Second attempt to free ship stranded in St. Lawrence River set for Sunday

By The Canadian Press on December 31, 2024.

MONTREAL – A second attempt to free a ship stuck in the St. Lawrence River northeast of Montreal won’t take place until Sunday.

The Canadian Coast Guard says the owner of the MV Maccoa plans to unload more than 3,000 metric tons of corn to lighten the weight of the vessel.

The coast guard had said the operation could begin on Jan. 1, after a first attempt ended in failure last week, but the new plan is to start unloading the cargo on Thursday and try to refloat the ship on Sunday.

Rain in the forecast could slow down the operation because corn cannot be unloaded in the rain, but the coast guard says the ship’s condition remains stable with a crew of 20 people on board and no signs of pollution.

The corn will be loaded onto two Ocean Group barges, each with a capacity of 1,500 metric tons.

The Cyprus-flagged 185-metre bulk carrier ran aground near Verchères, Que., in the early hours of Dec. 24 following a power failure.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2024.

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