Photo: Ark Museum
In what can only be described as an international incident of biblical proportions and irony, a biblical floating museum from the Netherlands, Noah’s Ark, is being detained in Ipswich in the UK after the Coastguard deemed it not seaworthy.
Noah’s Ark is a $3.7 million floating museum owned by Dutch TV producer Aad Peters: it’s a half-scale replica of the Ark described in the bible, at 230 feet long (70 meters), and made entirely out of wood. He describes it as a “talking point” and a “symbol of hope,” delivering a common experience for visitors, whether they’re religious or not. That said, the museum is packed with biblical wooden sculptures, telling a variety of stories, from Adam and Eve’s, Cain and Abel’s, to Noah’s ark-building efforts that ultimately saved life on earth after the biblical flood.
Noah’s Ark (the museum, not the real thing) traveled by tow boat from its home country, the Netherlands, to Orwell Quay in Ipswich in November 2019, setting up a temporary base there. It should have left in April this year, but it can’t because authorities here have deemed it unseaworthy, The Mirror reports.
According to the Coastguard, Noah’s Ark is not safe to make the crossing and won’t be allowed to go back home until a new MCA inspection determines that all wrongs have been righted. These include “overdue services for life-saving equipment such as life jackets, fire kit and life boats.” Apparently, the Coastguard is not willing to “rely on the grace of God” in allowing the boat to leave—and this is an actual phrase that has been included in a public statement.
In response, management for Noah’s Ark says that it classifies as a “non-certified floating object,” allowed to leave home base on an “infrequent and exceptional basis,” which would mean it should not meet the standards for boats. Management has already made towage plans, but it can’t go through with them because of the need for extra certification. Meanwhile, the Ark is incurring additional costs in daily fines of £500 ($707).
Noah’s Ark (the museum, not the real thing) traveled by tow boat from its home country, the Netherlands, to Orwell Quay in Ipswich in November 2019, setting up a temporary base there. It should have left in April this year, but it can’t because authorities here have deemed it unseaworthy, The Mirror reports.
According to the Coastguard, Noah’s Ark is not safe to make the crossing and won’t be allowed to go back home until a new MCA inspection determines that all wrongs have been righted. These include “overdue services for life-saving equipment such as life jackets, fire kit and life boats.” Apparently, the Coastguard is not willing to “rely on the grace of God” in allowing the boat to leave—and this is an actual phrase that has been included in a public statement.
In response, management for Noah’s Ark says that it classifies as a “non-certified floating object,” allowed to leave home base on an “infrequent and exceptional basis,” which would mean it should not meet the standards for boats. Management has already made towage plans, but it can’t go through with them because of the need for extra certification. Meanwhile, the Ark is incurring additional costs in daily fines of £500 ($707).
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