Oh Noah! Coastguards impound 230ft replica ark in Ipswich because it does not have paperwork

When Noah launched his ark he had many urgent problems. But at least he didn’t have to show the authorities that he had the correct paperwork.

That problem, however, has hit the owner of a giant replica of Noah’s Ark.

Aad Peters’s vessel has been impounded by coastguards and cannot be moved because it does not have paperwork proving it is seaworthy.

The 230ft-long floating museum full of sculptures of biblical characters was detained after being towed across the North Sea from the Netherlands.

Mr Peters, a Dutch TV and theatre producer, is keen to return it to the Netherlands, but has been unable to get a licence to move it.

His negotiations with coastguard officials have reached a stalemate, meaning the £2.6million wooden vessel has been stuck for nearly 18 months on the waterfront of the docks in Ipswich.

Local residents have condemned it as a floating eyesore which blocks out sunlight and spoils the view from local homes.

The vessel is just under half the size of the ark in the Bible which measured 300 cubits, the equivalent of 510ft, and was used by Noah to save pairs of every animal when the world flooded.

It is reported to have been racking up fines of £500 a day since April 1 when a deadline to move it was missed.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency says it cannot release the ark until it has a load line certificate, which states how low it can safely sink in the water when fully loaded, and papers to show its hull has not been treated with anti-fouling paint, which contains chemicals harmful to wildlife.