HALIFAX — Premier Darrell Dexter says the federal government continues to refuse taking responsibility for the dismantling of a ship that ran aground off Cape Breton almost a year ago.

Dexter says the provincial government is doing everything it can do to facilitate the ship’s removal, but it’s not within Nova Scotia’s jurisdiction.

Dexter’s comments come two weeks before the Bennington Group’s provincial authority to remove the ship expires, and the company has yet to file a revised work plan for the project.

He says he believes a pre-demolition site survey will be conducted by the Bennington Group next week and a timeline for full demolition will follow.

The vessel ran aground off Cape Breton on Sept. 20, 2011, while being towed to a scrapyard in Turkey.

Since then, the 230-metre bulk carrier has been sitting on Scatarie Island where it is becoming increasingly damaged by rough waters.

The removal of the ship was expected to start this week after more than a month of delay.