Salvage Master on Way to Cargo Ship Grounded in Remote Canadian Arctic

Nearly a week after the Dutch cargo ship Thamesborg grounded in a remote part of the Canadian Arctic during a trip on the Northwest Passage, a salvage master and naval architect were due to reach the vessel. They are working on a plan for the ship, which is reportedly stable but has taken on water in multiple ballast tanks.

The operator Royal Wagenborg, said the salvage team would reach the vessel by the end of the week. In addition, the Canadian Coast Guard vessel CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier is being used to transport personnel and equipment to the remote site.

The Canadian Coast Guard reported that an underwater survey was completed on September 8 using ROVs two days after the vessel went aground. The 21,359 dwt vessel was sailing from China to Baie-Comeau, Quebec, and is carrying a load of carbon blocks used for manufacturing in heavy industry. The ship went aground in the Franklin Strait in Nunavut.

A crew of 15 people is aboard the vessel along with a Canadian ice pilot. There were no injuries, but they are stranded in a remote part of Canada, away from any large settlements. The survey of the hull confirmed the damage to the ballast tanks, but the fuel tanks do not appear to be damaged, and there was no flooding in the cargo holds. A second Canadian Coast Guard vessel, CCGS Jean Goodwill, has remained on scene.

The Canadian Coast Guard reports the vessel's owner and the salvage master have organized additional equipment and personnel. Currently, the damage is being analyzed to develop the salvage plan.

The Thamesborg, built in 2013, is 564 feet (174 meters) in length. The ship, which is registered in the Netherlands, was inspected in Canada in March 2024 and 2025 with no issues reported. It has an ice class. 

Media reports from Canada highlight that only 18 percent of Canada’s Arctic waters have been mapped with modern technology. Much of the Northwest Passage, they note, lacks modern charts.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada revealed in an announcement yesterday that this is the second grounding of the season in the same general eastern area of the Northwest Passage. It reported that an investigation team is on its way to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, to interview the crew of another cargo ship, the Rosaire A. Desgagnés (12,776 dwt). The vessel, which is registered in Canada, went aground on August 23 in Pelly Bay, Nunavut. The location is to the south of where the Thamesborg is stranded, and unlike the current situation, the vessel was refloated with the tide. It was conducting a supply mission to the region and was inspected for damage after it was refloated. It is expected to reach St. John’s over the weekend.