Barge Incident Bella Bella
Last updated on December 3, 2025Disclaimer:
- Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
- Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change
Incident description
| Incident Date | November 18, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 254448 |
| Source | Barge |
| Nearest Community | Bella Bella, B.C. |
| Spilled Content | N/A |
| Who is involved |
Dunlap Towing, Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Transport Canada (TC), and Heiltsuk Nation Marine Emergency Response Team. |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) may assume the role.
The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).
Most recent updates
November 24
On November 22, Transport Canada gave approval for the vessels to travel.
Bering Trader and its escort vessel left the area on November 23.
No further updates to this webpage are anticipated.
November 21
On November 21, a coordination call was held with CCG, Heiltsuk Nation, EEB, a marine response contractor, and the responsible person.
Operations to transfer containers from Bering Trader to a receiving barge continued through November 21.
No pollution or loss of cargo was reported.
Preparation is underway for another vessel to escort Bering Trader from the area. Transport Canada was on site November 21.
EEB continues to monitor the situation.
Further updates will be provided when more information becomes available.
November 20 - Updated 4:30 p.m.
The Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB) is aware that barge Bering Trader began taking on water near Bella Bella on November 18. Bering Trader was being pulled by tug Malolo.
On November 19, Bering Trader was moved to Port John harbour, to keep it safe from predicted wind.
The marine response contractor arrived on site November 20 and began operations to transfer containers from Bering Trader to a receiving barge.
Bering Trader is being monitored. No pollution has been observed. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team remain on site.
On November 20, a coordination call was held with CCG, Heiltsuk Nation, EEB, a marine response contractor, and the responsible person, Dunlap Towing.
EEB continues to monitor the situation.
Further updates will be provided when more information becomes available.