PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Coast Guard and partners are responding to the aground 623-foot motor vessel Algoma Verity approximately a mile north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in the Delaware River, Wednesday night.
As of 8 a.m., Thursday, the MV Algoma Verity is currently aground outside the main shipping channel. A team from Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the vessel’s representatives are on board monitoring the situation and formulating a plan to safely move the vessel to a nearby terminal.
A safety zone has been established around the Algoma Verity restricting vessel traffic from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to Tioga Marine Terminal. Vessels wishing to transit the area will need to contact the Coast Guard Command Center one hour prior to transit by radio on VHF channel 16 or by calling the command center hotline at 215-271-4807.
At 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders received a report from the pilot aboard the Algoma Verity stating the vessel had run aground with no injuries in the Delaware River.
The vessel was northbound with a cargo of approximately 45,000 tons of solar salt when the incident occurred.
Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners and deployed a Station Philadelphia 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew to the area.
There have been no reports of pollution at this time and the Coast Guard will continue to monitor the vessel for any potential changes.
The cause of the grounding is under investigation.
- USCG -