Canadian laker refloated in the St. Lawrence River

A Canadian-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier has been refloated after three weeks aground in the St. Lawrence River.

The Algoma Central-owned seawaymax lake freighter Tim S. Dool ran aground on Nov. 23 in U.S. waters southwest of the Eisenhower Lock, near Massena, N.Y. There were no reported injuries, no signs of pollution, and the ship was not blocking the main channel.

Three tugboats departed from Quebec City and arrived to assist in freeing the 730′ vessel on Nov. 25. However, after several hours, the ship remained stuck, prompting the salvage team to revise their strategy and lighter the stricken laker to help free it.

Lightering efforts began on Dec. 12 when a crane barge began removing the Tim S. Dool's grain cargo and loading it onto a fleet of hopper barges. The river remained open to navigation with speed resctrictions in the vicinity.

The operation ceased on Sunday night when the salvage team felt enough weight had been removed from the grounded vessel. Two tugs were tied to the Tim S. Dool and began pulling at high tide on Monday morning while the freighter also used its power. The ship was successfully refloated by 8 a.m.

Two Canadian-flagged ship assist tugs, the 118′01″ Ocean Tundra and 75′02″ Ocean Serge Genois, escorted the Tim S. Dool as it sailed under its own power to safe anchorage near Wilson Hill, N.Y., where a more in-depth inspection and investigation will be completed, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The cause of the grounding is under investigation.

The 29,021 dwt Tim S. Dool was built in 1967, by the Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. in Saint John, New Brunswick. Originally named Senneville, the ship sailed as part of the Mohawk Navigation Co., Ltd. fleet before being sold to Pioneer Shipping Co. in 1981. The vessel was sold to Algoma Central and renamed Algoville in 1994. Its current name was given in 2008.