# Evergreen Evergrounded

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 16, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207 "2022-03-16T20:15:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/41 "2022-04-17T14:31:07Z")

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The ship is finally free. They unloaded 500 of the 5000 containers, took advantage of a high tide this morning, and used several barges and tugs to pull it out of the muck.

They still need to inspect the hull to make sure it’s ok and then reload the containers before it resumes its journey.

> **[Ever Forward ship freed from Chesapeake Bay after being stuck for more than a...](https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-ever-forward-sunday-20220417-tb4lnpj37ncenjny7qcgqq7vaq-story.html)**
>
> After weeks of tugging, pulling, digging and dumping, the 1,095-foot Ever Forward cargo ship was pried from the muddy clutches of the Chesapeake Bay Sunday morning.

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**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/42 "2022-04-17T14:51:41Z")

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Wonder where they’re going to get one stuck next March? 🙂

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**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/43 "2022-04-17T21:44:22Z")

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Finally! Hooray!

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/44 "2022-04-18T04:19:22Z")

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> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> used several barges and tugs to pull it out of the muck.

Tugs. Barges are just for putting things on

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/45 "2022-04-18T05:08:13Z")

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Nope, they used barges to pull it as well. Two crane barges were used to offload containers, and two “pull barges” were anchored nearby and used to pull the stuck ship.

> Two pulling barges and five mighty tugboats shimmed the massive ship backward and sideways until it was dislodged just before 7 a.m.

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/46 "2022-04-18T08:14:24Z")

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In other words they were using ground tackle and winches. The barges are just for putting things on.

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/47 "2022-04-18T15:03:23Z")

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Yes, they used winches… that were on barges. It’s an odd distinction you’re trying to make.

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/48 "2022-04-18T23:41:27Z")

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Tugs pull or push - they are not attached to the bottom they just use their propulsion machinery.

When one pulls a stranded ship using anchors and winches - as opposed to standard marine propulsion - that is called “using ground tackle”. The fact that in this case they have put the winches on barges is neither here nor there - they could have put the winches on the Ever Forward itself, or in near-shore operations on dry land. The barges are incidental.

It an industry thing - the idea of barges pulling or pushing just sounds wrong or weird to me because they are just platforms.

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**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/49 "2022-04-18T23:43:40Z")

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[![](https://i.imgur.com/HAr1COm.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/HAr1COm.jpg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2022, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207/50 "2022-04-19T05:22:17Z")

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> [@Princhester](#):
>
> It an industry thing - the idea of barges pulling or pushing just sounds wrong or weird to me because they are just platforms.

I guess you’re welcome to your own definition. However, [multiple](https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ever-forward-finally-moves-on/amp) [industry](https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/ever-forward-container-lightering-continues) [journals](https://gcaptain.com/ever-forward-salvage-successful/) ([#4](https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/containers-begin-coming-off-ever-forward-as-salvage-continues), [#5](https://www.marinelog.com/legal-safety/environment/salvage/video-boxes-start-to-come-off-ever-forward/)) describe the use of “pull barges” to help free the ship. So your definition is certainly not standard.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evergreen-evergrounded/961207.md?page=2)
