Removal of Seattle ‘graffiti ship’ could cost $600K–$800K

SEATTLE - A graffiti-covered ship that has drawn visitors and raised safety concerns in Ballard could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to remove, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

The department plans to take custody of the Albert, known as the "graffiti ship," on Thursday, Oct. 22. Its removal would likely come toward the end of November, according to DNR.

Jerry Farmer, a natural resource specialist with the department’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program, said officials will have a better understanding of the cost once they gain access to the vessel. For a ship its size, he estimated removal could cost $600,000 to $800,000.

The owner would receive the bill, but Farmer said the likelihood of recovering the money is slim, based on past experiences.

A photo attraction with safety concerns

The backstory:

The Albert has become a photo opportunity near 24th Avenue Northwest, attracting visitors and gaining attention through social media posts shared hundreds of times.

Seattle resident Misty Sundman came to see it after hearing it might be removed.

"Somebody was posting that it was going to be gone, like the city was going to get rid of it, so I wanted to check it out before I was no longer able to check it out," said Sundman.

But the attention has also raised concerns about people boarding the ship. Farmer said the vessel attracts people who climb aboard, creating a risk that someone will get hurt.

Local publications claim that the Albert has been sitting at the public dock for about six years. Farmer said it has been in DNR’s abandoned vessel database for three years.

The ship previously fell outside the department’s jurisdiction because it was not on state-owned aquatic lands, according to Farmer. There also was litigation between the city and the owner.

"The owner had until June to move the vessel because of litigation," said Farmer.

Hundreds of vessels remain on DNR’s list

By the numbers:

The Albert is one of hundreds of vessels drawing the department’s attention statewide.

A DNR list identifies 358 "vessels of concern" that have yet to be removed from Washington waterways. Farmer described the work as a revolving door: Even after hundreds of removals, more vessels remain in the department’s case files.

"Last biennium, we removed around 419 vessels. So we think, ‘Wow that cleared our database and then some.’ How many boats can be out there like that? The number never changed. It was still about 300 vessels still active in our case files," said Farmer.

State takeover comes before removal

What's next:

Farmer said statewide legislation that took effect this summer gives his office more opportunities to remove vessels before they threaten human health, safety, navigation or pollution response.

For the Albert, taking custody is an initial step. DNR’s planned Oct. 22 takeover does not mean the ship will disappear that day.

The department expects removal to happen closer to the end of November, with the final cost still to be determined.

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