Dredging work to start to move historic trawler

Stuart HarrattEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC A large ship in water. It is black with a white and brown bridge and two masts.BBC
The Arctic Corsair will be towed up the River Hull

Dredging work is to start on the River Hull this month to allow a historic trawler to reach its new home, Hull City Council said.

The Arctic Corsair is due to be towed to become a visitor attraction at the newly renovated North End Shipyard in the city centre.

About 4,578 cubit yards (3,500 cubic metres) of silt and waste material is being removed from the river between Drypool Bridge and North Bridge to allow the ship to pass through, the council said.

Council leader Mike Ross described the work as "a technically complex and vital operation".

"By clearing the riverbed and preparing the dock, we are ensuring that, when the tides are right this summer, we can bring this piece of Hull's history home safely," he said.

"It is a huge logistical challenge, but one that takes us a massive step closer to opening this world-class visitor attraction."

A council spokesperson said the material removed from the river bed would be temporarily stored in North Dock and the solid waste separated out and "transported off-site for specialist disposal".

Aerial view of a dry dock. There are a number of buildings and a large concrete base. There is a body of water in front of the dock and the muddy river bank is visible.
The Arctic Corsair will be housed at the new North End Shipyard maritime museum

The trawler will eventually be sealed into the former dry dock before the site opens to the public.

The Arctic Corsair was built in 1960 and is Hull's last surviving sidewinder trawler.

It was involved in the Cod Wars conflict with Iceland in the 1970s and rammed an Icelandic gunboat during the dispute.

The new museum is part of a £65m redevelopment of the city's maritime history.

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