MV Roger Blough Refloated in Lake Superior

The MV Roger Blough at anchor in the Waiska Bay anchorage area, June 4, 2016. U.S. Coast Guard Photo

The U.S.-flagged freighter MV Roger Blough was safely anchored in Waiska Bay, Michigan on Saturday afternoon where it will be inspected for damage and its remaining cargo will be transferred to other vessels, the Coast Guard reported over the weekend.

The Blough was refloated on Saturday at appoximately 10:45 a.m. following lightering operations and later made it way under its own power to Lake Superior’s Waiska Bay.

The 833-foot Roger Blough spent more than a week hard aground on Gros Cap Reef in Whitefish Bay after running aground last Friday, May 27. Following several days of planning and coordination with Canadian authorities and the ship owner, lightering operations kicked off early Friday morning to remove some of the ship’s iron ore cargo to the MV Philip R. Clarke.

With the ship now refloated and safely at anchor, the Coast Guard says it plans continue to lighter the Blough’s iron ore and conduct detailed damage assessments.

The grounding is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard with help from the National Transportation Safety Board. 

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