U.S. Coast Guard still working to free cargo ship stuck along the Delaware River

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The U.S. Coast Guard continues to attempt to free a cargo ship that ran aground Wednesday night along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. The timeline for moving the vessel remains uncertain, officials said Friday.

“There are many different factors when it comes to moving a vessel as large as the Algoma Verity after a grounding and we want to ensure it is done safely,” said Cmdr. Lee Gorlin, the incident commander at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, in a statement. “It is too early to have a timeline, but our responders will continue to work closely with our partners to complete the mission.”

The 623-foot “Algoma Verity,” became stuck outside the main shipping channel about a mile north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The cause of the incident is currently unknown, according to the Coast Guard.

The ship was carrying about 45,000 tons of solar salt, which is commonly used for water softening. There have been no reports of pollution, and the Coast Guard is monitoring the situation.

The Coast Guard said four of the vessel’s ballast tanks and one empty fuel tank were damaged during the incident.

The Coast Guard is working on a plan to safely move the vessel to a nearby terminal. Vessel traffic is currently restricted between the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Tioga Marine terminal.