Crews Will Empty Cargo From A Massive Ship Stuck In Chesapeake Bay

MARYLAND — After a recent attempt failed to free a massive container ship stuck in the Chesapeake Bay for more than two weeks, crews have now gone back to the drawing board.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, salvage experts recently determined they can't overcome the ground force of the Ever Forward while it is loaded with cargo.

As a result, they had to come up with a revised strategy to pry the ship loose from the mud of the bay where it ran aground.

The new strategy offers the best chance of successfully getting the massive container ship moving, they said.

Dredging will continue to a depth of 43 feet, and shipping containers will be removed as soon as two crane barges are installed with suitable lift heights to remove the containers, authorities said Monday.

The containers will be removed in daylight hours only for safety purposes from both the port and starboard sides and placed on receiving barges, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Then, these barges will shuttle the containers back to their original onboarding facility, Seagrit Marine Terminal in Baltimore, where they will be offloaded by shore-based handling gear.

Officials said once the containers are removed, tugs and pull barges will attempt another refloat. The shipping channel will remain open to one-way traffic during these operations, and any changes will be announced via normal maritime means.

Dredging, emptying the ship and again trying to move the ship should take about two weeks, but that timeline may change based on weather conditions and other variables, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Officials said a 500-yard safety zone around the ship in the Chesapeake Bay will continue for the duration of the operation and that the adjacent shipping channel will remain unaffected. The zone has been established to provide for the safety of workers involved in the salvage operation, as well as the integrity of the marine environment.

"Ensuring the ship’s stability and monitoring for any signs of pollution continue to be top priorities for the Unified Command and responders. In addition to regular soundings of fuel and ballast tanks, a naval architect and salvage master are remotely monitoring a recently installed sensor system to constantly evaluate the ship’s stability and integrity and will continue to do so throughout the refloat operation," the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release. "They will also continue to conduct regular visits to the ship."

Mariners should monitor VHF channel 16 for the latest information.

The Ever Forward salvage operation began March 13 after the 1,095-foot container ship grounded in the Chesapeake Bay near Craighill Channel.

SEE ALSO:

• Dredging Underway To Free Container Ship Stuck In Chesapeake Bay
• Giant Container Ship Stuck In Chesapeake Bay
• First Attempt To Free Container Ship Stuck In Bay Set For Tuesday