More than two weeks ago, the “Thamesborg” ran aground in Canada’s Franklin Strait. Part of the cargo has to be lightered for the salvage operation.
A tugboat and an ice-class freighter have arrived in the Arctic to begin the salvage of the “Thamesborg” (21,359 tdw). The Dutch-flagged ship, owned by the Wagenborg shipping company, was on its way from China to Canada when it ran aground on a sandbank in the Franklin Strait in the province of Nunavut. It was carrying 19,000 tons of cargo for an aluminum plant. The usual route to Baie-Comeau is situated further west; it is not yet known why the “Thamesborg” chose the inadequately charted route through the strait further east.
The tug “Beverly M I” from New Brunswick arrived at the scene of the accident at the weekend. The vessel has a bollard pull of 71 tons; it is the same tug that was used in the “Tiberborg” accident in Baffin Bay in August. The “Silver Copenhagen”, a freighter with ice class 1B, also arrived alongside the “Thamesborg”. The freighter had sailed from the Baltic Sea via Nuuk to Canada to pick up the cargo of the wrecked ship. The ice class was crucial for the operation, as the Arctic Ocean is expected to freeze over in the coming weeks according to the Coast Guard. Thanks to its draught of just 6 m, the “Silver Copenhagen” was able to moor alongside the “Thamesborg” to begin the transhipment.
“Weather permitting, the first part of the salvage work is expected to begin later this week. Part of the Thamesborg’s cargo will be transferred to one of the salvage vessels involved,” explained ship manager Wagenborg. Due to bad weather, some of the work was temporarily delayed last week. According to the company, a third ship is also on its way to the stricken vessel to assist with the final part of the salvage work. According to Wagenborg, the outer hull and ballast tanks of the “Thamesborg” have been damaged, but the cargo holds and fuel tanks are intact. No one was injured and, as things stand, there was no environmental pollution. (JW)
