(Fifth in a series of posts.)
In this post, we break down the sanctuary construction process and its estimated costs, as well as the process and estimated costs for rehabilitating and transporting the first whale residents.
The capital (i.e. onetime) costs are estimated to be in the range of $12-15 million USD. Beyond construction of the sanctuary itself, these costs will include rehabilitating, conditioning, and transporting the whales. Monthly costs during the construction process will likely be in the low seven-figure (USD) range.
Note that at this stage, construction costs are estimates. The precise costs of specific works will be finalized as we receive bids from various contractors.
Similarly, costs of whale conditioning, rehabilitation and transport to the sanctuary cannot be determined until specific candidate whales are identified and initial veterinary evaluations have been conducted. Based on our team’s experience, we will then have rough estimates as to what these costs will be. They will include, but are not limited to:
- number of whales to be cared for and transported from the marine park or aquarium;
- number of staff required on site at that facility;
- location of the whales’ current facility and cost of housing staff there;
- duration of the rehabilitation and conditioning process.
Work already completed:
Basic bay pen design and engineering,
facilities design,
anchoring engineering,
indigenous impact study,
environmental site assessments.
The timetable below assumes the best possible case of having all necessary capital funds in hand to complete each phase. At time of posting this timetable, we do not yet have these funds.
Months 1 to 3: Wharf reconstruction
Mobilization (setting up equipment, staff, and infrastructure),
Removal of old wharf and buildings;
New wharf construction; floating dock; dredging; geotechnical; construction management;
Power, potable water and septic system;
Final building design & engineering;
De-mobilization (removing all resources after the job is done).
Months 4 to 5: Site remediation & net fabrication
Includes capping old mine areas;
Net pen and perimeter net fabrication (off-site).
Months 6 to 8: On-site construction and marine infrastructure installation
The operating (i.e. continuing annual) costs. While capital costs remain rough until we have the funds in hand to get precise, in-time estimates from contractors, we can say, based on known costs in today’s market, managing the sanctuary and caring for the whales once they are on site will amount to approximately $1.5 to $2 million USD per year.
Next: Care of the Whales Before and After Coming to the Sanctuary