Easter Miracle: Ever Forward Cargo Ship Freed From Chesapeake Bay 

The Ever Forward container ship was freed on Easter Sunday morning after being stuck in the Chesapeake Bay for more than one month. 

Bloomberg vessel data shows the massive 334-meter-long container ship was pulled free from 24 feet of mud around 0700 ET and embarked on a journey down the bay around 0720 ET. By 0900 ET, the vessel crossed underneath the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and is currently outside of Annapolis.

This was the third attempt to free the vessel after dredging crews worked endlessly for a month to remove 84,000 cubic yards of mud from around the ship that strayed off course, out of a shipping lane, and got stuck on March 13. Last week, 500 of the nearly 5,000 containers were unloaded off the vessel to lighten the weight. 

Maritime news website gCaptain provided details of how Ever Forward was refloated: 

“Two anchor barges and five large tugboats pulled the ship astern and sideways until she was dislodged. The salvage crews received help from a full moon and a spring tide to release the ship that had been stuck for more than a month.”

Maritime expert Sal Mercogliano tweeted the vessel will have its “hull surveyed and assessed for damage” off Annapolis, Maryland. 

Mercogliano added: “Looks like Ever Forward was not using her engine and instead is under tow by Atlantic Salvor and Atlantic Enterprise … We saw some black smoke when the ship backed off the shoal. Not sure if there is not some sort of damage.”

After 30 long days, Ever Forward has risen as an Easter miracle was witnessed on the Chesapeake Bay.