Olivia Chow, the NDP federal transportation critic, is calling Transport Canada "irresponsible" for allowing a derelict Russian cruise ship to drift hundreds of kilometres northeast of St. John's.

The Lyubov Orlova is in international waters now, after being towed away from offshore oil installations last week.

In a news release, Olivia Chow, the NDP's federal transportation critic, called Transport Canada irresponsible in its handling of the Lyubov Orlova situation. (CBC )

Chow said the ship should never have been permitted to be towed out of St. John's harbour on Jan. 23.

"Transport Canada should not give the licence to allow an unreliable and unsafe tugboat to tug the Orlova in the first place," said Chow.

Orlova has travelled since Jan. 23

One day after leaving St. John's the Orlova ended up adrift, after its towline to the Charlene Hunt snapped.

As the Orlova drifted north east, the Charlene Hunt was ordered back to St. John's by Transport Canada.

The offshore oil supply vessel, Atlantic Hawk, picked up the Orlova on Jan. 30, as it drifted closer to offshore oil platforms on the Grand Banks. On Feb. 1, the derelict ship was then transferred to a supply vessel hired by Transport Canada. 20 minutes after the Orlova was transferred, the line to the vessel hired by Transport Canada broke.

The Orlova is now adrift in international waters in the north Atlantic Ocean.

Federal government has a problem, says Chow

Chow said the Orlova saga, and similar cases, such as the situation with MV Miner, a bulk carrier which ran aground off the coast of Nova Scotia during a failed attempt to tow it to Turkey in 2011, show the federal government has a big problem .

"Transport Canada is really falling down on its job. It's important that they make sure that these tugboats that are tugging these cruise ships or the MV Miner really have the capacity to do so," said Chow.

Transport Canada has said repeatedly in emails that the Lyubov Orlova is the responsibility of its owner.

Reza Shoeybi, the owner of the Orlova, said he was pleased to hear Chow's comments.

Shoeybi said he believes Chow is right, but he said he fears that won't help him get his ship back.

Federal officials have said the ship is not blocking navigation and it is free of possible pollution.