GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A freighter ran aground in the Detroit River off of Belle Isle Wednesday.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the 639-foot Mark W. Barker ran into soft ground around 8 a.m. The ship was carrying a load of salt. No one was hurt and there is no reported damage or pollution caused by the grounding.
The river remains open while Coast Guard crews determine how best to safely refloat the ship and figure out why the ship lost propulsion.
The Mark. W. Barker was built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and launched last year. The ship was with the Great Lakes in mind, with the manufacturer saying it was “designed to navigate the tight bends of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.”
The ship is powered by twin engines that generate a total of 8,000 horsepower. It can carry up to 26,000 gross tons.
