Grounded freighter finally moving
A rising tide lifts all boats, provided salvage crews can transfer some 800 tons of bauxite into barges.
With the morning high tide off Fort Lauderdale near the entrance to Port Everglades at about 7:30 Wednesday morning, the freighter Clipper Lasco was finally starting to move off a coral reef where it had been grounded since last Thursday.
The ship was carrying 30,000 tons of bauxite ore from France to Port Everglades and failed to stay within the ship channel as it waited to enter the port.
The U.S. Coast Guard said only about 800 tons of ore needed to be removed to refloat the 645-foot, Bahamian-flagged vessel. Initial estimates said 2,000 tons would need to be transferred off the ship. Once refloated, the Coast Guard said, it would be towed into Port Everglades by tug and inspected for hull damage.
The Coast Guard said the recovery effort was conducted by personnel from Coast Guard Sector Miami, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, American Bureau of Shipping Classification Society, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Dockendale Shipping Co. Ltd., London Offshore Consultants Inc., SWS First Response and Resolve Marine Group.