Coast Guard Investigating Elizabeth River Grounding

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a 590-foot bulk carrier that ran aground Wednesday night in the Elizabeth River near Hospital Point in Portsmouth, Virginia.

A pilot aboard the Netherlands-flagged Hanze Goteborg contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads watchstanders at approximately 10:30 p.m. reporting the ship ran soft aground with no reported injuries, pollution or damage, according to a coast guard report.

Coast guard crews arrived on scene at approximately 11:45 p.m. to to assess damage and continue to monitor the situation. Later around midnight tugboats moved into place to hold the vessel in place and wait until 5 a.m. for a higher tide and a more complete assessment of damage.

Though the waterway was partially obstructed, it remained open to vessel traffic with restrictions, the coast guard said.

The three tugboats were able to free the Hanze Goteborg around 6:15 a.m. and the vessel was escorted by the tugboats to Lambert’s Point, where the it moored around 7 a.m.

The cause of the grounding is under investigation, and the Coast Guard requested any necessary repairs be completed and the ship’s hull be inspected before the ship leaves port.

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