Great Lakes Bulker Grounds in the Detroit River
The Canadian-flagged cargo ship Robert S. Pierson (19.000 dwt) briefly became stranded diagonally across the Detroit River overnight on November 26. Reports are blaming the grounding on strong winds that were disrupting shipping all along the Great Lakes overnight and into today.
Built in 1974, the vessel is part of the "river class" of self-unloading bulk freighters operating in the region owned currently by Rand Logistics. At 630 feet (190 meters) in length, the vessel was specifically designed to sail the winding Cuyahoga River.
The vessel loaded 18,000 tons of stone in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and was heading for Loraine, Ohio, in the United States. CBC reports the vessel attempted to drop anchor on Wednesday evening due to the strong winds to wait out the storm. However, it reports the vessel was dragged down the Detroit River. Around 10:30 p.m. local time, the ship grounded and became stuck in a diagonal position in the river not far from downtown Detroit.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports it was notified around 1:15 a.m. this morning of the incident. It was working with the operators to review a refloating plan. Yesterday, the Coast Guard issued a warning for high winds and waves across the Great Lakes. It reported that the Welland Canal in the east connecting Lake Ontario to Lake Erie had suspended navigation due to the high winds. The canal was expected to reopen this afternoon.
Media reports spotted two tugs alongside the Pierson at midday. CBC reports the ship was freed around noon local time. It was moved to a berth for an inspection. The Coast Guard is saying that low water levels contributed to the grounding.
The reports are highlighting that it was the second grounding in less than a month in the same area of the Detroit River. At the beginning of November, the Canadian vessel Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin had also attempted to anchor to discharge a sick crewmember. CBC reports that when the vessel tried to get back underway, it was blown off course and grounded. The low water levels were also cited in this incident. The Martin was refloated the following day with the assistance of four tugs.