Cargo Ship Runs Aground in Delaware River Near Philadelphia
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Crews are working to dislodge a cargo ship that became stuck in the Delaware River the night of Jan. 8 while hauling table salt, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard was called to the scene around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8 when the Algoma Verity — a 623-foot long bulk carrier — ran aground just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge between Penn Treaty Park and Petty Island. The vessel left port in Philadelphia around 5:30 p.m. and was headed to Fairless Hills, Bucks County, according to the website Marine Traffic.
Dislodging efforts are still ongoing, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard confirmed. There is no estimate at this time for when the ship will be back on course, the spokesperson said.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation, said the spokesperson, but they’ve received no reports of injuries or pollution in the water.
Built in 2000, the Algoma Verity can hold up to 47,404 metric tons of cargo and has over 2.1 million cubic feet of storage space, according to an info sheet from the Algoma Central Corporation, the vessel’s owner. Currently, the ship is flying under the flag of the Bahamas.
Philadelphia has been dealing with persistently strong winds since the start of the week, with gusts reaching up to 35 mph Jan. 8. These winds can result in “abnormally low water levels” as much as 2.5 feet below normal in the Delaware River, according to the National Weather Service. Low water levels can make navigation more difficult, the NWS said.
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