Shipping Resumes on St. Lawrence Seaway

Ship traffic has resumed today after the Algoma Spirit, a 34,685dwt bulker, ran aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway Saturday afternoon, stopping all transportation over the weekend.

Shipping was halted Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, following the incident. The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation reports that the incident occurred around 4pm on May16 and that commercial navigation was officially suspended at 4:11pm. According to Canadian news sources, the vessel lost power and subsequently grounded near Cornwall, Ontario. 

The ship was refloated Sunday shortly before midnight and two tugs escorted the Algoma Spirit to St.-Zotique Anchorage. No injuries or pollution resulted from the grounding and navigation on the waterway resumed early morning Monday. The SLSDC reports that “vessel traffic is currently moving normally”. 

In late April a cargo ship named Juno that was carrying sugar from the Bahamas to Toronto ran aground on the U.S. side of the seaway. Traffic on the waterway ground to a halt then as officials rushed to refloat the vessel.