35,000 litres of fuel removed from grounded barge near Campbell River, B.C.

The 98-metre Trailer Princess is a former railcar ferry that was converted into a helicopter pad and refueling platform. (CTV News)

More than 35,000 litres of fuel have been recovered from a grounded and leaking barge near Campbell River, B.C.

The coast guard was alerted to the listing vessel in Duncan Bay, north of the city, by a helicopter pilot on Feb. 14, according to a spokesperson for the agency.

The 98-metre Trailer Princess is a former railcar ferry that was converted into a helicopter pad and refuelling platform.

A coast guard crew from the Campbell River lifeboat station immediately assessed the barge and laid 275 metres of pollution containment boom around the vessel.

Over the following days, coast guard members removed approximately 34,000 litres of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from the barge, while skimming operations removed an additional 1,500 litres of fuel from the vessel's hull, according to coast guard spokesperson Michelle Imbeau.

A second layer of containment boom was also added around the vessel while divers were contracted to plug holes in the hull to prevent further environmental contamination.

Coast guard crews were ordered to stop their recovery work on Feb. 20 due to the hazardous work environment within the vessel's hull, Imbeau said.

The coast guard has confirmed the vessel remains grounded and is listing to the port side, while aerial reconnaissance has determined that minimal fuel continues to leak within the containment area, according to the coast guard.

Authorities are monitoring the site and replacing soiled containment booms daily, Imbeau said.

Indigenous Guardians are also assessing the site twice a week to check for potential impacts on ecologically sensitive areas, she added.

The coast guard is working with hazardous materials contractors to remove the remaining fuel from the barge's hull. The recovery may involve removing the barge from the water in order to access interior fuel tanks that cannot be accessed from the water, Imbeau said.