Great Lakes visitor runs aground in the Northwest Passage
A commercial freighter with 16 people on board ran aground in the Northwest Passage earlier on Saturday, search and rescue officials have confirmed.
David Lavallee, a public affairs officer speaking on behalf of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre based in Trenton, Ontario, said the ship Thamesborg had run aground in the Franklin Strait, which lies between Prince of Wales Island and the Nunavut mainland.
CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, a Canadian Coast Guard light icebreaker, is making its way to the scene in response and is expected to arrive on Sunday morning.
A second commercial vessel has also been redirected to the scene and is “standing by to assist if necessary,” Lavallee said by email on Saturday evening.
The condition of those on board was not given and nor was there an immediate sense of the environmental impact of the ship running aground, if any. An update from federal officials is expected on Sunday.
Thamesborg was making its way from China to the Quebec port of Baie-Comeau. A second commercial vessel, the Miena Desgagnes, could be seen drawing close to the Thamesborg and holding position nearby as the day went on.
The Thamesborg’s cargo is not clear. The 12-year-old, 173-metre-long ship is reported to have left the Chinese port of Lianyungang, between Beijing and Shanghai, in mid-August, and was due to arrive in Baie-Comeau, on the St Lawrence River, on September 15.
The Northwest Passage is increasingly opening to freight and passenger cruise traffic as the climate changes, though the change is also introducing navigational complexities as ice patterns evolve
Seaway operating at less than 50% capacity, Siscoe says; marine industry stakeholders renew call for expanded CBSA services
Welland Tribune
It’s also backing a request by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI), which represents more than 170 municipalities and communities in Ontario and Quebec, calling for more CBSA coverage and for a renewed Canadian trade and transport strategy.
GLSLCI said the 3,700-kilometre Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway has just one port equipped in Canada to clear international cargo containers.
“The absence of confirmed clearance options at other ports — including Hamilton, Quebec City, Windsor, Picton, Port Colborne and Goderich — leaves the system less flexible and underutilized,” it said in a letter to the federal government.
“The withdrawal of services by CBSA from the Port of Valleyfield (Quebec) in 2024 has further reduced our collective capacity.”
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, GLSLCI co-chair, said a CBSA clearance centre in Niagara would be a boon.
“In Niagara, so much of what we do is based around export and trade. We’ve had conversations with our business sector over the last nine months about how important it is for trade to flow across the border.” Establishing a clearance port along the Welland Canal could reduce supply chain costs, create spinoff economic benefits and support regional growth, said Siscoe.
“Part of my job as the co-chair of the cities initiative is to advocate on behalf of the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin. Obviously, from a personal standpoint, we’d love to see that capability here in Niagara, but I think the important thing is the capacity exists somewhere and our businesses across the province can take advantage of it.”
In its letter to Ottawa, GLSLCI said East Coast U.S. ports are gradually taking over business destined for Canada, with containers from ports south of the border then being transported by truck and rail instead to the Great Lakes region.
Ontario Marine Council executive director Maguessa Morel-Laforce said four American ports on the Great Lakes will soon be receiving international containers.
“U.S. Customs (and Border Protection) is responding positively to the requests of Great Lakes ports on their side to have their service. What will soon happen is we’ll be seeing containers bypassing the Welland Canal, heading for a U.S. destination. They won’t be able to stop at a Canadian port because they’re just not legally allowed to,” said Morel-Laforce.
The Port of Cleveland, in Cleveland, Ohio, is a recognized port of entry by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The agency boards every ship docked at there, checks the identification of crew members, conducts necessary background checks, verifies shipments, and examines vessels for any suspicious or potentially dangerous cargo, such as narcotics and weapons.
It is the only international container service on the Great Lakes that handles import and export cargo.
In 2014, the port established the Cleveland-Europe Express to provide a competitive transit time advantage for cargo owners that typically move goods through coastal ports.
It connects Europe to the entire Great Lakes Region, linking key European ports like Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg and various ports in the United Kingdom to the Port of Cleveland.
The Spliethoff Group, the largest ship owner in the Netherlands, in collaboration with the port introduced the Peyton Lynn C to the Cleveland-Europe Express.
