vessels currently in the area have had their movement impacted by the closure of the seaway system at South Shore, so far, Bogona said.
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He noted there were numerous other vessels currently transiting the Seaway system that are not impacted by the closure. Bogona said it can take a vessel more than 24 hours to transit the system.
The oil spill covered a 500-by-500-metre area near Cote-Ste-Catherine. The leak was plugged late Monday night.
The bulk carrier was carrying wheat and belonged to Canada Steamship Lines, the largest shipping company in Canada.
“The temporary closure of the seaway was not seen having a major impact on the movement of grain vessels,” John Lyons, a spokesman with the Canadian Wheat Board, said.
However, he cautioned that should the closure go beyond more than two or three days, the situation would need to be re-evaluated.
