Six weeks after running aground in the Canadian Arctic, the Dutch cargo ship Thamesborg has left the waters of the Northwest Passage. The vessel and its icebreaker and tug escorts are currently traveling southward through Baffin Bay, using an infrequently transited waterway to escape potential early winter ice, gCaptain reported.
The Thamesborg was refloated last Thursday after reloading 5,000 tons of cargo and pumping out its flooded ballast tanks. Following the refloat, the convoy immediately moved to the sheltered waters of nearby Wrottesley Inlet for a structural inspection. Once cleared, the vessels began their week-long journey out of the Arctic. According to AIS data, the Thamesborg is expected to reach its original destination, Baie-Comeau, Canada, by October 24.
Rather than following the typical route through Barrow Strait, the convoy transited the rarely-used Bellot Strait. This narrow, 13.5-nautical-mile channel, which connects the Gulf of Boothia and Brentford Bay, was chosen specifically to avoid the risk of early ice buildup further north.
Bellot Strait presents a significant navigational challenge. The channel is only 1.1 nautical miles wide, with steep walls rising up to 2,500 feet. Vessels must carefully time their passage to coincide with high tide to navigate the strong, rapidly changing currents. The Thamesborg reportedly passed through the strait at a speed of approximately 9 knots.
Photo: Wagenborg
