Star Shipyards (Mercer's) ~ Shipbuilding History

Star Shipyards (Mercer's)

New Westminster BC

Most recent update: July 19, 2021.

Star Shipyards was started in 1908 by Edward Mercer, a Newfoundlander, and his wife, who cleared the lot at 61 Duncan Avenue at the east end of Lulu Island. The yard was taken over by their sons, Arthur and Gordon Mercer, in the early 1930s. The business was sold in 1971 but closed again in 1973. It was then acquired by Benson Bros., whose shipyard in Coal Harbour was to be acquired for the redevelopment of that neighbourhood, and continued as Benson Star Shipyard until closing again in 1984. The site is still a shipyard, called Fraser Shipyard & Industrial Centre. See it from the air on Google here.

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	O/N	Name	Customer	Type	GT	Built	Notes
Built by Edward Mercer
	138737	G. of G. No. 21				1912	closed
	150424	F.S. No. 2				1921	closed
	150874	E.R.G. No. 1		barge	201	1923	later B.C.F.P. No. 9
	152945	Vedder River				1923	suspended
	152686	K-5	Dept. of Public Works	barge	575	1924	later Langara Lodge
	152762	C & J W No. 2				1925	closed
	152875	S. T. Co. No. 1				1925	closed
	153071	E.R.G. No. 3				1925	closed
	153077	V.T. No. 20				1926	closed
	153335	John Davidson				1926	closed
	154537	Simpson Maid				1927	closed
	172542	P. 119				1927	closed
	173170	S.B. No. 1				1928	suspended
	155207	Digmore No. 1				1929	closed
Built by Star Shipyards (Mercer's)
	157203	P.W.D. No. 315				1933	closed
	157207	Timberland No. VII				1934	closed
	192543	Framac		recreational	27	1934	later Waylin Myth
	158798	Pacific Pilot Five				1937	closed
	170681	Samson V	Dept. of Public Works	tugboat	418	1937	later museum in New Westminster
	171967	Evco No. 51				1939	suspended
	172291	M. & M. No. 5				1939	suspended
	172295	Evco No. 54				1940	suspended
	172298	Evco No. 21				1940	closed
	176883	Besbro Lady				1940	closed
	173476	Black Bird II		tugboat	98	1941	later Gulf Bird
53	CN 218	Ehkoli	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper		1941	sold 1948 as Northwest Explorer
54	CN 219	Nenamook	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper		1941	sold 1948 as Cape Palmerston
	176515	Haida		trawler	100	1941	later Emil K, Confidence I
	313121	Pacific Spirit I		research	123	1941	later Ehkoli
	173621	J-15				1942	closed
	173627	Evco No. 57				1942	closed
	174067	Somass No. 1				1942	closed
	174082	Southisle		trawler	101	1942
	174087	Eastisle		trawler	101	1942
	174088	K.N. No. 25				1942	closed
	176752	GV-5	Royal Canadian Navy	gate vessel		1942	to Public Works 1947 as PWD No. 304
	178778	GV-6	Royal Canadian Navy	gate vessel		1942	sold 1947 as Gilley No. 32
	179108	Eastview		recreational	114	1942
	173208	Malaspina Voyageur		tugboat	47	1943	later Lady Jodi
	173630	Strady XV		tugboat	7	1943
	174080	Western Mariner		trawler	101	1943
	174081	Western Commander		trawler	101	1943
	174106	Cape Mark		trawler	104	1943	closed
	176474	ML-125	Royal Canadian Navy	motor launch	112 ft.	1943	sold 1945 as Malibu Tillikum, Yorkeen, Campana, Jornholm, Gulfstream II, laid up, to be scrapped
	176482	ML-126	Royal Canadian Navy	motor launch	112 ft.	1943	sold 1945 as Princess Malibu, RivTow B, closed
