‘Ice-class’ cargo ship runs aground in Northwest Passage

“The exact cause of the incident is yet unknown, with a full investigation into the exact circumstances leading to the grounding to follow,” said Richard Batema, spokesperson for Royal Wagenborg, the ship’s owner, in an email Monday.

The 172-metre Thamesborg ran aground late Saturday evening “while transiting Franklin Strait, with no injuries to the [16] crew reported and no pollution resulting from the incident,” he said. Fuel tanks and the cargo hold are “intact.”

Following the incident, the crew conducted an initial damage assessment and determined there was some damage to the hull and ballast tanks, but the ship is stable and aground, he said.

Batema said the Thamesborg is a modern ice-class vessel, meaning it is equipped to navigate through sea ice. The ship was built in 2012, the company’s website says.

It was on its way from Asia to Baie Comeau, Que., carrying a cargo of carbon blocks for industrial use.

“Two Canadian Coast Guard vessels are currently assisting on scene and are in contact with the Thamesborg crew and the salvage team who are formulating steps for the safe refloating of the vessel,” Batema said.

Canadian authorities were notified immediately after the ship ran aground, he said, but due to the ship’s location they were not able to reach it right away.

A sealift ship belonging to Nunavut Sealink and Supply Inc. was on a similar course a few hours behind, and was tasked with making contact with the Dutch ship’s crew to ensure everyone was safe, company spokesperson David Rivest said on Monday.

The sealift ship remained nearby until the Canadian Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier arrived 24 hours later.

“The [coast guard ship] is on scene and is assessing the situation with its fast rescue craft and helicopter, and is in close contact with the … Thamesborg,” said Craig Macartney, a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in an email Monday.

“Another ship, the CCGS Jean Goodwill, arrived today.”

He said the Thamesborg “has flooded in multiple ballast tanks, though there is no flooding in any of its fuel tanks or its cargo hold.”

A spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which investigates marine accidents in Canada, said the board was aware of the grounding.

“We are currently gathering information and assessing the occurrence. We have not deployed investigators to the scene,” board spokesperson Liam MacDonald said in an email Monday.

“Canada follows the ‘polluter pay principle.’ Vessel owners are responsible for the cost of addressing their problem vessel. This includes any hazard-related costs like cleanup or repairs and any remediation action taken,” he said.

As of early Monday evening, satellite data indicated the ship was still in the Franklin Strait between Prince of Wales Island and the Nunavut mainland.

Located in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, Nunatsiaq News is dedicated to covering affairs in Nunavut and the Nunavik territory of Quebec since 1973. It has been a partner to ArcticToday and its predecessors since 2016.