Another arctic grounding - Rosaire A. Desgagnés

 A second ship has run aground in the far north. This one is a bit luckier than the first however. 

The first ship is the Dutch flagged Thamesborg, which fetched up on rocks in a poorly charted stretch of the Franklin Strait on September 7. It was en route from China to Baie Comeau, QC with a cargo of carbon blocks (industrial water filters) and was taking an unconventional route in a Northwest Passage. According to reports, its double bottom was breached but is fuel tanks are intact and there has been no pollution. A McKeil tug has been dispatched to go to the ship's assistance, but may take weeks to reach the site. Numerous CCG assets are on location, including CCGS Wilfred Laurier and CCGS Jean Goodwill. (The latter, despite CCG plans to provide towing is not yet equipped to do so.) The cargo ship Miena Desgagnés was also reported standing by, perhaps to provide ligthering if needed.

The second ship to find bottom is the Canadian flagged Rosaire A. Desgagnés. It was on its annual arctic supply voyage in Arctic Bay, Baffin Island, Nunavut August 23 when it grounded, but was able to refloat itself at high tide. At last report it is due in St. John's September 13 under its own power. 

The ship has called in Halifax after winter work under foreign flag. Built in 2007 by Jiangzhou Union Shipyard in Ruichang, China it is a 9611 gt, 12,777 dwt ship with a pair of 120 tonne SWL cranes. Built for the failed German company Beluga Shipping it was launched as Beluga Fortitude but was acquired and renamed by Tranport Desgagnés in the same year.

Earlier this summer I saw the ship taking on its lighterage barges and tugs off Ile-aux-Coudres, QC, on its first arctic sealift trip of the summer season. (For more on the tugs and barges, see companion blog Tugfax for September 7)

Northern communities rely on these ships for their necessities, and generally only receive one shipment per year. If a ship misses a call, there are few alternatives, creating considerable hardship for residents and businesses. 

Cargo has to be lightered off the ship and delivered to shore by barge as most artic communities have no port facilities. Spare ships and lighterage equipment are not readily available. The short northern shipping season also complicates matters should there be disruptions to schedules.

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