Arctic Corsair move delayed by dredging issue

The Arctic Corsair is Hull's last sidewinder trawler

Plans to move a historical fishing trawler to a new location have been delayed over a river dredging issue, a council has said.

As part of the Hull Maritime project, the Arctic Corsair is due to be moved to a new dry berth at the North End Shipyard.

Hull City Council needs to remove 3,500 cubic metres of silt from the River Hull to allow it to install a new 50-tonne dock gate.

However, the council said its application for a dredging licence had been paused by the Maritime Management Organisation (MMO) while it assessed the composition of the dredged material.

Gillian Osgerby, the council's interim assistant director of major projects, said: "The MMO has paused the application whilst it assessed the composition of dredged material and has since advised on the necessary disposal arrangements.

"As a consequence, the council is responding to the MMO's enquiries and requests for additional technical information which will be submitted to the MMO for consideration.

"These ongoing discussions have led to a delay in the programme which is not of the council's making and will impact the delivery time of the project and add to the cost.

"We remain committed to resolving this as quickly as possible and will proceed once an approval solution is found."

The council, which applied for the licence in October 2023, said it was "working quickly to provide the MMO with the additional technical information required".

The regeneration of the shipyard is funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund with the aim of protecting and showcasing Hull's maritime history.

The Arctic Corsair is Hull's last sidewinder trawler and was involved in the Cod Wars with Iceland in the 1970s.

It also broke a record for landing the most cod and haddock that had been caught in Russia's White Sea in 1973, according to National Historic Ships UK.

It has been operating as a visitor attraction since 1999.

The relocation of the Arctic Corsair is part of the Hull Maritime project.

Joinly funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project aims to promote and protect Hull's maritime history, architecture and collections.

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