Port Weller Dry Docks ~ Shipbuilding History

Port Weller Dry Docks

St. Catherines ON

Most recent update: July 14, 2021.

Port Weller Dry Docks was established in 1946, near Lock 1 of the Welland Canal, on a site which had originally been developed in the 1930s, as a dry dock for the Canal's equipment. At first the company concentrated on repair work, but after WWII it began lengthening and rebuilding vessels, and expanded by operating subsidiary shipyards at Port Dalhousie and Toronto (Toronto Dry Dock Co.) It went bankrupt in 2006, however, and was restructured as Seaway Marine & Industrial Inc., but went bankrupt again in 2013. In 2017, it was bought by Heddle Marine and reopened. See the shipyard from the air on Google here.

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	O/N	Name	Customer	Type	GT	Completed	Notes
11	193632	Scott Misener	Colonial Steamships Ltd	laker	13,081	June 1951	later John E. F. Misener 1954, scrapped 1986
12	194831	John O. McKellar	Colonial Steamships Ltd	laker	13,884	Sep 1952	later Elmglen 1984, scrapped 1990
14	194832	Scott Misener	Colonial Steamships Ltd	laker	15,279	July 1954	scrapped 1990
15	193754	A. F. Fifield	J. P. Porter & Co.	tugboat	118	1955	built at Port Dalhousie, D. Lauder, J. Manic, foundered off Cap du Cormoran 1994
16		J. J. Bomboir/Constructor	Dravo Corp.	tugboat	30	1954	built at Port Dalhousie, Kim R. D. 1986
17		Bert Verge	Port Weller Dry Dock Co.	tugboat	22	1956	built at Port Dalhousie
18	198009	Griffon	Beaconsfield Steamships Co	canal boat	2,292	1956	later Franquelin 1967, Eva Desgagnes 1987, Telchac 1989, scrapped 1992
19	198025	Tecumseh	Beaconsfield Steamships Co	canal boat	2,293	Apr 1956	later New York News 1967, Stella Desgagnes 1986, Beam Beginner 1993, Wolf River 1995, scrapped
20	198223	MCNCO No. 23	McNamara Construction	dump scow	219	1956
21	198224	MCNCO No. 24	McNamara Construction	dump scow	219	1956
22	198225	MCNCO No. 25	McNamara Construction	dump scow	219	1956
23	188756	C.D. 123	Canadian Dredge	dump scow	381	1956
24	189894	Frank A. Sherman	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	15,157	July 1958	scrapped 1987
25	311399	Seaway Queen	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	16,053	June 1959	scrapped 2004
26		Sir Andrew	Russell Construction	dredge	258	1957	later Le Heron, closed
27	189887	Andrew B	Russell Construction	dredge	388	1958	closed 1996
	348352	Merganser		dredge	23	1958	closed 2015
28	311463	Red Wing	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker forebody	17,813	July 1960	jumboization of a T2 tanker, scrapped 1987
29		Federal Palm	Fed. of the West Indies	passenger freighter	3,196	Sep 1961	later Cenpac Rounder 1972, scrapped 1979
30	188774	Sir John Crosbie	Chimo Shipping	freighter	1,859	July 1962	later Terra Nova 1980, Holsten 1992, foundered 1992
31	318762	Nelvana	Upper Lakes Shipping	yacht	61	1963	suspended 2008
32	319263	Imperial Lachine	Imperial Oil	tanker	734	June 1963	later Josee M. 2003, Murex 2003, Arca 2003, Arca I (Panama) 2016
33	319264	Imperial Verdun	Imperial Oil	tanker	734	Aug 1963	later Sillery (St. Vincent) 1979
34	322191	James E. McGrath	Port Weller Dry Dock Co	tugboat	90	1963	closed 2008
35	318773	Cape Breton Miner	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	18,809	May 1964	later Conveyor 1969, Cape Breton Miner 1962, Mazahua 1983, scrapped 1987
36	188775	C. E. Ted Smith	DomTar Ltd	tugboat	52	Aug 1963	later Fred Scandrett, closed 2016
37	322194	Ontario Power	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	20,623	July 1965	later Thornhill 1983, Akalli Seri 1984, Kalli 1986, scrapped 1987
38	322192	Chesley A. Crosbie	Chimo Shipping	freighter	1,961	Nov 1964	later Terra Nordica 1982, Northern Star 1992, Tica (Bolivia) 1995, Sandakan 1997, no trace 2011
39	326037	Imperial Acadia	Imperial Oil	tanker	7,068	Apr 1966	later Algoscotia 1998, Ralph Tucker 2001, Capt. Ralph Tucker 2001, Ralph Tucker 2004, scrapped 2004
40	320967	E. E. Prince	Dept. of Fisheries	research trawler	406	1966	later Lady Kimberley I, Heitee, yacht Maria II
41	326395	Canadian Century	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	20,343	May 1967	later John D. Leitch 2002
