Canadian authorities are working to extract heavy oil from the the 2,478-TEU MSC Baltic III that ran aground at Cedar Cove, Newfoundland in February, reported CBC News.

The 207-metre-long, 30-metre-wide vessel lost power during heavy winter winds, leaving its crew unable to anchor. It drifted into a relatively accessible beach cove, allowing for a swift rescue of all 20 crew members.

Bruce English, a senior response officer with the Canadian Coast Guard, said the incident was the largest he had encountered in his 30-year career, noting the scale far exceeded typical operations involving smaller vessels.

The rugged terrain along Newfoundland's west coast posed significant risks, but the ship's grounding in a more navigable section of shoreline helped facilitate rescue and cleanup efforts.

"It would have been a different ending if it ended up somewhere else," Mr English added, praising the fortunate location of the grounding amid otherwise dangerous coastal conditions.