Plan launched to refloat ship stuck on Saint Lawrence River north of Montreal

A tugboat tries to release the MV Maccoa after it ran aground in the St. Lawrence River in Vercheres, Que., Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. (Graham Hughes / The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) finalized its plan to lighten the load on a ship that remains stuck on the Saint Lawrence River with the goal of refloating it in the new year.

The MV Maccoa ran aground on Christmas Eve between Île Marie and the municipality of Verchères and has remained immobile since.

On Tuesday, the CCG said it plans to unload over 3,000 metric tons of the ship's corn cargo and refloat it on Jan. 5.

It will be the second refloating attempt.

"Two Ocean Group barges, each with a capacity of 1,500 tons, will be used to unload the corn," said spokesperson Emilie Proteau-Beaulieu. "The equipment required for the operation is currently being mobilized. Unloading the corn is scheduled to start on Jan. 2 and continue until Jan. 4, depending on weather conditions and the availability of Ocean Group's tugs."

With rain forecasted for the next two days, the operation may be slowed, as food products cannot be unloaded in the rain, Proteau-Beaulieu said.

The 20-person crew remains on board, and there is no sign of pollution in the surrounding water.

"CCG continues to monitor the situation closely," said Proteau-Beaulieu. "The vessel's condition remains stable."