We like Sir Richard Branson’s idea of sinking the ship Kodiak Queen in Virgin Islands waters to serve as an artificial reef and dive site.
As long as the project can be carried out in a manner that is environmentally friendly, it stands to benefit the territory significantly.
We would hate to see the ship relegated to the scrap heap. Though the Queen apparently found her way to the VI more or less by chance, she played an interesting role in world history: Originally a fuel oil barge in the United States Navy, the 144-foot ship is believed to be one of only five surviving vessels that was present when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, drawing the US into World War II.
Since then, she has seen varied service — including working as a fishing boat in Alaska — before she was abandoned in Baughers Bay alongside other derelict vessels, which are currently being dismantled and removed for scrap.
We hope that Sir Richard’s fledgling non-profit foundation — which is itself a welcome addition to the community’s civic organisations — will succeed in its efforts to save the Queen from the same fate.
Derelict ships have been used to create artificial reefs that benefit many tourist destinations around the world, including the VI, whose “Wreck Alley” already serves as a popular dive site.
The Kodiak Queen would be a good addition there or elsewhere, providing a substrate for coral growth and thus benefitting marine life and tourism at the same time.
Before proceeding, though, there are risks that would need to be carefully considered, as certain ships can pollute the water and cause other negative effects to marine life. Therefore, we were glad to hear that the foundation plans to carry out an environmental impact assessment before moving forward.
If the project proves ecologically sound, we hope that the government and the wider community will come on board and offer support so that it can get done as soon as possible.
Such projects are precisely what the territory should be pursuing as it works to shore up its tourism product in an increasingly competitive global industry.
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