PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The 114-foot barge that sank in the Providence River seven years ago is now going to be removed.
The R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced Monday that work to remove the crane-topped barge will begin this week.
The 150-ton MG Marine Barge sank into the river during a nor’easter in October 2017 and has been there ever since. It’s now completely submerged except for its mounted crane, which sticks out of the water at a 45-degree angle.
In September, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the DEM more than $1.5 million to pull the barge from the river.
The DEM has teamed up with The Steel Yard, a Providence-based industrial arts center, to transform materials recovered from its hull into community-informed artwork and amenities.
Those pieces will be on display at a public waterfront access point off of Public Street, near where the sunken barge has sat for several years.
The DEM is also partnering with Save The Bay to host volunteer marine debris cleanups after the barge is removed.