Algoma-Verity

The 'Algoma Verity 'was refloated on Jan 11 at aroudn 11.30 a.m. during the incoming tide and has been moored at the Tioga Marine Terminal, approximately two miles north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on the Delaware River. Coast Guard personnel, representatives from the ship’s owners, and contracted salvage personnel remained on board to ensure the safety of the vessel, crew, waterway, and environment. A new safety zone has been established around the 'Algoma Verity', restricting vessel traffic from 100-yards upriver and 100-yards downriver of Tioga Marine Terminal. No vessels will be permitted to enter the safety zone without obtaining permission from the captain of the port or a designated representative. 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)-778-4289. The vessel was northbound with a cargo of approximately 45,000 tons of solar salt when it ran aground. The cause of the grounding is under investigation.

Crews were still working to dislodge the 'Algoma Verity', carrying 45,000 tons of solar salt and 30 crew members on board, on Jan 10. To do so, they will have to unload and redistribute the weight on board.The ship had veered slightly off course in the river's shipping lane and got stuck The US Coast Guard was collaborating with the Army Corps of Engineers and divers to free the vessel, scan the bottom and identify any hazards and remove them immediately, and to prevent any further accidents. Right now, all vessels were prohibited from traveling the channel between the Ben Franklin Bridge and Tioga Marine Terminal, about 3,5 miles, until the ship can be moved. The Coast Guard warned of abnormally low water levels through low tide on the night of Jan 9, and advised ships to be aware. It was not clear yet if weather played a factor in the grounding.

The 'Algoma Verity' ran aground in the middle of the Delaware River on Jan 8, 2025, at 6.30 p.m. It got stuck just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia's Fishtown section, roughly between Penn Treaty Park and Petty Island, in pos. 39° 58' N 075° 07' W. The bulk carrier had left the port of Philadelphia at 5:30 p.m. en route upstream to the port of Fairless Hills, Bucks County, with a cargo of 45,000 tons of solar salt when it veered outside the navigation channel. The Philadelphia Fire Department marine unit responded to the grounding at 7 p.m. There were no reports of spills or pollution in the water, and no one was injured. The tugs 'Bart Turecamo' (IMO: 7338808 ) and 'Annabelle Dorothy Mo' (IMO: 9650406) were on scene on the morning of Jan 9. USCG watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners and deployed a Station Philadelphia 29-foot Response Boat to the area. A team from Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the vessel’s representatives were on board the bulk carrier, 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 the Tioga Marine Terminal. Vessels wishing to transit the area needed 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. Reports with photos and video: https://6abc.com/post/cargo-ship-algoma-verity-runs-aground-delaware-river-philadelphia/15780571/ https://www.fox29.com/news/cargo-ship-stuck-delaware-river-near-ben-franklin-bridge https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/ship-delaware-river-philadelphia-stuck-coast-guard/