Does local Maryland River pilot get nailed with this accident or mechanical failure?
Hard to believe local pilot would leave channel intentionally.
Those guys are usually pretty good.
Do they offload or wait for full moon?
4 tugs unable to free stuck freighter
Associated Press
Posted Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 4:59 pm
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Four tugboats working in tandem were unable to move a huge freighter that ran aground in the mouth of the Choptank River, U.S. Coast Guard officials said today.
The 711-foot ship, which is loaded with coal and weighs 38,700 tons, ran aground Wednesday morning, and the Coast Guard made several attempts to get it floating again.
The final attempt was made at high tide this afternoon and involved four tugs – twice as many as were used on Wednesday. But the ship wouldn't budge.
The Liberian-flagged vessel's owner will be required to submit a salvage plan, which the Coast Guard and the Maryland Department of the Environment will review, said Lt.j.g. Isaac Saenz, a Coast Guard spokesman.
A Maryland pilot was aboard the ship, which was heading from the Port of Baltimore to the Atlantic Ocean when it ran aground, Saenz said. What caused it to leave the Chesapeake Bay's main shipping channel remains under investigation.
The freighter showed no signs of structural damage, but it will be re-examined once it's floating again, Saenz said. There have been no reports of pollution.
Mark
Maryland
Hard to believe local pilot would leave channel intentionally.
Those guys are usually pretty good.
Do they offload or wait for full moon?
4 tugs unable to free stuck freighter
Associated Press
Posted Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 4:59 pm
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Four tugboats working in tandem were unable to move a huge freighter that ran aground in the mouth of the Choptank River, U.S. Coast Guard officials said today.
The 711-foot ship, which is loaded with coal and weighs 38,700 tons, ran aground Wednesday morning, and the Coast Guard made several attempts to get it floating again.
The final attempt was made at high tide this afternoon and involved four tugs – twice as many as were used on Wednesday. But the ship wouldn't budge.
The Liberian-flagged vessel's owner will be required to submit a salvage plan, which the Coast Guard and the Maryland Department of the Environment will review, said Lt.j.g. Isaac Saenz, a Coast Guard spokesman.
A Maryland pilot was aboard the ship, which was heading from the Port of Baltimore to the Atlantic Ocean when it ran aground, Saenz said. What caused it to leave the Chesapeake Bay's main shipping channel remains under investigation.
The freighter showed no signs of structural damage, but it will be re-examined once it's floating again, Saenz said. There have been no reports of pollution.
Mark
Maryland