Vancouver-based Bridgemans Services Group (Bridgemans), the world’s premier provider of floatels and related marine services, has provided the use of their Kitimat RoRo, Laydown and Storage Facility and equipment to support the Marine Debris Removal Initiative (MDRI) and its drive to remove waste from the marine environment.
Under the MDRI, local Indigenous nations and members of the Small Ship Tourism Operators (SSTOA) cleaned up 32.5 tonnes of debris from British Columbia’s coastline including plastic fishing gear, nets, rope, polystyrene floats, and plastic bottles.
The SSTOA and MDRI used Bridgemans’ RoRo, Laydown and Storage Facility to offload and move this debris from three vessels to trucks destined for recycling centres in the Province.
As part of the Clean Coast, Clean Waters (CCCW) initiative, the Province is investing $8m for 17 more projects in 2024 in collaboration with small businesses, non-profit organizations and First Nations to tackle marine debris and plastic pollution along British Columbia’s coastlines, while supporting economic development and jobs for people.
Since 2020, the Clean Coast, Clean Waters initiative has removed 215 derelict vessels and cleaned up more than 2,100 tonnes of marine debris from more than 6,400 kilometres of shoreline, while creating or maintaining nearly 2,400 well-paying jobs.
This year’s projects are expected to clean an additional 1,900 kilometres of shoreline, remove at least 31 derelict vessels and clean at least six derelict aquaculture sites, creating 639 new jobs.
Seven of the 17 projects are being led by First Nations.
