Disabled Freighter Anchored in St. Lawrence Seaway

The US Coast Guard Ninth District has responded to the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship 'Federal Kivalina' which lost its steering while transiting the Seaway in the vicinity of Wellesley Island, New York.

The Federal Kivalina, a 656-foot, Hong Kong-flagged freighter carrying 23,000 metric tons of canola seeds, reportedly dropped three anchors to bring the vessel to rest.

The Coast Guard notified the New York State Bridge Authority of the situation, which shut down the Thousand Island Bridge for about 10 minutes as a precaution.

Response crews from Station Alexandria Bay, New York State Parks Police, New York State Police, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and inspectors from MSD Massena and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation are either on scene or en route.

There are 22 crewmembers aboard the freighter. The Coast Guard says there are no reported injuries to the crew and no reported pollution at this time.

“The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and Coast Guard inspectors are on scene to ensure the safety of the vessel and the people aboard,” said Cmdr. Dan Jones, chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. “The safety of the crew and the environment are our main concerns.”