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Great White North
Commercial ship travels thru Northwest Passage for 1st time
2008-12-01
Canadian Coast Guard says the MV Camilla Desgagnes transported cargo to the hamlets of Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak from Montreal in September.
CBC News is reporting that a commercial ship has travelled for the first time through the Northwest Passage this fall to deliver supplies to communities in western Nunavut. The broadcaster says the Canadian Coast Guard says the MV Camilla Desgagnes, owned by Desgagnes Transarctik Inc., transported cargo to the hamlets of Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak from Montreal in September.

Brian LeBlanc of the coast guard told CBC he believes it's the first commercial cargo delivery from the east through the Northwest Passage, which normally is impassable due to thick ice.

Louie Kamookak, the director of hamlet housing and public works in Gjoa Haven, said deliveries usually come from the west. He said the vessel brought municipal equipment, including a sewage truck, as well as provisions for the local co-op stores.

Waguih Rayes, the general manager of Desgagnes Transarctik's Arctic division, said it used the MV Camilla Desgagnes because it is a super ice-class vessel. Mr. Rayes went along on the trip and didn't see "one cube of ice."
Posted by:Seafarious

#5  They must have taken the long way, south of Banks Island. If they'd gone north, he'd have seen ice for sure.
Posted by: KBK   2008-12-01 22:49  

#4  Try that in the late winter, just watch out for all the 18-wheelers......
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2008-12-01 14:26  

#3  Wasn't it open right after WWI?
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2008-12-01 07:43  

#2  how many of those poor starving no-ice polar bear cubs did they run over?
Posted by: Frank G   2008-12-01 07:04  

#1  ...The 'first time', except for this OTHER first time in 1969:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_(ship)

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2008-12-01 05:27  

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