Commercial ship travels through Northwest Passage for first time
The Canadian Press
November 28, 2008 at 8:14 PM EST
GJOA HAVEN, Nunavut — 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.”
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