Hobbled freighter forced to offload cargo at sea after losing power off Vancouver Island

The 229-metre CSL Tecumseh was towed to an anchorage off Esquimalt Lagoon, west of Victoria, where workers transferred its cargo to another bulk carrier, the Henry Jackman. (CTV News)

A bulk freighter was forced to unload its cargo at sea on Tuesday after the vessel lost power and steering off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The 229-metre CSL Tecumseh ran into mechanical trouble on Dec. 25 after leaving Port McNeill, B.C., with a load of sand and gravel aggregate.

The ship was towed to an anchorage off Esquimalt Lagoon, west of Victoria, where workers on Tuesday were transferring its cargo to another bulk carrier, the Henry Jackman, which had berthed alongside.

"All precautionary measures have been taken and the cargo does not present any danger to the marine environment," Transport Canada spokesperson Allison St-Jean told CTV News in an emailed statement, adding that no cargo was lost during the incident.

"Once the cargo transfer is complete, the MV CSL Tecumseh will be able to proceed for repairs, and the MV Henry Jackman will take the cargo to its intended destination."

The cargo transfer is expected to be completed by Wednesday.

Brigitte Hébert, a spokesperson for CSL Group, which owns and operates the Bahamian-flagged freighter, says no one was injured when the vessel lost propulsion approximately 111 kilometres west of Vancouver Island.

The cause of the problem is still under investigation. 

Pacific Pilotage Authority CEO Julie Gascon says the agency, which is responsible for piloting ships through B.C. waterways, is working closely with its federal partners to safely clear the Tecumseh from the area.

CSL Group was still finalizing its plans to repair the ship at a commercial facility Tuesday.

Marine vessel-tracking websites indicate the CSL Tecumseh made two trips between Port McNeill and ports in California during the month of December.