The Government of Canada has announced the award of a $4.9m contract to Resolve Marine to remove oil from the historic shipwreck USAT Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski, which sunk in Grenville Channel (northern British Columbia).

The Canadian Coast Guard is working closely with Gitga’at and Gitxaala First Nations and will be on scene to manage the response.

The M.G. Zalinski struck a rock near Pitt Island in 1946, while transporting army supplies and heavy fuel oil from Seattle, Washington, to Whittier, Alaska, as part of the war effort.

Over the years, the Canadian Coast Guard has monitored the vessel and in 2013, removed all of the bulk oil that was accessible at that time.

Since then, the ship’s structure has continued to deteriorate, causing previously inaccessible fuel tanks to collapse.

As it is reported by the Canadian government, “this new state of deterioration poses a significant risk of releasing a large amount of oil into the marine environment.”

While the current amount of fuel upwelling from the shipwreck is minimal, the Canadian Coast Guard is taking action now to prevent long-term damage to areas of significant cultural value and to the marine environment.

The government of Canada said the work is scheduled to begin in mid October and is expected to take several weeks.

To remind, the 77-metre M.G. Zalinski was built in 1919 as a cargo ship. In 1941, the ship was employed by the United States Department of War.

In 1946, the M.G. Zalinski struck a rocky outcrop on Pitt Island while transiting from Seattle to Whittier, Alaska.

The ship took on water and sank in 20 minutes. The crew of 48 persons were rescued by the tug Sally N and the passenger steamer SS Catala. The shipwreck now sits on a rock ledge approximately 30-40 metres below the water in Grenville Channel.

Grenville Channel is part of the famed Inside Passage and is known for very strong currents, tides and weather patterns.