Bulk Carrier Still Stuck In St. Lawrence River After Running Aground 2 Days Ago

The Tim S. Dool, a Canadian-flagged bulk carrier, ran aground on Saturday, November 23, around 12:30 p.m., near Morrisburg, Ontario, on the St. Lawrence River.

The 225-meter-long vessel, loaded with Canadian wheat, veered out of the navigational channel, most likely because of a mechanical failure, and was struck in the river’s muddy bottom.

The bulker loaded its cargo at Port Weller on Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America. The vessel departed on November 22.

The grounding occurred in U.S. waters near Crysler Shoal, but the shipping traffic in the area remains undisturbed.

The Tim S. Dool, built in 1967 and owned by Algoma Central Corporation, has remained stable with no reports of damage, pollution or water ingress. The crew of the vessel reported to be safe.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation announced that the work is underway to finalise a salvage plan, adding that an update will be given once the plan is known.

Industry experts expect a complex salvage operation with massive offloading required to refloat the vessel.

Maritime analyst Michael Folsom says the vessel’s bow is about 3 feet out of the water from where it would be if in the channel. It will take a lot of this load off the ship to refloat.

Meanwhile, the grounded bulker has become a local tourist attraction. Ship enthusiasts and residents have been gathering at Crysler Park Marina, which has a clear view of the stranded vessel.

Prescott resident Eugene Johnston shared that they’re really interested in ships and that when they heard about this grounding, they decided to come down and see what it was all about.

Regular ship watchers, like Nick Wolochatiuk from Ingleside, didn’t miss the opportunity, commenting that it was quite interesting, adding that they had checked several spots before finding the best vantage point.

Shippers are rushing to move goods before the season closes in early January. However, this year’s traffic had slightly declined, with just under 3,000 transits and about 28 million metric tons of cargo reported by the end of October.

The area is known for its challenging navigation. Local resident Sean Mullen wasn’t surprised by the grounding, saying it’s a tricky spot. The turns between the channel and Morrisburg make it difficult to navigate.

Earlier In August, a Dutch cargo ship blocked traffic after losing power in another section of the waterway, while another vessel ran aground near Cornwall in September 2023, causing delays for multiple ships.

Authorities and the Algoma Central Corporation continue to work on safely refloating the Tim S. Dool.

References: Ottawa, Ctv News

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