Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Transportation Safety Board of Canada deploys team to vessel grounding in Beauharnois, Quebec

Deployment notice

April 3, 2015

Québec, Quebec

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Beauharnois, Quebec, where the Canadian bulk carrier CWB Marquis is aground. 

The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.

//----------------------------//

Hamilton-bound CWB Marquis freed after running aground.

Vessel carries 1st shipment of the year for ArcelorMittal Dofasco plant


April 5, 2015
 
CWB Marquis is seen at the Port of Montreal on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in this handout photo. CWB Marquis is the opening vessel for the St. Lawrence Seaway for the 2015 season.
CWB Marquis is seen at the Port of Montreal on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in this handout photo. CWB Marquis is the opening vessel for the St. Lawrence Seaway for the 2015 season. (The Canadian Press) 

A Hamilton-bound ship that ran aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Beauharnois, Que., on Friday has been freed.

CWB Marquis was headed for ArcelorMittal Dofasco's plant in Hamilton, Ont., with a load of iron ore pellets when it ran aground early Friday.

The bulk carrier hit a large floe of ice about 35 kilometres south of Montreal, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Two tugboats spent about 30 minutes to free the vessel late Friday, according to a spokesman for Ocean, a marine services company.

The spokesman said the incident was minor and it was not difficult to free the vessel.

No immediate damage was observed, and the ship left under its own power.
The vessel was the first ship of the season to travel up the St. Lawrence Seaway. It was also carrying ArcelorMittal Dofasco's first shipment of the year.

It was originally scheduled to arrive in the Hamilton port around 2 p.m. Saturday. The expected arrival time has now been changed to 7 a.m. Monday, according to Hamilton Port Authority's vessel tracking data. 

According to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., the vessel is owned by CWB, the former Canadian Wheat Board.