Recovered pieces of the crane-topped barge, which sank in 2017, will be used to build “community-informed art and amenities,” officials say.
PROVIDENCE — Work will begin this week to remove a 114-foot abandoned Navy barge that has been submerged in the Providence River for more than seven years, with the aim to repurpose some of its materials into works of public art, officials announced Monday.The steel-hulled barge has sat 500 feet offshore from the Port of Providence since it sank in October 2017, leaving its tall crane protruding from the water.Monday’s announcement follows a years-long effort to remove the massive vessel, which officials said poses several issues for the state’s key port and the river that connects to Narragansett Bay, New England’s largest estuary.
“More than just an eyesore in Rhode Island’s leading port, the derelict vessel also presents a navigational hazard, ecological concerns, and limitations to recreational and economic activities for nearby residents in disadvantaged communities,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said about the project. “The longer it sits and rusts, the more likely it is that pieces will break off and fragment, littering the surrounding area and shoreline.”
The project will begin with diving and surveying work, followed by the removal of the barge’s crane, and eventually, the lifting of the wreck from the riverbed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Water quality will also be tested before, during, and after to monitor for potential contaminants from the barge the river, and a silt curtain will be put in place to stop debris from moving downstream, according to the agency. Volunteer cleanup sessions with nonprofit Save The Bay will also be held once the barge is removed.
In total, crews are expected to remove up to 400,000 pounds of “large marine debris,” the department said in a statement. The material will be towed to a local recycling yard for processing, officials said.