Bulk ship grounded off Port Everglades
A 645-foot bulk freighter carrying a load of bauxite from France ran aground outside the entrance to Port Everglades Thursday and remained there Friday morning as U.S. Coast Guard inspectors aboard the ship supervised efforts to get the vessel dislodged.
A Coast Guard spokeswoman said that in spite of warnings to the captain of the Clipper Lasco, a Bahamian-flagged vessel, that the ship was off course, the ship still ran around on a reef about three-quarters of a mile offshore.
The Coast Guard said there were no injuries and no leaks or spillage from the ship. Officials were not yet able to determine the extent of damage to the reef, in any, as of Friday morning. The vessel owner would have to cover the costs related to any environmental damage.
Coast Guard said it was in close communications with the vessel owners, state and local partners and technical experts, and is establishing a unified command to coordinate salvage efforts. A private company was also at the site as a precaution if there was a need to contain any leaks. Bauxite is an ore used in the making of aluminum.
The ship's owner is Colas Lasco Ltd., which has offices in Nassau, Bahamas.
Bulk ship grounded off Port Everglades
