Grounded Bulker Stops Vessel Traffic Near New Orleans

Vessel traffic in the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans has come to a stop after a 837-foot bulk carrier ran aground close to mile marker 3.5 Friday morning.

The navigation channel has been closed and more than 50 vessels are waiting in queue to transit in or out of the river, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, who added that the number of vessels is larger than normal due to dense fog in the area over the last few days.

The Coast Guard said it received a report at 8:32 a.m. that the 837-foot Anglo Alexandria had run aground at mile marker 3.5. There are no current reports of injuries of pollution.

The U.K. flagged bulker has activated its vessel response plan (VRP) and a tug is on-scene to assist, the Coast Guard said.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.