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CARGO VESSEL TRAPPED FOR WEEKS IS FREED IN THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER
DETAIL INFORMATION
The Canadian Coast Guard announced that a small cargo vessel which had been stranded for weeks in the St. Lawrence River has now been refloated. The ship, the Onego Otra (10,872 dwt), is presently undergoing evaluations to assess if it has incurred any damage.
The vessel had taken on a grain shipment and left Montreal, Canada, on June 30, heading for New Orleans. The Coast Guard states the ship experienced a rudder issue and drifted off its path in the river close to Ile Saint-Ours and Contrecoeur. The ship was off the shipping route and completely trapped.
The vessel, registered in Antigua and Barbuda, measures 146 meters (479 feet) in length. A German shipping company owns and runs it.
Early attempts to refloat the ship did not succeed, prompting the choice to start unloading cargo. On July 12 and 13, 2,270 tons of goods were unloaded with the help of barges and a crane. Nonetheless, an effort on July 14 involving three tugboats still could not shift the ship.