MV Miner salvage attracts 2 dozen companies

There's hope the salvage of the MV Miner is one step closer after representatives from 27 companies from around the world gathered in Main--Dieu, Cape Breton, this week.

The companies were all interested in potentiallybidding on the work, with a tender for the salvage effort closing April 23.

After meeting with prospective salvage companies, Sean Howard, with the Main--Dieu Community Development Association, says hes confident the wreck will be removed.

"It's clear from what I've seen and what I've heard that there aresome companies with major capacity and major experience who could do this job safely and well and at as low a cost as possible,"he said.

"So there's some serious players involved."

Contractors were taken by helicopter to view the wreck. Howard said he hopes a serious bid will emerge and hes optimistic the MV Miner can be removed by November.

The Nova Scotia government is asking companies bidding for the work to submit proposals on how they plan to safely remove the 12,000-tonne ship, which has been stranded since it ran aground on Sept. 20, 2011.

The request for proposals said the vessel still has contaminants on board, including about 6,000 kilograms of materials containing asbestos.