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Nassau, Bahamas – It has been a year and eight months since a barge became stranded on a coral reef off Saunders Beach in New Providence, causing significant and ongoing damage, and risking the lives and livelihoods of people onshore. Despite repeated calls for its removal, the large pieces of the vessel remain on the reef, no longer visible from shore but clearly seen from above. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. A tug and barge  have been grounded on a coral reef within Fowl Cay  National Park in Abaco since March —nearly six months ago—with no removal efforts in sight.

The reef affected by the grounded vessel in New Providence plays a crucial role in protecting the Saunders Beach and Goodman’s Bay coastal areas from direct wave energy and storm surges. The abandoned barge, grounded near Go-Slow Bend since December 2022, has already caused severe damage, gouging a trench into the reef and pulverising coral in its path. This ongoing destruction increases the vulnerability of our coastlines to flooding and storm impacts.

BREEF Executive Director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert explains that the impact of this grounded barge has been severe damage to the environment’s natural breakwaters by damaging the reef structure that can dissipate  wave energy by up to 95%.

“The coral reefs along the north shore of New Providence play a critical role in protecting lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure from storm surges and hurricanes. Any damage, especially physical destruction of this magnitude, directly increases flooding and storm impacts on the shoreline behind it,” McKinney-Lambert said.

Over the years, increased flooding events on Bay Street, particularly in the Saunders Beach area, have brought surge, sand, debris, and flooding into local communities, disrupting lives, homes, and businesses. Residents have endured flooding from storms, which have left coastal roadways littered with debris. Abandoned vessels like this one, that contribute to the continued destruction of the barrier reef, are making this problem worse.

In Abaco, locals  have been advocating for the removal of the two grounded vessels left on the reef for nearly six months. Despite these efforts, no action has been taken, and the vessels continue to cause harm to the marine environment.

BREEF stands with the local community, fellow NGOs, and environmental advocates in calling for the immediate removal of the vessels in Abaco, New Providence, and other grounded ships around the archipelago. Coral reefs are our natural breakwaters, providing essential protection against the increasing intensity of hurricanes and storm surges. As we are in the midst of hurricane season, the urgency of removing these vessels cannot be overstated.

For more information or to support our efforts, please visit breef.org.