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PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Coast Guard and partners are continuing to respond to the aground 623-foot motor vessel Algoma Verity approximately a mile north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in the Delaware River, Friday.
As of 8 a.m., Friday, the MV Algoma Verity is still aground outside the main shipping channel. A team from Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, salvors, and the vessel’s representatives are continuing to monitor the situation and are formulating a plan to safely move the vessel.
Marine inspectors have identified four of the vessel’s ballast tanks and one empty fuel tank has been damaged by the incident. There have been no reports of pollution and the Coast Guard will continue to monitor the vessel for any potential changes.
“There are many different factors when it comes to moving a vessel as large as the Algoma Verity after a grounding and we want to ensure it is done safely,” said Cmdr. Lee Gorlin, the incident commander at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. “It is too early to have a timeline, but our responders will continue to work closely with our partners to complete the mission.”
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.
The cause of the grounding is under investigation.
For more news from Sector Delaware Bay visit the sector’s Facebook page here
- USCG -