Ship Carrying 45,000 Tons Of Salt Refloated After Being Stuck In Delaware River For Days

A cargo ship that became stuck in the Delaware River near Philadelphia has been refloated and safely moved to a nearby terminal, officials said.

The Algoma Verity, a 623-foot bulk carrier, ran aground on January 8, 2025, while carrying 45,000 tons of solar salt.

The ship was heading north from the Port of Philadelphia to a terminal in Bucks County when it got stuck outside the main shipping channel, about a mile north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

The vessel was refloated on January 11, 2025, around 11:30 a.m. after being stuck for several days. It was safely moved to the Tioga Marine Terminal, located about two miles north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

The U.S. Coast Guard, along with representatives from the ship’s owner and salvage teams, worked together to free the vessel.

Captain Kate Higgins-Bloom, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, said the response teams showed “exceptional initiative” in such a challenging situation.

She also mentioned that while the ship is now out of the channel, there is still work to be done to ensure it is safely removed from the area.

As a safety measure, the Coast Guard has set up a 100-yard safety zone upriver and downriver from the Tioga Marine Terminal, restricting vessel traffic in the area.

The cause of the grounding is still being investigated. The ship’s pilot reported the incident to the Coast Guard on the evening of January 8, 2025.

The grounding happened in windy conditions, which caused water levels to drop by 2 to 3 feet during low tide, which may have contributed to the accident.

No injuries or pollution have been reported. However, the Algoma Verity sustained damage to four ballast tanks and one empty fuel tank.

The Coast Guard, along with the ship’s owner, is closely monitoring the situation to ensure there are no more risks.

Some residents also gathered around the riverbank to watch the grounded vessel. Dimitri Krasnopolsky, a resident of Fishtown, said he came to see what was happening after hearing about the grounded ship.

References: Fox29, nbcphiladelphia

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