The Dutch cargo vessel Thamesborg recently completed its exit from the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic, approximately six weeks after running aground.
The Refloating and Departure
The vessel was successfully refloated last Thursday by the icebreaker Botnica after an operation that involved reloading 5,000 tons of cargo and emptying flooded ballast tanks using specialized technical equipment. Following the refloating, the Thamesborg and its icebreaker and tug escorts traveled to Wrottesley Inlet for a thorough inspection before beginning a week-long southward journey. The convoy is currently traveling through Baffin Bay towards the Davis Strait and is expected to reach its original destination, Baie-Comeau, Canada, by October 24.
The Bellot Strait Transit
To avoid early ice buildup further north, the convoy opted to pass through the rarely-used Bellot Strait instead of the usual Barrow Strait route.
- Description: Bellot Strait is a narrow, 13.5 nautical mile long channel that is only 1.1 nautical miles wide, connecting the Gulf of Boothia and Brentford Bay.
- Navigation: Transit is challenging, requiring precise timing with the high tide to manage strong and rapidly changing currents that can flow both east and west.
- Historical Significance: Discovered in 1957 by a Canadian patrol ship, the strait served as a critical, deepwater alternative escape route from sea ice for supply ships servicing the Cold War’s Distant Early Warning (DEW) sites, a function it continues to serve today, as demonstrated by the Thamesborg’s transit at approximately 9 knots.
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Source: gCaptain
