Ever Forward stuck aground outside Baltimore portEver Forward stuck aground outside Baltimore port

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

Fortunately, according to the US Coast Guard (USCG), the Hong Kong-flagged Ever Forward is not blocking the navigational channel. However, vessels operating in vicinity are required to conduct one-way traffic and transit at a reduced speed. 

There were no reports of injuries, pollution, or damage to the vessel and the coast guard is enforcing a 500-yard safety zone around the Ever Forward. A plan is being worked on to refloat the vessel.

“A Captain of the Port Order has been issued by the Coast Guard requiring the vessel’s crew to conduct soundings of all tanks, bilges, and voids every four hours to monitor potential pollution and report any noticeable change in stability, draft readings, vessel position, or signs of an oil discharge,” USCG said.

The grounding of the Evergreen vessel comes close to the anniversary of the Ever Given grounding in the Suez Canal on the 23 March 2021 hitting global headlines as it blocked the key waterway for six days causing chaos in the global supply chain.