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The Alabama Port Authority has confirmed that the container ship Ruby Tower has been successfully refloated after grounding in the Mobile shipping channel, restoring traffic through the waterway.
The 127,952-dwt vessel, which is owned by Zodiac Maritime and operates under charter to Ocean Network Express (ONE) in a vessel-sharing arrangement with Yang Ming, departed APM Terminals Mobile late on 26 January bound for Mexico. The ship left the terminal at around 1100 local time with two pilots onboard.
Shortly after departure, the Ruby Tower reported a loss of steering power near the eastern end of the channel and subsequently grounded north of Gaillard Island, prompting authorities to suspend vessel traffic.
By approximately 1600 local time, the ship was refloated with the assistance of three tugs and escorted clear of the channel. The U.S. Coast Guard remains on scene, with the vessel now holding position in Mobile Bay as inspections continue. According to ShipAtlas, she appears to be docked again after the incident.
Built in 2013, the Liberia-flagged Ruby Tower is 300 metres long and has a capacity of around 9,000 TEU. The grounding comes just months after the Port of Mobile completed its Mobile Harbor Modernization Project, a $366 million state–federal initiative that deepened the channel to 50 feet.
The project has positioned Mobile as the deepest container port in the Gulf of Mexico, enabling the port to accommodate super post-Panamax vessels and supporting plans by terminal operators to handle larger container ships.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the recent channel deepening played any role in the incident. Further assessments of the vessel are expected before it resumes its voyage.
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