The company’s ice-classed ships operate a direct scheduled service between Cleveland and Antwerp with an average sailing time of 13 days.
The Dutch shipping company has connections from the Port of Antwerp to Russia, Finland, Spain, UK and the Baltic states.
He said there are marine organizations and business associations in Ontario and Quebec asking for CBSA services at Canadian ports to compete with the growing American ports.
“As per their (CBSA) mandate, they should be providing those services when stakeholders step forward and request it.”
He said there are private investors ready to build the capacity to handle containers and build the security needed around ports.
“That’s investment into the economy. You also have the environmental benefits of getting containers closer to their final destination. We’re looking at ways to alleviate traffic across Ontario and Quebec, and this is an easy win. You’ve got the roll-on, roll-off (vessels) that can take trailer trucks directly off the road and carry them closer to their end destination.
“You have ports looking at import-export capacity that would expand the markets available for Canadian importers and exporters. You have multiple business cases out there, and I think all of them have their value in their own way,” said Morel-Laforce.
He and Siscoe said it’s better to have more ports along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, whether in Quebec or Ontario, with CBSA services.
“I think there needs to be greater flexibility in the system,” said Siscoe.
He said almost everybody involved with shipping along the seaway is saying the same thing.
“The reality is right now, the St. Lawrence Seaway is only operating just a touch below 50 per cent of its capacity. Making these changes and adding capacity to the system is going to make it easier for marine shipping to take place.
“We’ve been talking a lot about how we need to transform our economies and take advantage of the waterways we have. Every partner we work with has talked about why this makes sense,” said Siscoe.
Morel-Laforce said a clear signal from Prime Minister Mark Carney to CBSA is needed for the agency to carry out its mandate at Great Lakes ports.
Siscoe said it’s incumbent on him and GLSLCI to bring provincial voices to the table as well.
“Ultimately, this is a federal decision, but I think there’s a good working relationship between the provincial and the federal governments in Ontario. So that’s positive.
“The same thing needs to be done in Quebec. More support is always helpful when we’re having these conversations with the federal government.”
Bill Bird
Annual Maritime Career Day Seeking Partners
TOLEDO, OHIO – The National Museum of the Great Lakes is calling on maritime and Great Lakes–related industries to take part in its second annual Maritime Career Day on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Designed to connect students and the public with career opportunities across the region, the event provides a unique platform for companies, higher education institutions, and tradespeople to connect with future talent and gain valuable exposure.
Last year’s inaugural event drew over 300 students and more than 30 career partners, including leaders from various fields such as shipping, environmental science, engineering, the military, and culinary arts. This year, in addition to students, the museum is expanding its reach by inviting the broader community to take part, offering career partners an even wider audience to share their work and opportunities.
“Maritime Career Day is about building connections and inspiring the next generation of Great Lakes professionals,” said Sara Smith, Director of Institutional Advancement with the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “With the addition of a community session this year, partners will not only meet eager students but also connect with adults exploring career opportunities or seeking new paths within our region’s vital industries.”
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
- Student Session: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Grades 7–12)
- Community Session: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Open to the public)
- Location: National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front St., Toledo, OH
Career partners will host booths inside the museum and aboard its Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, offering attendees a chance to interact directly with professionals from diverse fields.
Sponsors of the 2025 Maritime Career Day include:
- Presenting Sponsor: World Group Foundation – the philanthropic arm of The World Group, dedicated to creating meaningful, lasting change in the communities where its people live and work.
- Community Sponsors: The Andersons and International Ship Masters Association Toledo Lodge 9
Organizations interested in participating as a career partner are encouraged to contact Sara Smith at sara.smith@nmgl.org. Space is limited, and early registration is recommended.For more information, visit nmgl.org/careerday.
Marine Historical Society of Detroit
Now Accepting New Members, Renewals
DETROIT, MI – You don’t have to live in the Motor City to join the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Its focus includes all the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the ships and sailors keeping the economies of two countries moving.
The 81-year-old non-profit group is now accepting new memberships and membership renewals.
