After more than a month and two unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the massive container ship stuck in the Chesapeake Bay, the Ever Forward ended its international embarrassment on Easter Sunday. Now the company faces upwards of $100 million in environmental damage payouts.
Crews worked tirelessly to dredge around 1,000-foot cargo vessel after it hit bottom while traveling from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia. The spectacle of a ship carrying upwards of 5,000 colorful steel containers attracted sightseers, and the Coast Guard was reportedly prompted to issue safe-distance warnings. Massive bottom diggers and tugboats leaning into the ship became something of an eyesore for the Port of Baltimore, where official recently brokered deals to improve its international e-commerce import business.
After offloading upwards of 500 containers at sea, the Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine Corp vessel received help from a full moon and high spring tide that elevated the hull. It still took a series of tugboats and barges to drive Ever Forward out of the muck.
“A tremendous team effort with a little help from the Easter Sunday rising tide in the Chesapeake Bay. The Evergreen, Ever Forward has been (refloated),” William P. Doyle, the executive director at the Maryland Port Administration, reportedly tweeted.
The Evergreen organization also reportedly operates the infamous Ever Given vessel that became lodged in the Suez Canal in 2021. One of the world’s largest container ships, Ever Given was carrying 18,300 containers to Rotterdam when it hit bottom under Evergreen’s oversight.
The exhibition in the Suez Canal was far more impactful than the Chesapeake Bay incident. Ever Given became wedged across the canal, and no ships could pass. Ever Given disrupted international trade routes, causing bottlenecks and delayed shipments of goods and materials. The company was taken to task with fines and compensation for wide-reaching losses. It appears Evergreen will again have to pony up as the State of Maryland cries foul to the tune of $100 million.
“While we do not know the full scope of the environmental impact thus far, a 131,420-ton ship, carrying tons of cargo and fuel, getting stuck in our waters undoubtedly has resulted in disruptions to the Bay’s fragile ecosystem,” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot reportedly stated. “The damage that this incident has already caused — and could potentially continue to cause — will require financial resources to correct. The establishment of this fund will send a clear message that Evergreen is a good faith actor, understands the environmental and economic damage this incident has caused to the state of Maryland.”
The money Maryland expects from Evergreen would go to parties who incurred losses and future ramifications. Revenue would reportedly compensate workers, reimburse state and federal agencies, and support seafood industry businesses that will likely suffer from environmental impacts.
Sources: foxbusiness.com, npr.org, theguardian.com
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