Following the second failing attempt to refloat the 12,000 teu Ever Forward, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that, currently, the best thing to do, is a lightering operation of the containership, noting however that this revised plan could take another 2 weeks to be executed.
To remind, the second attempt to make the Ever Forward containership refloat was in vain. Despite the weather conditions in the Chesapeake Bay, the ship salvage teams could not make the ship move.
The Ever Forward containership remains stuck at Chesapeake Bay, after departing the Port of Baltimore Seagirt Terminal almost 3 weeks ago. For this reason, the company declared a General Average statement last week, noting that “In light of the increasing costs arising from the continued attempts to refloat the vessel, Evergreen declared General Average”.
As it was announced, dredging will continue to a depth of 43 feet in order to allow 2 crane barges of a suitable height alongside the vessel.
The containers will be removed in daylight hours only for safety purposes from both the port and starboard sides and placed on receiving barges. Then, these barges will shuttle the containers back to their original onboarding facility, Seagrit Marine Terminal in Baltimore, where they will be offloaded by shore-based handling gear
…USCG said.
After the removal of the containers, tugs and pull barges will attempt another refloat. It is important to note that the shipping channel will remain open to one way traffic during these operations.
What is more, a 500 yard safety zone around the ship in Chesapeake Bay will continue during this operation.
