Waverton’s MV Cape Don set for destruction after seizure

Key points

• NSW Maritime has seized the historic MV Cape Don, moored off the Coal Loader at Waverton, and the vessel is now slated for disposal. The authority cites serious risks to public safety and the environment from hull corrosion and potential chemical leaks.
• The government says the ship could sink and that salvage would cost an estimated $15 million. The Sea Heritage Foundation disputes that assessment and wants the evidence behind the figure made public.
• Launched in 1963, the ship later supported scientific research and the transport of a historic lighthouse tower.