Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Tuktoyaktuk (Aug 28/00) - Two shipping companies have pleaded not guilty to environmental charges related to a diesel fuel spill in the Beaufort Delta.

Northern Transportation Co. Ltd. and Fednav Ltd. were charged under the Canada Shipping Act over a spill of 8,000 litres of diesel near Tuktoyaktuk in 1997.

It's a matter that has been before the courts numerous times and the judge hearing the case served notice that he's not prepared to see it drag on.

Judge Michel Bourassa said the matter has been delayed in territorial court for too long.

"There have been 14 appearances since February of this year and we're no further ahead," he said.

Crown prosecutor Alan Regel and Angela Davies, who was acting for the Vancouver law firm representing NTCL and Fednav, told Bourassa there have been several pre-trial conferences.

"I'll be quite candid," Bourassa said. "If this matter is back in front of me, I'm going to set a trial date, arbitrarily if I have to, to get this thing moving."

The charges were laid after the sinking of a dry dock the two companies owned through a Fednav subsidiary.

Fednav is a multi-national marine bulk transporter, the largest ocean shipping and chartering group in Canada. Northern Transportation is a Northern-owned marine shipping company based in Hay River.

The dock sank on May 25, 1997, and was raised in July the same year.

A cracked valve and leaked diesel were discovered after the salvage.

The next court appearance for the companies is Oct. 3.