Grounded cargo ship blocks traffic in St. Lawrence Seaway near Montreal

In this drone shot, cargo ship Heemskerkgracht from Amsterdam is seen as it blocks the St. Lawrence Seaway after running aground south of Montreal, in Kahnawake, Que., on Aug. 23. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

 CMU

MONTREAL - Officials are working on a plan to refloat a stuck 138-metre cargo ship that is blocking ship traffic in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Montreal.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the Dutch ship Heemskerkgracht ran aground late Thursday in the Kahnawake area following an engine problem.

They say the ship doesn't contain any hazardous materials and it doesn't appear to be leaking pollution, but that navigation has been suspended in the South Shore Canal.

A spokesman for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation says seven ships have been forced to anchor and wait as of Friday afternoon, and he expects that number to rise.

Jean-Aubry Morin says he expects the ship to be refloated Saturday morning with the help of tugboats, which will involve first offloading its cargo and fuel. Morin says he expects the economic impact of the blockage to be in the range of $150 million.

This report by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ was first published Aug. 23, 2024.

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