Detained Bulker Could Get Trapped by Ice
The geared general cargo ship Cornelia has been stuck at anchor in Lake Superior since November 5 – and if she is not released from her legal detention soon, she could get trapped by winter ice in the St.Lawrence Seaway. Port authorities in Duluth, Minnesota say that she has until about December 18 to depart.
She and her crew are the subject of a pollution investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the federal District Attorney for the region. The alleged infraction did not occur in Duluth; USCG officials have not disclosed any additional information. A spokeswoman for the Duluth port authority told media that the multiple nationalities involved – at least seven, when including the owner, charterer, crewmembers, and flag state – increased the complexity of the investigation.
The crew of 19, including Czech, Ukrainian, Filipino and Croatian nationals, have reportedly been on board the anchored vessel almost continuously since the beginning of the detention.
The 17,000 gt Cornelia is under charter from German operator MST for a trip carrying steel to Minnesota and then grain to either Italy or Tunisia. She can carry up to a million cubic feet of grain, and she completed her cargo ops at Duluth before the detention occurred.
The Canadian dry bulk operator Fednav was hired to manage her passage through the St. Lawrence Seaway, which usually freezes in late December, halting traffic from the Great Lakes to the sea. "We're like everyone else — waiting here to see when the issue is going to be resolved and when the ship can move on," said Paul Gourdeau, executive vice president of Fednav.
MST officials told media that they were waiting for a decision from the ship's owners; a ship's agent in Duluth, Stephen Sydow, said that the outcome of the detention could hinge on talks between the owners and U.S. authorities on the dollar amount of a fine or settlement.
In a statement, the USCG said that it was negotiating for “a security agreement that would permit the vessel to depart the port while simultaneously protecting the integrity of the investigation and the interests of the vessel’s crew members.”
If the Cornelia cannot leave in time to exit the seaway, sources told media that the grain would need to be offloaded again and the vessel tied up at dock for the winter, raising the daily cost to the owners. The crew's shore leave passes have expired and their accomodation status for a long winter stay is uncertain.
A spokesman for USCG Sector Saulte Ste Marie said that the USCG could not comment on the probability of whether or not the vessel would be able to leave before the December 18 cutoff, and that the outcome would depend upon discussions with the owners.