After spending several days stuck in the Delaware River, the cargo ship known as the Algoma Verity was successfully refloated last Saturday, confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard. The vessel, which had gotten stuck near Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood, is now moored at the Tioga Marine Terminal, as reported by NBC Philadelphia. "The vessel is now well out of the channel, but we still have work to do to get the Algoma Verity safely out of the port," Capt. Kate Higgins-Bloom, captain of the port and commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, stated in a release.
Initial reports indicate that the Algoma Verity was transporting a hefty cargo of solar salt—approximately 45,000 tons—when the grounding occurred. The ship was headed north towards Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania at the time of the incident. According to information from CBS News Philadelphia, the Algoma Verity spans roughly 190 meters in length and 32 meters in width. Despite the urgency to initially get the ship dislodged, no injuries have been reported in connection with the event.
The Coast Guard has imposed a new safety zone, extending 100 yards upriver and 100 yards downriver from the Tioga Marine Terminal. The ruling is intended to strictly manage marine traffic in the vicinity and requires vessels looking to enter the safety zone to obtain permission from the captain of the port or a designated representative. The Algoma Verity's surprise detour into the river bank drew local interest, with residents like Dimitri Krasnopolsky of Fishtown venturing out to view the stationary vessel, as he told FOX 29 News: "We usually just do our daily walk here in Penn Treaty and heard the boat ran aground and wanted to see what’s going on and why it’s not moving."
What caused the Algoma Verity to become grounded is currently still under investigation. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia area had been experiencing conditions that could complicate navigability on the river; the National Weather Service had issued warnings about strong northwest winds potentially lowering water levels, and tidal stations along the Delaware River were indicating "low water condition" at the time of the grounding, as stated by CBS News Philadelphia. The vessel will be evaluated for any potential damage, though specifics on the cause or extent of any issues remain to be disclosed.
