Time is ticking on Island Scout vessel
~ St. Maarten Government t to sell recovered items on boat if unclaimed in two weeks ~
PHILIPSBURG — Owners of items on the Island Scout sea vessel that ran aground on Great Beach in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto, have just about two weeks to claim them from the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI).
A notice published this week by the VROMI Ministry announced that the minister has decided, based on Article 9, sub 1 of the LANDSVERORDENING houdende maatregelen tot opruiming van schepen en wrakken in zee en op het zeestrand, to proceed with the official notification for the removal of the shipwrecked Island Scout, IMO number 9215220, effective Saturday, August 31, 2024, from 6:00 PM.
The notice continues: “The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), as the legally assigned custodian of the territorial sea of Sint Maarten, including the bays and inlets that are in open connection with it, and the beaches and shores of the sea; wishes to inform of the Government’s intention to remove the shipwrecked vessel M/V Island Scout, IMO number 9215220, that since the passing of tropical storm Ernesto, August 13, 2024, has run aground in Great Bay and possess a potential threat to shipping traffic, public safety, critical infrastructure of country Sint Maarten (Undersea cables SSCS and SMPR-1) and the entire area of Phillipsburg and the boardwalk.”
Island Scout has been stranded in St. Maarten waters for seven months due to what is believed to be financial constraints by the owners. The vessel is registered to a company United Shipping Ltd in the British Virgin Islands. The issue is so bad that according to Chief Ship Inspector at St. Maarten’s Shipping and Maritime Inspectorate in St. Maarten, Paul Ellinger, the crew had not been paid for months. The scenario came to a head on August 13, 2024 when with the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto, the vessel ran aground, despite the best efforts by the crew to protect it and have it anchored at sea. Prior to this incident, Ellinger and his team rescued the crew members on board the Island Scout.
Related news: The Tale of how MV Island Scout ended up on Great Bay beach
Ellinger told StMaartenNews.com on Friday August 30, that government is now in the process of ceasing legal possession of the vessel. “First a notice goes off to the (owner), giving him a chance to come and do what he is supposed to do with the vessel. If that cannot be achieved, that’s where government moves in,” Ellinger explained. He is not sure at this time how much it will cost for the owner to recover the vessel from the government. “Right now, nobody has put a price tag on the removal (of the vessel),” he said. “Somebody has to come and survey it and then we get a price.”
Based on Article 12, sub 1 of the LANDSVERORDENING houdende maatregelen tot opruiming van schepen en wrakken in zee en op het zeestrand, all items recovered during the removal will be handed over to interested parties, who come forward and can identify themselves as such, upon payment of the costs incurred for the removal or upon providing security for such payment.
Article 13, sub 1 allows for the Minister to proceed, if interested parties do not come forward or fail to pay the costs referred to in Article 12, paragraph 1, or fail to provide security for such payment within the period set by the Minister; namely two (2) weeks after the signing of this decision, to sell the recovered items. The notice calls for the interested parties to contact the Ministry of VROMI (+ 1-721-586-8681 or e-mail Luciano.nicholls@sintmaartengov.org) or Inspection Department of Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) – +1-721-542-2507 or email Ellinger.Paul@sintmaartengov.org).
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