News / Failure to shift Ever Forward will extend recovery time – and the cost

Credit Matthew Abbott Baltimore

All attempts to shift Evergreen’s grounded vessel Ever Forward have failed and, as reported in The Loadstar last week, the salvage period will be extended by at least two weeks.

New crane vessels will have to be brought in to unload cargo to lighten the stricken vessel before another attempt to refloat it.

Ever Forward ran aground while departing Baltimore Port on 13 March.

The 12,100 teu vessel has a draught of 15.5m and is stuck on the muddy bottom of Chesapeake Bay after straying from the access channel into water that is just 7.6m deep, with a shallow tidal range.

Divers assisting the Donjon-Smit salvage team have assessed the hull and say the vessel remains undamaged on the soft seabed.

Work to clear mud from around the propeller and rudder sections, and the hull failed to sufficiently loosen the vessel and a number of attempts to refloat the ship using tugs and barges failed.

Due to the increasing costs of the salvage operation Evergreen declared General Average on 31 March. That led one industry insider to comment that this was like catching a bus and being asked to pay damages after the driver ploughs into field.