There is still no timeline on when a grounded cargo ship in the Bay of Islands will be removed.

First, salvagers have to remove fuel and cargo from the Baltic III, by no means a simple task.

Kris Drodge, a master mariner at the Marine Institute, says having the ship’s on-board cranes operational is a positive.

A request to fix up a road in the area to allow shore access is also awaiting approval.

The owner of the Baltic III, Mediterranean Shipping Company, has hired T&T Salvage out of the U.S., and Eastern Canada Response Corporation to help reduce the environmental impact.

The ship’s owner and its insurers will pay for the response and removal of the vessel.

Drodge says the challenges are immense to get the vessel in a position to refloat.

“So there are lots of options here but I don’t think refloating and getting it off right now is even in the cards,” he said.