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One year after the Ever Given container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, her sister vessel is repeating the feat - in the US state of Maryland.

Local officials say the Ever Forward left a Baltimore port on Sunday night en route to Norfolk, Virginia, but was grounded in the Chesapeake Bay.

Both Ever Forward and Ever Given are owned by the same Taiwanese company.

Ever Given was wedged in the Suez Canal for six days causing worldwide shipping industry upheaval.

The ironically-named Ever Forward is not currently affecting transit through the US port, according to the Maryland Port Administration (MPA).

The 1,096-foot ship was travelling through what is known as the Craighill Channel, which is about 50 feet (15m) deep.

However, a US Coast Guard spokesman said the ship travelled outside the channel into water that was only about 25 feet (7.5m) deep.

The Coast Guard is now investigating how it came to go aground and will work with a salvage team to tow the vessel to a safe location.

There have been no injuries, spills or damage caused to the Ever Forward.

Nearby ships have been asked to slow down and travel in one-way traffic as they pass by the stationary vessel.