Ship still stuck

The Algoma Central ship Tim S. Dool struck the Crysler Island Shoal November 23 and remains stuck just outside the St. Lawrence Seaway navigation channel. Salvage operations are still underway to free the ship. (The Leader/Blancher photo)

MORRISBURG – Grounded for over a week, the Algoma Central ship – Tim S. Dool – remains lodged on a shoal near Crysler Marina, east of Morrisburg.

The nearly 60 year old grain ship hit the shoal around lunchtime November 23. Since then, recovery efforts have seen water levels on Lake St. Lawrence temporarily raised to see if the ship would dislodge itself. A second salvage effort involving three tug boats also failed to budge the ship.

A new plan is underway to transfer some of the grain off the ship to other ships, so that the ship may become more buoyant and release from the bottom. All salvage plans must be approved by Transport Canada.

Nicole Giroux-Laplante with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation said in a statement that a lightering plan in the works.

“A lightering plan is being finalized and is expected to be submitted for review shortly,” she said. “Once the plan is finalized, operations are not anticipated to begin until next week.”