	176483	ML-127	Royal Canadian Navy	motor launch	112 ft.	1943	sold 1945 as Chief Malibu
	176475	ML-070	Royal Canadian Navy	motor launch	112 ft.	1943	sold 1945 as Machigonne, Gulf Ranger, Coast Ranger, Saracen III, Lahaina Lady, Noble Lady
	176497	ML-071	Royal Canadian Navy	motor launch	112 ft.	1943	sold 1946 as Gulf Wing, Troubadour III, Nimpkish Princess, Northland Princess, Kona Winds, Knight Time II, sank 2015
93		GV-18	Royal Canadian Navy	gate vessel		1944	sold post-war
94		GV-19	Royal Canadian Navy	gate vessel		1944	sold post-war
	174042	Bamtod 1				1944	closed
	175144	Imperial Oil No. 7				1944	closed
	175687	Northern King				1944	closed
	176498	Susan M II				1944	closed
	176785	F-80-1		research	45	1944	later Quashala
	176893	M-468 Songhee	R.C.A.F.	passenger	198	1944	later Songhee, Driftwood
	177412	Evco No. 59				1944	closed
	177994	Sea Comet			51	1944	later PML 16, ML 16, MP 77
132	197849	HC-304	Royal Canadian Navy	harbor craft	46 ft.	1944	sold post-war as Dover II
133	325546	HC-305	Royal Canadian Navy	harbor craft	46 ft.	1944	sold post-war as Kelly Point, Jay-El
134	327850	HC-306	Royal Canadian Navy	harbor craft	46 ft.	1944	sold post-war as Virago Point II, suspended
	CN 485	Cranbrook (J-372)	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper	228	1944	sold 1947 to Mexican interests
	CN 486	Revelstoke (J-373)	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper	228	1944	sold 1956 as Shirley Ann W, burned 1979
	175709	Pass		passenger	38	1945
	176220	Seaforth Base				1945	closed
	176225	C.F. Co. 33		barge	55	1945	closed
	176229	B.S. & W. No. 3		barge	231	1945
	176254	Invercan No. 4		trawler	38	1945
	176283	Sharon M.		trawler	46	1945
	176663	J. H. Todd		recreational	38	1945
	176664	Louisa Todd				1945	suspended
	176279	Timberland No. 10				1946	closed
	176504	Croatia				1946	closed
	176670	Robt. G. Johnston				1946	closed
	176755	Merrilyn				1946	suspended
	177368	Florence No. 2		trawler	38	1946
	177588	C.F. Co. 36		barge	55	1946	closed
	177589	C.F. Co. 37		barge	55	1946
	178042	C.F. Co. 39		barge	55	1946	closed
	190805	C.F. Co. 40		barge	55	1946	suspended
	CN 922	Poplar Lake (J-493)	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper	255	1946	to Russia 1946 as T-199
	CN 923	Spruce Lake (J-494)	Royal Canadian Navy	minesweeper	255	1946	to Russia 1946 as T-202
	178225	Companero				1947	closed
	178832	Black Prince		tugboat	10	1947
	179613	B. M. No. 1		barge	371	1947
	190281	Agonus				1947	closed
	190580	E.O.E. No. 1		pile driver	60	1947	later Evco No. 4
	179477	B. S. & W. No. 4				1948	closed
	179632	Bruce Luck				1948	closed
	190098	M.T. 2				1948	closed
	190106	J.K.G. No. 2				1948	closed
	190107	Eugenie B				1948	closed
	190094	M.G.L. No. 1		barge	235	1948
	190572	Dawn G				1948	closed
	190583	C.F. Co. 45		barge	80	1948
	190607	F.S. 33				1948	closed
	179570	Freeman Pass		barge	326	1949
	190082	Spider Island		barge	109	1949
	190820	Armour		tugboat	50	1949	later E.D. Stone
	190948	F.J.W. No. 3				1949	suspended
	190953	P.P.C. 3				1949	closed
	190086	Wiah Point				1950	suspended
	192535	Canyon No. 2				1950	suspended
	192536	Crown Forest 84-3				1950	closed
