A massive Canadian freighter, the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin, was successfully freed on Saturday afternoon after spending a day grounded in the Detroit River. The nearly 24,000-tonne bulk carrier had become lodged in the river's muddy bottom just east of the General Motors Renaissance Centre in Detroit around 4 p.m. on Friday.
Perfect Storm of Conditions Led to Grounding
According to Windsor Harbour Master Peter Berry, a combination of factors created the ideal situation for the vessel to run aground. "This happened to be all the right conditions for grounding to occur," Berry told the Star. "They were travelling at low speed, fully laden, low water levels that were shifting with the wind … there’s not much that a skipper can do to get past that either."
The 225-metre vessel, equivalent in length to more than two football fields combined, was on a journey from Duluth, Minnesota to Quebec with a shipment of iron ore. The ship had anchored on the American side of the river to transfer a sick crew member for medical attention in Windsor. When it attempted to depart, strong winds pushed the vessel off course and into the soft river bottom.
Low Water Levels Complicated the Situation
Complicating the situation were significantly low water levels in the channel on Friday. "We were just eight inches above the low water level," Berry explained. "Today, with the north wind versus the west wind, we’re now 23 inches."
Marine traffic on the river Friday night prevented salvage crews from attempting to free the vessel immediately, as it was unclear how firmly the ship was lodged. The operation resumed on Saturday, and just before 2:45 p.m., the vessel was successfully refloated without incident.
Successful Binational Rescue Operation
Berry confirmed that the ship sustained no damage and no crew members were injured during the incident. The response effort demonstrated strong cooperation between Canada and the United States. Since the ship was grounded in American waters, the U.S. Coast Guard led the operation, supported by the Canadian Coast Guard, Detroit police, the Windsor Port Authority, and the vessel’s owner and captain.
While groundings in the Detroit River are not common, they do occur. A similar incident happened last year where a freighter was dislodged in about one day. The successful resolution of this incident highlights the effective emergency response protocols in place for cross-border maritime operations.
