At 07:12 April 17, 2022 (EST), the Ever Forward was successfully refloated by salvor who has been working closely with the US Coast Guard, competent authorities of the State of Maryland and local service providers to remedy the ship’s grounded status in Chesapeake Bay, according to Evergreen's release.
Following underwater inspections at nearby anchorage, Ever Forward will return to the Port of Baltimore and reload the cargo that had been discharged earlier this month and then continue on its previously scheduled voyage, which begins with Norfolk, VA.
Ever Forward is a 12,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) container ship, registered and sailing under the flag of Hong Kong. The ship has been operating in Evergreen Line’s Asia-U.S. East Coast (AUE) Service. Throughout the refloating efforts, Ever Forward had been regularly found to be free of damage from the incident and no indication of fuel leakage or pollution.
The cargo ship was finally freed after having run aground in the bay 35 days ago, when the salvage operation began on March 13.
This was the third attempt to free the nearly 1,100-foot vessel. It was traveling from Baltimore to Norfolk when it got stuck in at least 10 feet of mud while attempting a turn near the Bay Bridge. It was grounded in the Chesapeake Bay near the Craighill channel.