Efforts to Refloat Bulker Maccoa Stuck North of Montreal
On December 24, the bulker Maccoa ran aground north of Montreal, causing concern among Coast Guard officials. The vessel, with a deadweight tonnage of 30,898, veered out of the channel and has remained stuck since then.
The Canadian Coast Guard reported on Tuesday that the 607-foot-long vessel was “sideways outside the navigation channel,” although it did not obstruct river traffic. Fortunately, there were no injuries, hull damage, or pollution reported from the grounding incident. The cause of the incident was suspected to be a blackout shortly after the vessel departed from the dock in Montreal, compounded by harsh winter weather conditions.
Despite the holiday season, authorities acted swiftly to assist the 20 crew members aboard the Maccoa by providing generators, heaters, and supplies.
The refloating operation was scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m. local time on Friday, December 27. Drones and possibly a helicopter were planned to monitor the efforts to free the vessel.
Three tugs, namely Ocean Serge Genois, Ocean Charlie, and Ocean A. Gauthier, were deployed alongside the Maccoa to assist in the refloating process. Despite several attempts, the vessel remained grounded by the end of the day, as indicated by its AIS signal.
The Maccoa was en route to Ireland, and it appeared to be sitting slightly above its waterline in photos taken during the incident. There was no confirmation regarding the presence of cargo onboard.
Notably, a similar incident occurred earlier in the month when the Tim S Dool, another Laker bulker, got stuck further south on the river below Montreal. Initial efforts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful, requiring the use of a crane and barges to partially offload the cargo before successfully freeing it.
As the situation unfolds, the Canadian Coast Guard continues to monitor the Maccoa and assess the next steps to ensure the safe recovery of the vessel.