The Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel Thamesborg ran aground in the Canadian Arctic over the weekend while transiting the Franklin Strait, authorities reported. The 12-year-old, 21,359 dwt ship was en route from Lianyungang, China, to Baie-Comeau, Quebec, when it became stuck near Prince of Wales Island.
All crew members are reported safe, and no pollution has been detected, though some ballast tanks were damaged. Canadian authorities responded quickly: the ice-breaking buoy tender CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier reached the site within nine hours, joined by another icebreaker today. Salvage experts are assessing the vessel’s condition and planning a safe refloating operation, though no timeline has been confirmed.
The Thamesborg, built with a 1A ice-class rating, routinely sails the Northwest Passage (NWP), a 3,750-nautical-mile shortcut connecting China to Canada. Wagenborg, the Netherlands-based shipping operator, said the vessel was carrying industrial carbon blocks and is working closely with authorities to manage the situation.
Photo: Wagenborg
