Maplebay

(1920) 1923                                  Maplebay                                  1964

Steel twin-screw St. Lawrence River canal size bulk freighter

One of a fleet of vessels, ten or more, built shortly after the end of World War I for the French government for coastal service in the coal trade.  Cabins aft with twin screws, they were near sisters named for occupations involved in the construction or operation of ships.  Built by six or more different shipyards, they all had slightly different dimensions and tonnages.  Of the vessels brought to the Great Lakes, half were propelled by fore and aft compound engines and half by triple expansion engines.  Ten of these vessels were purchased in late 1922 primarily for the grain trade by Ogilvie Flour Mills, Montreal QC,  renamed for trees native to Canada with –bay suffix honoring their operating company, each vessel owned by a separate company indicating the name of the vessel, and brought to the Great Lakes in 1923.

 
Built at Bordeaux France by S. A. de Traveaux Dyle & Bacalan, Hull 1
Launched as Greeur (rigger).  Renamed Sotteville 1922

230’ LOA, 219’5” LBP, 34’2” beam, 13’9” depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, coal-fired boilers, 2 triple expansion engines, 700 IHP

Enrolled at Montreal QC 1923 as Maplebay
218.1 x 34.1 x 12.3, 1238 GT, 654 NT     Can 150834     to:
Maplebay Steamship Co., Montreal QC, Bay Line Steamships Ltd., Mgr. (home port Montreal QC)

Entered Great Lakes service 1923

Managing firm renamed Tree Line Navigation Co. 1924

Sold 1937 to Tankeroil Ltd., Valleyfield QC, Transit Tankers & Terminals Ltd., Mgr. and renamed Transriver.
Converted to tanker at Sorel QC by Manseau Shipyards, boilers to oil firing.

Fleet renamed Transcoal Ltd. 1938

Transferred 1952 to Canadian Coastwise Tankers Ltd., Edmundston NB

Scrapped 1964 at Montreal QC

 

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