		Pitts Centennial	C. A. Pitts Eng. Co.	scow	319	May 1967	subcontract from Toronto DD, closed
42	328087	Tracy	Canadian Coast Guard	buoy tender	963	Apr 1968	sold 2017 as Ocean Tracy
43	326392	Grand Prince	Bonavista Cold Storage Co	trawler	535	Jan 1967	closed 1996, scrapped
44	328731	Grand Baron	Bonavista Cold Storage Co	trawler	539	July 1967	later Sea Reefer I 2010
45	328732	Grand Count	Bonavista Cold Storage Co	trawler	540	Sep 1967	scrapped 2008
46	328733	Grand Knight	Bonavista Cold Storage Co	trawler	539	Nov 1967	scrapped 2009
47	328088	Limnos	Dept. of Fisheries	research trawler	460	May 1968
48	328735	Canadian Progress	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	21,436	Aug 1968	later Algoma Progress, scrapped 2014
49	330799	Betsiamites	Atlantic & Pacific Barge Co.	barge	5,396	Mar 1969	closed 2017
50	330800	Sault au Cochon	Atlantic & Pacific Barge Co.	barge	5,395	July 1969	closed 2011
51	330798	Atlantic	Atlantic & Pacific Barge Co.	tugboat	438	May 1969	later Laval, Ocean Echo II
52	330099	S.M.T.B. No. 7	Shell Canada	tank barge	607	1969
53	344887	Thomas Haviland/Vacationland	Ministry of Transport	ferry	3,038	1970	later Fundy Paradise 2001
54	344866	William Pope/Holiday Island	Ministry of Transport	ferry	3,037	Apr 1971
55	337383	Laurentian Forest	Burnett Steamship Co	Ro-Ro ship	16,380	Nov 1972	later Grand Encounter 1980, Laurentian Forest 1985, Federal Seaway 1988, Cape Lobos 1988, scrapped
56	337392	Avon Forest	Burnett Steamship Co	Ro-Ro ship	16,382	June 1973	later Federal Lakes 1986, Cape Lambert 1988, scrapped 2015
57	348195	Imperial St. Clair	Imperial Oil	tanker	7,964	Apr 1974	later Algosar 1998, Genesis Explorer 2005, scrapped 2011
58		Wolfe	Canadian Coast Guard	icebreaker Forebody	2,171	1974	scrapped 1989
59	347522	Sir Robert Bond	Ministry of Transport of Nfld.	Rail/Truck ferry	10,433	Oct 1975	closed 2019
60	348355	Canadian Olympic	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	22,887	Nov 1976	later Algoma Olympic, scrapped 2018
61		Wheat King	Upper Lakes Shipping	Laker Midbody	4,373	1976	scrapped 1989
62		YBZ 62	Dept. of Nat. Defense	tank cleaning barge	726	Apr 1977
63	348357	Arctic	Fednav Ltd.	laker	19,420	June 1978	scrapped 2021
64	348360	Canadian Transport	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	23,399	Apr 1979	later Algoma Transport
65	391204	Canadian Enterprise	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	23,395	Dec 1979	later Algoma Enterprise, scrapped 2021
66		Canadian Navigator	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker forebody	18,788	Apr 1980	later Algoma Navigator, scrapped 2016
67	395424	Canadian Pioneer	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	24,194	Oct 1981	later Pioneer 1988, scrapped 2014
68	802160	Des Groseilliers	Canadian Coast Guard	icebreaker	6,098	Oct 1982
69		James Norris	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker conversion	12,962	July 1983	conversion to self-unloader, scrapped 2011
70	802349	Canadian Ambassador	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker	24,230	July 1983	later Ambassador 1986, Algosea 2000, Ambassador 2000, scrapped 2014
71		Canadian Explorer	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker conversion	16,353	Oct 1983	joining stern of vessel 'Cabot" to forebody of laker 'Northern Venture', Canadian Transfer, Algoma Transfer, scrapped
72		Canadian Ranger	Upper Lakes Shipping	laker conversion	16,358	Apr 1984	joining stern of vessel 'Chimo" to forebody of laker 'Hilda Marjanne', scrapped
73		Arctic	Fednav Ltd.	laker conversion	19,420	1985	new side shell, scrapped 2021
74		Arctic	Fednav Ltd.	laker conversion	19,420	1986	New bow, scrapped 2021
75	803748	Northern Ranger	Ministry of Transport of Nfld.	ferry	2,565	Sep 1986
76	814082	Jiimaan	Ministry of Transport	ferry	2,830	June 1992
77		CSL Niagara	Canada Steamship Lines	laker forebody	23,983	1999	ex-J. W. McGiffin
78		Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin	Canada Steamship Lines	laker forebody	23,980	2000	ex-H. M. Griffith
79		CSL Laurentian	Canada Steamship Lines	laker forebody	24,024	2001	ex-Louis R. Desmarais
