The MV Ancier’s owner has been fined for a fuel spill that occurred in Charlottetown Harbour two years ago, according to information obtained by CBC News. The vessel, previously known as CTMA Vacancier, operated as a passenger-vehicle ferry for 17 years between the Magdalen Islands and Montreal before being docked at Charlottetown Harbour on Jan. 14, 2024, as it prepared to be dismantled in India.
During refuelling at the harbour, a quantity of fuel leaked into the water, prompting containment and cleanup operations. Local residents reported detecting a strong odor in the Hillsborough River and observing an oily sheen on the ice and water surface.
Subsequently, the MV Ancier faced three violations under the Canada Shipping Act, leading to a penalty of $17,850 for its owner. Transport Canada records indicate that the vessel was penalized for discharging a regulated pollutant and for failing to adequately document and report unauthorized discharges.
Following the incident, CBC News submitted an access to information request, receiving 840 pages of documents related to the spill. Aerial assessments conducted on Jan. 17 and 19, 2024, revealed approximately 150 liters and 167 liters of non-recoverable fuel sheening on the water, respectively. However, official documents disclosed a potential release of 1.3 metric tonnes (1,530 liters) of fuel, highlighting a discrepancy in record-keeping between the fuel supplier and the vessel.
Sierra Club Canada emphasized the environmental risks associated with diesel spills, citing concerns about its toxicity to aquatic life and ecosystems. The spill raised worries within the P.E.I. Shellfish Association regarding potential harm to the region’s wild oyster and quahog fisheries.
Although provincial environmental assessments found no immediate impacts from the spill along the Hillsborough River, transparency and accurate reporting of spill details were underscored by environmental advocates. Despite efforts to contact the vessel’s registered owner in Singapore, communication attempts were unsuccessful, and the MV Ancier likely met its fate as scrap metal in India.