Stuck in Chesapeake Bay mud for more than five weeks, the container ship Ever Forward is finally free. Refloating the 1,100-foot long ship required discharging 500 containers and additional dredging but she was dragged by seven tugs from the mudbank early on Sunday. Once freed and in the channel, the ship needed to be quickly ballasted to be able to fit under the Bay Bridge. The ship was then anchored to complete a damage survey.
Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.
Now what?
The ship will have to reload those containers prior to proceeding to sea this time without going aground. Oh! but wait no doubt cabotage laws come into play the containers are now being transported between U.S. Ports. By being removed from this non-U.S. registered vessel and landed in the U. S. an exemption will be necessary to reload them.
Interesting to see what happens.
Good Watch
Thanks for the succinct update. Always know where to go for reliable nautical news!
This is the ship that brought my grandmother and great-grandmother to America from Ireland in 1881. I plan to visit the site of its sinking sometime this year.