Container News is reporting that the unloading of containers from Ever Forward has begun. The plan is to unload 550 containers over the next few days to lighten the load of the ship before the next refloat attempt. Salvors are currently moving a box every ten minutes on average.
As of 11:00 am, local time, today, April 11, 54 containers have been removed, according to Container News sources. “More containers will be unloaded today as both crane barges are now unloading the containers simultaneously,” an official told Container News.
During daylight hours, cranes will lift the containers onto receiving barges. Those barges will ferry the containers back to the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore.
The 1,095-foot cargo ship, built in 2020, has been stuck in the Chesapeake Bay off the coast of Pasadena since missing a turn in a channel on March 13 and running aground in shallow water.
Containers starting to come off #EverForward. It is averaging about 10 minutes to offload a container. Plan is to move 550 boxes.
One of the anchor barges, for the starboard stern is set with two anchors and four stern lines to Ever Forward. pic.twitter.com/XaCRoe1AI4
— Sal Mercogliano 🚢⚓🧭🐪🚒🏴☠️ (@mercoglianos) April 9, 2022