Cargo Ship Causes St. Lawrence Seaway Blockage After Blackout

A Dutch general cargo ship, the Heemskerkgracht, experienced a blackout while navigating one of the channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada, causing it to become wedged at a 45-degree angle and blocking navigation. The vessel, registered in the Netherlands, was carrying scrap metal from Canada to Spain when the blackout occurred on Thursday evening. Despite initial contact with the south shore and dropping an anchor, the ship ended up blocking the busy waterway, halting all navigation.

Local emergency services responded to the incident and confirmed that there was no damage to the vessel or pollution. The crew reported no water ingress, and engineers were working to repair the power issues. Tugs from Montreal were on standby, and a salvage master was en route to the site. The plan was to reposition the vessel at first light on Saturday and move it to a nearby dock for further inspection.

The blockage in the seaway resulted in six vessels becoming trapped, with more expected to be delayed until the waterway was cleared on Saturday. Fortunately, there were no dangerous materials on board the Heemskerkgracht. However, the incident caused disruptions during a busy time for the seaway, particularly for outbound agricultural products. Officials were working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible to minimize further delays.

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