80		CSL Assinniboine	Canada Steamship Lines	laker forebody	23,445	2005	ex-Jean Parisien
81		Frisian Spring	Boomsma Shipping B.V.	freighter	4,060		completed by Peters SB, Kampen, Netherlands
82		Frisian Summer	Boomsma Shipping B.V.	freighter	4,060		completed by Peters SB, Kampen, Netherlands
Major Conversions
		Transinland	Transit Tankers & Term. Ltd.	laker	1,946	1948	conversion to tanker
		Valley Camp	The Valley Camp Coal Co.	laker	2,878	1950	lengthening 53' section
		Black River	Quebec & Ontario Transportation	laker	3,587	1952	conversion from barge to s/p laker (584gt increase), Tuxpancliffe, scrapped 1983
		Pic River	Quebec & Ontario Transportation	laker	3,569	1953	conversion from barge to s/p laker (590gt increase), scrapped 1978
		Wheat King	Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.	laker	12,339	1960	tanker converted to bulk carrier
		Chicago Tribune	Quebec & Ontario Transportation	laker	3,859	1962	lengthening, 69' section, 630 gt increase
		Algomarine	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	18,339	1988	conversion to self unloader, ex Lake Manitoba, Davie # 665, scrapped 2016
501		Algosteel	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	18,424	1990	conversion to self unloader. ex Algogulf ex A.S. Glossbrenner, Davie Hull 658, scrapped 2018
502		Atlantic Huron	Canada Steamship Lines Inc.	laker	23,054	1989	conversion to self unloader ex Prairie Harvest, Collingwood # 227
503		Senneville	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	18,845	1990	new double bottom, St John Sbdg # 1084, Algoville (see # 507), as Tim S. Dool
504		HMCS Terra Nova	Canadian Armed Forces			1989	refit
505		HMCS Nipigon	Canadian Armed Forces			1990	refit
506		Capt. Henry Jackman	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	19,643	1996	conversion to self unloader, ex Lake Wabush, Collingwood Hull 223, scrapped 2019
507		Algoville	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	18,700	1996	hull widening ex Senneville, St. John # 1084, as Tim S.Dool
508		Canadian Navigator	Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.	laker	18,788	1997	conversion to self unloader, see also hull # 66, renamed Algoma Navigator, scrapped 2016
509		Algoway	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	16,817	1997	hull widening, Collingwood # 200, scrapped 2018
510		HMCS Athabaskan	Canadian Armed Forces			1997	refit, scrapped
511		Algorail	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	16,157	1998	self-unloading refit Collingwood # 189, scrapped 2018
512		Algowest	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	19,853	1998	conversion to self unloader, Collingwood # 226, renamed Peter R. Cresswell, scrapped 2016
513		Canadian Transfer	Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.	laker	11,120	1998	joining of stern & forebody from two different vessels, renamed Algoma Transfer, scrapped 2011
514		Algoeast	Algoma Central Corporation	tanker	7,886	1999	tanker double-hull installation, ex Imperial St. Lawrence, scrapped 2017
515		Agawa Canyon	Algoma Central Corporation	laker	16,290	1999	self-unloading refit, Collingwood # 195, scrapped 2010
516		CSL Tadoussac	Canada Steamship Lines Inc.	laker	20,101	2001	hull widening, ex Tadoussac, Collingwood Hull 192
517		Canadian Century	Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd.	laker	22,080	2002	midbody reconstruction, John D. Leitch
518		Atlantic Huron	Canada Steamship Lines Inc.	laker	23,054	2002	hull widening, ex Prairie Harvest, Collingwood # 227
519		Le Vent	McKeil Marine Inc.	tank barge	6,888	2001	conversion of hopper barge into tank barge, McCleary's Spirit
520		HMCS Haida	HMCS Haida Society			2003	refit, WWII Destroyer Museum ship
521		Griffon	Canadian Coast Guard		2,212	2003	refit
522		HMCS Halifax	Canadian Armed Forces			2003	refit
523		Module M01				2004	topside module
524		Jean Parisiene	Canada Steamship Lines Inc.	laker	22,772	2005	see hull # 80
525		Module		laker		2004	topside module
526		Traverse Rene Levasseur	McKeil Workboats Ltd	ferry barge	253	2004	sectional ferry barge, Viateur's Spirit
527		Griffon	Canadian Coast Guard		2,212	2008	refit