“The MHSD has plenty to offer anyone interested in and concerned with the history of the Great Lakes and its vibrant maritime heritage,” says long-time group President Roger LeLievre. “We have members across the U.S. and Canada and even overseas.”
Membership includes the monthly publication The Detroit Marine Historian, which offers a variety of articles exploring Great Lakes shipping past and present. It also includes an annual, full-color calendar featuring superb, often rare, photos of Great Lakes ships of the past.
Last year the group published the 300-page, hardcover book Ahoy & Farewell III, documenting the vessels built and those that left the lakes during the past 30 years. The book recently won an award for excellence from the Historical Society of Michigan.
In keeping with society’s goal of preserving historical images, the MHSD’s image portal, featuring photos and details of many historic vessels, is now online at www.marinehistorydetroit.historyit.com
The Society has named an annual Historian of the Year since 1969. The award is voted on by past winners and honors those who have contributed significantly to the research, presentation or publication of Great Lakes ships and the shipping history.
Membership is $40 (U.S. and Canada). Join online at www.mhsd.org. To join or renew by mail, please print out the form in the gallery below.
MHSD
See “Captain Bob” September 11th
See “Captain Bob” former Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha, in Cheboygan next month for his speaking engagement, GREAT NEWS!! Due to his first show SELLING OUT in record time, they are adding a SECOND SHOW!! Same day but at 5:30pm so if you’re interested, head to the website shown at the bottom of the image (Open it up to see it full size) and grab tickets!! They are only $10 each!! Hurry before this show sells out as well!!
See Photo Gallery below
2025 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Includes Ship Trips
Your raffle ticket purchase supports the Great Lakes Historical Society and its National Museum of the Great Lakes whose mission is to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.
Details here:
https://nmgl.org/2025lolraffle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMDBTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZUGV4UFMxNFFGYUpPbTZ2AR5OikAHiWMuo30CZrAqM9nuK93_xmmqYBsoAerabXJ3sBlZWNxpz7mZwoLuFw_aem_1pxrUONQfReTGS4dlnAgzg
Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine 2025 Released
When Patrick Devine found out, in the summer of 1975, that he was being moved over to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a relief deckhand he was on top on the world. He had gone from one of the oldest boats in the fleet to one of the newest and best. He was devastated when union rules forced him off that September. He had lost his dream job. Then came the sinking and its horrific aftermath. He hasn’t talked about his experience until recently, and he gave Know Your Ships an exclusive interview for the 2025 Know Your Ships EXTRA midsummer magazine, now on sale.
The magazine also includes an interview with Great Lakes top cook Sissy Payment. Find out her recipe for success and learn something surprising about her in the story.
EXTRA 2025 remembers the loss 50 years ago of the EDMUND FITZGERALD with four stories.
- EXCLUSIVE! Meet Patrick Devine, who thought he had found his dream job when he signed on to the Fitz as a relief deckhand in June 1975.
- Explore the Fitzgerald’s influence in popular culture: Music, art, literature and – yes – souvenirs.
- Did you know there were two vessels named Fitzgerald on the Great Lakes, and both were lost in November storms? And yes, their namesakes were related.
- Consider what might have been if the Fitz had not gone down.ALSOCheck out the Great Lakes Lore Museum at Rogers City, MI, where sailors are in the spotlight.
- Read about the William G. Mather, the ‘Ship That Built Cleveland,’ which turns 100 this year.
- Litton on the Lakes: Find out how a group of California upstarts turned the Great Lakes shipping industry upside down in the 1970s with their fancy ideas about 1,000-footers.
- Catch up with the latest Great Lakes/Seaway news.
- Enjoy even more images from readers in the ongoing series FAN-TASTIC PHOTOS.
This is the third year for the Know Your Ships EXTRA Magazine, which offers even more ship, sailor and industry stories, recent shipping news and many more of the stunning photos – current and historic – for which Know Your Ships has become known for the past 66 years. Please note that the Extra, which is a feature magazine, does not duplicate the vessel and fleet listings found in the regular Know Your Ships book.
Order at www.knowyourships.com