	192542	G. of G. 178		barge	281	1950	later Mission Buenaventura II
	192545	Try No. 1		barge	208	1950	later V.T. No. 8
	192548	B.C. Rover				1950	closed
	192887	C.W. 4				1950	suspended
	193305	Samson IV				1950	closed
	193426	G. of G. 176				1951	closed
	193786	Sterna				1951	closed
	193811	Quesnel Lake		trawler	62	1951
	194204	Chilco Lake		trawler	62	1951
	194403	Big Cedar				1951	closed
	195868	G.T.S. No. 20		tugboat	8	1951	later Brico No. 20
	195869	Brico No. 22		tugboat	8	1951	later Era
	195870	G.T.S. No. 23		trawler	7	1951	later Nortel No. 4
	194912	Squamish Yarder				1952	Suspender
	194973	P.R.F.C.				1952	closed
	195168	M.A.M. No. 1		barge	233	1952	later G. of G. 165
	195170	Eclipse 103				1952	suspended
	195176	M.T. 4				1952	closed
	195213	Big Mac		tugboat	12	1952
	195238	RivTow 5				1952	closed
	319129	Dondee		tugboat	8	1952
	195178	H.W. 3				1953	closed
	195724	Tsekoa		passenger	75	1953
	195732	G. of G. 179				1953	closed
	195733	Bedwas				1953	suspended
	195735	Come-By-Chance				1953	suspended
	195889	H.P.D. 101				1953	closed
	197457	Chadmac		barge	232	1954
	197457	Ace No. 1				1954	closed
	197662	G. of G. 196				1954	suspended
	188213	D.P.W. No. 325				1955	suspended
	195780	Lilala				1955	closed
	198149	G. of G. 172				1955	closed
	198152	Ace No. 3		barge	245	1955	later Gulf Lifter No. 1
	198159	Larbro		tugboat	23	1955	later Service IX
	198162	Jenny 4				1955	closed
	198612	Gavia				1955	closed
	198631	P.A. No. 3				1955	closed
	198960	L & K III		barge	232	1955
	198961	L & K IV		barge	232	1955
	198980	Brama		fisheries patrol	15	1955	later Amar B, Brama
	198996	P. F. Stone				1955	closed
	838674	YFB-316	Royal Canadian Navy	ferry	69	1955	sold 2014
		YFB-318	Royal Canadian Navy	ferry	69	1955	sold 2014
	188215	G. & L. 2		barge	2,126	1956
	188224	Sleep-Robber		trawler	109	1956
	188230	Venture North		tugboat	10	1956	later Imperial Falcon
	188345	N.C. No. 1				1956	closed
	188620	Charon No. 1				1956	closed
	189231	Columbian		passenger	56	1956	later Columbia III
	189442	Mercer No. 6		barge	289	1956
	189443	T. Ply				1956	closed
	198078	John Antle		recreational	28	1956	later Chelsea II
	189456	Blue Pacific No. 1		trawler	99	1957
	189463	G & M		barge	294	1957
	189990	North Rock			20	1957	later Lewis Isle
	310376	P.G.D. 3		patrol boat	23	1957	later Dean Ranger
	310351	P.A. No. 4				1957	closed
	189634	Charon No. 1				1958	later P.R.F.C. No. 4, closed
	189973	Star Rock II				1958	closed
		MP-60	RCMP	patrol boat			later Fort St. James
	370765	MP-95	RCMP	patrol boat	35	1958	later Little Bow II, White Orca
	311207	L.M. No. 1				1958	closed
	311208	Aquila				1958	closed
	311251	G. of G. 184				1958	closed
	310143	Salvelinus		research	13	1959
	383458	MP-51	RCMP	patrol boat	48	1959	sold 1978 as Tofino, in Richmond BC
	383232	MP-97	RCMP	patrol boat	48	1959	sold 1975 as Ganges
	312075	Coastal Messenger		tugboat	27	1959	later D. M. Mackay, closed
	312909	M.B.M. 2		barge	324	1959	later N.R.T. No.1
343	312836	Caamano Sound		trawler	122	1960
	312863	Colco				1960	closed
		MP-58	RCMP	patrol boat	26	1960	later Port Alice
	312865	1997-9	RCMP	patrol boat	23	1960	later Temple Rock
	312920	J.K.G. No. 3		barge	325	1960
