Freighter hauling 21,000 tons of salt runs aground in Detroit River
A large freighter carrying 21,000 tons of salt through the Great Lakes ran aground in the Detroit River on Wednesday.
The incident occurred around 8 a.m. when the 639-foot-long boat became stuck in the mud mere feet from the shores of Belle Isle, a popular state park in the Michigan city.
The ship, which was headed to Milwaukee from Cleveland, experienced a loss of power and drifted near the banks of the river.
“No injuries, pollution, or damage reported. Cargo of salt. River remains open to all traffic,” the Coast Guard said on Twitter. “Planning underway to refloat and determine cause.”
Shortly after 12:30 p.m., the Coast Guard said a tug boat had pulled the freighter out of the mud and silt. “Once anchored, Coast Guard investigators will board, assess any damages, and ensure any repairs,” they explained.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum, which offers a livestream of the river, recorded video of the incident.
“For such an unfortunate event, it was the best-case scenario. It happened right next to our Coast Guard station on Belle Isle,” Coast Guard public affairs officer Adeeb Ahmad said.
The incident is unlikely to have a great effect on shipping in the Great Lakes, unlike when the freighter Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal in 2021 and delayed cargo worldwide.
According to Interlake Steamship, the owner of the freighter, the Mark W. Baker was “designed to ensure that it will have a low environmental impact to the Great Lakes.”
The newly built ship “has a square-shaped, flat-bottomed cargo hold instead of a traditional V-shaped angled bottom” and a carrying capacity of 26,000 gross tons.
The company transports about 20 million tons of cargo a year.
With News Wire Services
