The Dutch cargo ship Thamesborg has reached a Turkish shipyard for repairs after it famously ran aground in the Northwest Passage this fall. A representative from the shipping company Wagenborg confirmed to gCaptain that the ship arrived in Turkey under its own power.
“No temporary repairs were needed in Canada after Thamesborg unloaded its cargo. After checking the vessel's condition, we determined it was safe to make the Atlantic crossing by itself,” the representative stated.
Tracking data shows that Thamesborg was accompanied by Boskalis’ anchor handling vessel, the Princess, during its journey across the Atlantic.
Satellite images reveal Thamesborg at the Içda? shipyard near Çanakkale. This yard, located on the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul, is among the busiest in Turkey for commercial ship repairs and conversions.
Measuring 370 meters long, 70 meters wide, and 10 meters deep, it is Turkey's largest dry dock.
At the Içda? shipyard, naval engineers are expected to evaluate and carry out necessary structural and systems repairs. However, Wagenborg's spokesperson mentioned that it is “not yet possible to determine the exact scope of repairs or the time needed before the vessel returns to service.”
Earlier, Thamesborg ran aground in Canada’s Northwest Passage in early September while sailing from Lianyungang, China, to eastern Canada. On September 6, the ship hit a shoal in the Franklin Strait near Prince of Wales Island. It took more than four weeks to refloat the vessel and guide it out of the Arctic before winter made navigation impossible.
During the grounding, Canadian officials and international salvage teams executed a complex plan, which included moving over 5,000 tons of industrial carbon blocks to other vessels to help lighten Thamesborg’s load and facilitate its floating free. Despite some damage to its ballast tanks and hull, there were no injuries or pollution reported.
After being refloated in early October and undergoing preliminary checks in a protected Canadian bay, the ship arrived at Baie-Comeau on October 27 and then set off for Turkey on November 24.
The grounding incident of Thamesborg is part of a larger trend of shipping traffic using the Northwest Passage as a shortcut to Asia. According to Aker Arctic, while the 2025 transit window was shorter than in 2024, with a later start and earlier end, a total of 13 large commercial vessels completed the full route, including five operated by Wagenborg.
This incident highlights the risks associated with incomplete charts, shifting sea ice, and limited emergency facilities in one of the world's most remote regions.