A change in strategy in the ongoing efforts to refloat the grounded Ever Forward container ship in the Chesapeake Bay.
The US Coast Guard and other officials have decided to remove the shipping containers from the ship, hoping that this will free up the weight required to get it moving again.
Crews are currently awaiting the arrival of two crane barges capable of lifting the containers and transporting them back to their original onboarding facility, the Seagrit Marine Terminal in Baltimore.
Meanwhile, workers will continue to dig in the water up to 43 feet to aid in the removal process.
After removing the containers, tugs and pull barges will attempt another refloat. The entire procedure could take more than two weeks.
The shipping channel will remain open to one-way traffic during this time.
A 500-yard safety zone has been established around the 1,095-foot ship for safety purposes.
Since March 13, the ship has been moored near Craighill Channel. Several previous attempts to free the ship were unsuccessful.
Evergreen Marine Corp. owns it, as does the Ever Given vessel, which was stuck in the Suez Canal for a week last year, causing massive problems for global shipping. So far, no traffic has been affected here.
