Chinese bulk carrier being investigated after double grounding

The bulk carrier Rosco Palm has suffered a double grounding in the Columbia River in Washington state.

The 751-foot vessel originally ran into trouble near the town of Skamokawa, grounding into a shallow, and was responded to by the US Coast Guard (USCG).

It was refloated by a harbour tug and towed to a place nearby where it dropped anchor. But then, despite dropping anchor, it was pushed by the stream into a sandy shallow.

The Hong Kong-flagged Rosco Palm is being detained for examination of seaworthiness but no crew injuries, vessel damage or leaks have been reported. The vessel is operated by Chinese firm Rewood Ocean Shipping (ROSCO).

An investigation will be conducted to find the cause of the groundings.