Stranded cargo ship in Cedar Cove will soon be cut in half and hauled to shore

The Coast Guard's Bruce English says 6 containers have been put in the ground to anchor as chains run from there to 12 puller systems, capable of pulling 300 tonnes each, and then onto the ship.

A stranded cargo ship in Cedar Cove is being cut in half to be hauled by barge to the Port of Stephenville. The MSC Baltic III ran aground in February of 2025 after losing power. The Canadian Coast Guard’s Bruce English has been in the area since that time and says wreck removal operations are going well and the contractor is installing chains and pullers to pull the vessel to shore for salvage. English says 6 containers have been put in the ground to anchor as chains run from there to 12 puller systems, capable of pulling 300 tonnes each, and then onto the ship. He says they’re also getting ready to install a water treatment system and all but one container with newsprint has been removed, bringing the total to 471 containers. 

English says the Coast Guard continues to conduct drone overflights, on-water surveys and shore side surveys. He says the focus is on the beach and they did find a tarball recently, which is not out of the ordinary. 

English says he’s pleased with the process to date. He says it’s been a long time and a complex situation but there is an end in sight and no threat to the environment. English says there are still some small amounts of residuals that might be in some of the tanks. He says the hauling of parts of the ship to shore is on schedule for the last of this month.