A coordinated effort is underway near Sarnia Harbour to free a ship that ran aground Tuesday afternoon.
The Algoma Equinox, a 225 metre-long freighter, is primarily used in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway to transport raw materials like grain and iron ore.
Sarnia Harbour Operator Jared Lean said the vessel departed the dock at Cargill's Sarnia Grain Terminal at around 3 p.m. and became stuck on the shallow area by the Sidney E. Smith Dock.
"I'm uncertain if the weather/wind at the time were a contributing factor as there was a storm coming in," Lean said in an e-mail Wednesday morning. "Cargill has been provided bathymetry imaging of the area to identify this hazard. Tug Pride and Tug Welland were contracted to push the vessel free. Looking at its position in relation to yesterday, the stern (rear) of the vessel is stuck."
Lean said the Sidney Smith wharf is currently unavailable for use as a result.
"There are no vessels scheduled there at this time, so no immediate impact to operations," said Lean. "[The] Coast Guard has set up their mobile incident command post at the government dock."
Lean said crews will be working to shift ballast water to the bow to take weight off the stern.
"Likely additional tugs will be contracted from either Windsor or Goderich to assist in pushing the vessel free," Lean said.
He added the coast guard will be monitoring for any damages or environmental concerns.
In an e-mail to Sarnia News Today, Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Communication Officer Jeremy Hennessy confirmed the vessel is transporting grain, and was bound for Baie Comeau, Quebec when it stopped in the St. Clair River.
"There are no injuries or pollution," Hennessy said. "The vessel is stable and there are no signs of water ingress or damage to its hull. The grounding is not affecting navigation; vessels are able to transit the area normally."
He also confirmed the CCG is on-scene monitoring the situation and is working with Transport Canada and the shipping company.
"The shipping company will provide a refloating plan for the Canadian Coast Guard's review prior to the beginning of any attempts to refloat the vessel. The Canadian Coast Guard will remain on-scene and oversee operations to ensure they are carried out safely and minimize risk to the environment," Hennessy added.
The operation attracted numerous spectators to the riverfront on Wednesday.
