Optimism Thamesborg can be saved as winter closes in on Northwest Passage

Representatives of Royal Wagenborg are confident crews will be able to retrieve the Dutch shipping company’s grounded cargo ship Thamesborg from the Northwest Passage as recovery efforts enter a fifth week.

But first a crew of professional ship salvagers must refloat it and repair damage — the extent of which is still unknown.

The Canadian Coast Guard hosted a media briefing Monday with representatives from Royal Wagenborg, Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada to give an update on the recovery operation.

The Thamesborg hit a rocky shoal in the Northwest Passage one month ago, on Sept. 6, and has been stuck there since. The collision tore into multiple ballast tanks, which under normal operations would maintain the ship’s stability. 

The Thamesborg had been on its way to Baie Comeau, Que., from China with a load of carbon blocks for industrial use.

The work is broken down into three stages, with the first stage underway. It involves the removal a portion of the cargo to reduce the vessel’s weight.

The next stage — which includes repairs and refloating — is scheduled to start this week. 

Once that happens crews will make emergency repairs.

“We need to assess the ship to determine what damage took place and what’s required to repair,” said David Solsbery, spokesperson for Royal Wagenborg, in describing the salvage work.

If all goes according to plan, the Thamesborg will travel under its own power to a port where more extensive repairs can be made.

All of this work depends on favourable weather and ice conditions. 

The forecast Monday calls for winds of approximately 55 km/h, with the wind and waves mellowing somewhat overnight into Tuesday. 

Heavier winds — closer to 65 km/h — return Thursday into Friday.

Bad weather is a potential problem for recovery, said Marc Hennes, a former deck officer who is following the incident with interest.

He explained that heavy seas not only force work to stop, but move the ship as well, which could make the situation worse.

“It is basically slamming on the rocks, like moving around,” said Hennes.

“And every time it slams it, it creates more damage.”

Hennes explained that with the ballast tanks filled with sea water, the company contracted to salvage the ship will likely need to carefully calculate the ship’s position on the rock and stabilize it properly so it stays upright as it refloats. 

There is no timeline for this work, officials at the media briefing said.

Another possible complication is that the Northwest Passage is increasingly filling with ice, especially to the north of the Thamesborg’s position.

Crews have not determined a path out, said Solsbery, with Royal Wagenborg, because ice conditions can change quickly. 

But the Thamesborg is accompanied by an ice breaker and coast guard ships equipped with helicopters that can help pilot the ship out when the time comes for it to move.

Meanwhile, the Thamesborg’s crew of 15, who hail from Ukraine, Peru and the Philippines, and an ice adviser are healthy and in good spirits, said Sue McLennan, the coast guard’s director for the Arctic Region.

“To the best of my knowledge the crew is doing well,” she said.

“Well supplied and had a re-supply of vegetables. Morale is good.”