	312929	Crestow				1960	closed
	313701	Kraft II		tugboat	4	1960
	313885	Sea Cap II		tugboat	10	1960
352	313751	Lorne Yorke	F. M. Yorke & Sons	tugboat	150	1961	later Seaspan Lorne
	313896	Sabre		tugboat	15	1961
	313909	Gulf Warrior	Gulf of Georgia Towing	tugboat	76	1961	later Ocean Warrior
	313915	Yucata Scout		tugboat	14	1961	later C.M. Scout
	314907	T.W. No. 5		fish packer	269	1962
	314932	T.W. No. 6		fish packer	269	1962
	318526	90-3		survey vessel	59	1962	later Richardson Point
	318981	Sealane		tugboat	61	1962	later Inlet Charger
	319446			tugboat		1962	later Seaspan Meteor, closed
	319448	Gulf Ranger	Gulf of Georgia Towing	tugboat	10	1962	later Tymac Ranger
	319147	Surrey Guardian			15	1963	later Huntress O
	319165	Evco Wave	Ocean Marine Towing	tugboat	81	1963	later North Arm Wave
	320036	Island Rocket	Island Tug & barge	tugboat	24	1963	later Seaspan Rocket
	320254	Island Sentry	Island Tug & barge	tugboat	62	1963	later Seaspan Sentry
	320315	Royal City		trawler	181	1963
	320352	Evco Breeze	Ocean Marine Towing	tugboat	81	1964	later Storm Breeze
	323220	La Reine		tugboat	207	1964	later Seaspan Queen
	323573	Sceptre Columbia	Graymar Equipment	dredge	789	1965
	323574	Inter Sceptre		tugboat	14	1965
	323577	Swiftsure VII		tugboat	79	1965	later Texada Crown
	323578	Seawitch VII		tugboat	10	1965	later Sea Imp VI
	325563	Ocean Clipper	Groupe Ocean Inc.	tugboat	237	1965
	323609	D.P.W. 330		barge	214	1966	later Shenandoah III
	323610	Sceptre Fraser	Graymar Equipment	dredge	777	1966	closed
379	326548	Harold A. Jones		tugboat	518	1966	later Seaspan Monarch 1971, Island Monarch
	327239	Gulf Fisherman		barge	79	1966	later Wichito Giver
	327827	Wesbridge One		tugboat	147	1966	later Pacific Mariner II
	327828	Petro Chief		tugboat	143	1966	later Pacific Chief
	323624	Evco Spray	Ocean Marine Towing	tugboat	81	1967	later Storm Spray
	328843	Le Mars		tugboat	203	1967	later Seaspan Pacer
	328908	Thomas Crosby V.		passenger	129	1967
	329403	Royal Canadian		trawler	265	1968
	329590	Lady Scott				1968	closed
391		Atlantic Harvester		trawler	264	1968
	330317	Island King	Island Tug & barge	tugboat	498	1968	later Seaspan King
393	329607	Eastward Ho		trawler	277	1969	closed
395	329609	Royal Venture		trawler	283	1969	later Betty Elizabeth, closed
	329617	Royal Venture Jr.				1969	closed
	329618	Eastward Ho Jr.				1969	closed
	330844					1969	later Seaspan Venture, closed
	331841	Evco Crest	Ocean Marine Towing	tugboat	56	1969	later Seaspan Prince
	344602	Hecate Crown	Rivtow Straits Ltd.	tugboat	501	1970	later Seaspan Challenger
	344654	Eva V				1970	suspended
400	345111	Le Beau		tugboat	148	1970	later Seaspan Commander 1971, Evco Buccaneer
	345610	Storm Coaster		tugboat	102	1971	closed
	345611	Mercer Straits	Rivtow Straits Ltd.	tugboat	230	1971	closed
404	346585	Mary B. VI		AHTS	718	1972	later Arctic Tuktu 1983, John Spence
405	346687	Nordic VI		AHTS	718	1972	later Federal 6, Seafed Avalon, Arctic Malik, Escort Protector (Nigeria), scrapped 2004
406	347856	Federal 7		AHTS	719	1973	later Arctic Pelly, Hercules, Olympico (Mexico)
407	347175	Brochu	Arcellormittal Mines	tugboat	390	1973
408	347867	Vachon		tugboat	390	1973