BALTIMORE — A cargo ship is stuck after it ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay.
The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing to try to free the 1,000-foot container vessel, called the Ever Forward.
Officials say it's not obstructing traffic and no injuries or damage have been reported so far.
Coast Guard responders are working with personnel from the Maryland Department of the Environment to monitor the container ship, investigate how the ship grounded, and develop a plan to safely refloat the ship.
The ship left the Port of Baltimore Sunday headed to Norfolk, Virginia. It's part of the same fleet of cargo ships owned by Evergreen Marine Corp., which also owns the Ever Given.
The Ever Given was the vessel that got stuck in the Suez Canal for a week last year, causing massive problems for global shipping.
Update 3/21:
The operator of the cargo ship has a plan to refloat the stranded ship.
They say the plan involves releasing ballast to lighten the load of the Ever Forward, and dredging around the ship to create space between the propeller and rudder and the seabed. The Donjon Smit salvage team will then refloat the ship at high tide using the power of tugboats and the ship's main engine.
The Baltimore Firefighters tweeted on Friday that they will help assist in the plan if need.
Have you heard about the #EverForward that is aground in the Chesapeake Bay? Here is the official information release by Evergreen. The #BCFDFireBoat, a regional response vessel, is part of the @portofbalt fire plan and will be ready to assist if needed. https://t.co/lIiK5JPgek pic.twitter.com/VQDdo56D8g
— Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 (@BCFDL734) March 20, 2022
Update 3/22:
The Coast Guard says dredging work is happening right now to try and free up the Ever Forward. It's expected to continue through the week.
