Canadian Bulk Carrier Refloated in St. Mary’s River

The motor vessel Mississagi sits aground in the lower St. Marys River near De Tour Village, Mich., April 22, 2015. U.S. Coast Guard Photo

The grounded 603-foot Canadian bulk carrier MV Mississagi was successfully refloated on the St. Marys River following lightering operations to offload approximately 2,000 tons of stone, Saturday.

The vessel, carrying more than 17,000 tons of stone, was transiting downbound the St. Marys River from Bruce Mines, Ontario early Wednesday when it ran aground in the Potagannissing Bay, approximately 4 miles northeast of De Tour Village.

Lightering operations began at 8 a.m. Saturday under the supervision of Coast Guard marine inspectors and pollution responders. The vessel was successfully refloated by 1 p.m. then anchored in a new location near Big Trout Island with no injuries or pollution.

An inspection of the vessel determined that no primary structure on the vessel had been damaged. A previous inspection on Wednesday determined that ballast tanks had no significant damage or ingress of water, and that fuel tanks located near the stern of the vessel did not sustain any damage.

The cause of the grounding is under investigation. There was no pollution or injuries as a result of the grounding.

The 17,500 DWT Mississagi is owned by Lower Lakes Towing Ltd, part of the Rand Logistics.

Earlier in the week, a Polsteam bulk carrier ran aground on the St. Lawrence River due to a steering malfunction. The vessel, the Bahamas-flagged MV Juno, was refloated Wednesday.

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up