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Ever Forward refloating to be attempted on Tuesday

Photo: USCG Ever_Forward_Grounded_USCG.jpg
A USCG response boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay monitors the vessel Ever Forward,
An attempt to refloat the Ever Forward will be made on Tuesday over two weeks after the containership grounded in Chesapeake Bay.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) said that it along with Maryland Department of the Environment and Evergreen Marine Corporation, and multiple state and local responders, would attempt to refloat the vessel at noon (local time) on Tuesday 29 March.

Salvors have undertaken over a week of dredging operations to help free the stricken vessel which grounded after sailing from the port of Baltimore. Poor weather at the end of last week caused a delay in plans to refloat the vessel.

A 500 metre safety zone around the vessel will be extended to 1,000 metres from noon on Tuesday during the refloat operations.

“The public should anticipate one-way traffic at a reduced safe speed to resume at midnight or at the discretion of the Captain of the Port following the refloat attempt,” USCG said.

“Ensuring the ship’s stability, and monitoring for potential pollution continue to be top priorities of the unified command and responders.”

Should the operation be unsuccessful further dredging around the Ever Forward will be carried out with a second attempt made to refloat the vessel on 3 April.

The 12,000 teu, 2020-built Ever Forward grounded 13 March in the Chesapeake Bay near Craighill Channel after sailing from the Port of Baltimore bound for Norfolk, Virginia.

The grounding captured public attention and imagination coming almost a year after the Ever Given grounded in the Suez Canal on 23 March 2021 blocking the key waterway for six days and causing havoc in global supply chains.