Tasmanian environmentalist Sam McLennan’s ambitious plan to sail a vessel made from rubbish from Hobart to Sydney has hit a snag.
The vessel, made of debris found along Tasmania’s coast and waterways, had its registration cancelled by Tasmania’s Marine and Safety Authority (MAST).
MAST deemed the ‘rubbish raft’ unsafe after seeing McLennan sailing it on Hobart’s River Derwent, citing concerns about its ability to handle varying sea conditions.
McLennan, who leads Project Interrupt, is disappointed by the decision and believes the vessel is seaworthy, having tested it in strong conditions successfully.
“The vessel in their opinion is unsafe and incapable of making way in light to moderate head winds and sea conditions and they deem it unsafe to undertake the journey,” McLennan told the ABC.
“They communicated to me that it is an offence for me to operate this vessel on Tasmanian waters now because it is unregistered.”
The vessel is made mostly from discarded materials like oyster bags, pipes and ropes, with McLennan aiming to raise awareness about ocean pollution.
MAST has offered to reconsider the registration if a qualified marine surveyor or naval architect confirms the vessel’s seaworthiness, a requirement McLennan finds challenging due to the unique nature of his project.
“I don’t believe there’s any naval architect or marine surveyor in Tasmania or maybe even in Australia that’s ever built a vessel out of marine debris … my team and I, we have that experience,” he said.
McLennan says he has ‘come to far’ to give up now and is seeking a resolution with MAST to continue his voyage legally.
