A Norwegian-flagged cement carrier, Spar Orion, ran aground off the coast of Port Everglades in Florida early on Wednesday, a US Coast Guard official said. The vessel, carrying 44,000t of cement, was heading into the port when it went aground. Its last port of call was in Sweden. The initial attempts to free the vessel at high tide had failed, the Coast Guard official said. The grounding did not cause an oil spill, hull damage, vessel traffic problems or injuries, she added.