A second barge delivery is being planned for the Sahtu region with a cargo cut-off date of July 9.
Marine Transport ServiceSA国际影视传媒檚 core mandate "remains to serve the communities of the NWT and, should water levels allow, the decision was made to proceed with at least one barge service to the Sahtu," the GNWT stated on its NWT Infrastructure social media page on June 27. "This first barge will consist mainly of fuel with space available for cargo going to Tulita and Norman Wells. MTS is also accepting cargo for a potential second trip to the Sahtu, going to Tulita, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope.
"With respect to the safety of our hardworking staff, sailing plans and schedules are highly dependent on river conditions, which can change very quickly. Should any trip be cancelled, customers may be responsible for picking up their cargo from the Hay River terminal. MTS customer service will be available to help with logistics of cargo retrieval."
On June 26, the GNWT announced its barge schedule for the summer. The cut-off to send cargo on what is now potentially the first barge to the Sahtu communities was June 30. Initially, Fort Good Hope was also given a June 30 date but now the first barge to Fort Good Hope is listed as no longer proceeding, so anyone in Fort Good Hope who needs barge services will be relying on the shipment later this month.
Several residents of Norman Wells told NNSL Media that the short window made it effectively impossible to register cargo in time. Public outrage in a Norman Wells community social media group was so acute that Infrastructure Minister Vince Mckay responded to public complaints and personally apologized for the short notice, although he noted that the GNWT was not given much notice itself by the Coast Guard.