(Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard said on Friday vessel traffic was closed in the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans, after a deep-draft vessel had grounded.

New Orleans, which sits near the mouth of the Mississippi, is an important transit point for energy, metals and agriculture commodities moving to overseas and domestic markets.

Vessel traffic was halted at mile marker 3.5 after the 837-foot UK-flagged deep-draft vessel Anglo Alexandria had grounded, the Coast Guard said.

There are currently over 50 vessels waiting in queue to transit in or out of the river, the Coast Guard said in a statement, adding that the number is larger than normal due to dense fog in the area over the past few days.

The Coast Guard was not immediately available for further details.