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Victoria Machinery Depot (VMD)

Victoria BC

Most recent update: July 14, 2021.

VMD was originally known as Albion Iron Works, which opened for business in about 1882 as an engine & boiler builder: the name was changed to VMD in 1900. VMD did not assign hull numbers until WWII, but then they started at #14, so they apparently took account of the 13 ships that they had previously built. The original yard was in the Inner Harbour, but during WWI, VMD operated a yard on the Songhees Indian reservation, using the name Harbour Marine Company, and during WWII it operated a yard at Ogden Point, to build Forts and Parks, and continued there after the war. When the company stopped building ships, in 1967, it sold the Ogden Point yard to the Canadian Coast Guard and continued at the Inner Harbour site as an industrial fabricator until the mid 1990s. See the Ogden Point yard from the air on Google here.

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O/N Name Customer Type GT Built Notes
Built by Albion Iron Works
1 Princess Dept. of Public Works tugboat 1888
2 Vigilant Dept. of Public Works tugboat 29 1890
3 Joan Esquimalt & Nanaimo RR passenger freighter 821 1892 destroyed by fire 1920
4 Beaver Canadian Pacific Navigation sternwheeler 545 1898
Archie T. E. Ward yacht 4 1900
Built by Victoria Machinery Depot
5 Georgia Dept. of Marine & Fisheries tender 34 1900
6 Mount Royal Hudsons Bay Company sternwheeler 471 1902
7 Beryl Royal Engineers minefield tender 26 1903
8 Topaz Royal Engineers minefield tender 34 1903
9 Petrel Dept. of Public Works tugboat 134 1906
10 122381 transferred No.2 Canadian Pacific RR railcar barge 1,090 1907
11 Inlander Prince Rupert, Skeena Transportation sternwheeler 533 1910
12 Kluhane Taylor & Drury sternwheeler 14 1910
13 Oil Transport No. 1 VMD tank barge 201 1913
133976 Trident No. 4 closed
Built by Harbour Marine Company
1 Canadian Winner CGMM freighter 5,442 1920 Kosei Maru 1933, Banshu Maru No. 7 1942, torpedoed and lost 1943
2 Canadian Traveller CGMM freighter 5,455 1921 Procida 1932, Empire Volunteer 1940, torpedoed and lost 1940
3 transferred No. 8 Canadian Pacific RR barge 1,124 1921
194372 C.Z. 84-4 Crown Zellerbach barge 534 1921 later Crown Forest 84-4
Built by Victoria Machinery Depot
14 PV-59 Jasper/Kamloops (K-176) Royal Canadian Navy corvette 940 1941 scrapped 1945
15 PV-60 Quesnel (K-133) Royal Canadian Navy corvette 940 1941 scrapped 1945
16 PV-61 Dawson (K-104) Royal Canadian Navy corvette 940 1941 scrapped 1946
17 CN 124 New Westminister (K-228) Royal Canadian Navy corvette 940 1942 Elisa 1950, Portoviejo 1952, Azua 1954
18 CN 125 Dundas (K-229) Royal Canadian Navy corvette 940 1942 scrapped 1945
19 1942 possibly refit and conversion of HMCS Prince Henry
20 Fort Camosun Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd. freighter 7,126 1942 scrapped 1960
21 Fort Douglas Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd. freighter 7,129 1942 scrapped 1958
22 Fort Liard Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd freighter 7,131 1942 scrapped 1958
23 Fort Hudson's Hope Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd. freighter 7,129 1942 Vega 1948, Italvega 1950, Bellport 1966, scrapped 1972
24 Fort Tremblant Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd. freighter 7,128 1942 Beatus 1947, Stanland 1955, scrapped 1963
25 Fort Walsh Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd freighter 7,126 1943 Monstella 1948, Tihi 1965, scrapped 1967
26 Fort Wrigley Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd freighter 7,120 1943 Pantrooper 1948, Royal William 1950, Appulo 1956, scrapped 1962
27 Fort Sturgeon Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd freighter 7,127 1943 East Hill 1950, Rio Alto 1957, Aktor 1964, foundered 1966
28 Yoho Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd freighter 7,129 1943 Fort Highfield 1944, Darfield 1950, wrecked and scrapped 1954
29 Mount Royal Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd. tanker 7,246 1943 Adna 1946, Sterling Viking 1954, Alcyone Might 1956, Orjen 1957, scrapped 1968
30 Brentwood Bay Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd. tanker 7,263 1943 Norse King 1946, Dodger 1951, Arosa 1953, Antonios D.S. 1956, Apj Ambar 1959, scrapped 1961
31 Clearwater Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd tanker 7,261 1944 Norse Mountain 1946, Tioga Star 1951, Marinegra 1955, Lorenzo 1966, scrapped 1968
32 Cypress Hills Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd tanker 7,262 1944 Halcyon II 1946, Gundine 1947, Sterling Venture 1954, Alcyone Angel 1956, Betaluna 1960, Varuna Duti 1968, scrapped 1971
33 Mount Maxwell Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd tanker 7,256 1944 Mount Maxwell 1946, Buccaneer 1949, Plate Mariner 1959, Beatrice 1964, scrapped 1967
34 Salt Lake Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd. freighter 7,166 1944 Wairuna 1946, Bonna 1960, scrapped 1969
35 Fort St Ignace/Hastings Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd. freighter 7,165 1944 Lake Kamloops 1946, Lavadara 1950, Al Sayyada 1952, scrapped 1967
36 Fort Berens/Mission Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd. freighter 7,164 1944 Ottawa Valley 1947, Rog 1964, Mills Trident 1966, scrapped 1969
37 Montebello Park/Fort Langley Wartime Merchant Shg Ltd stores ship 7,285 1945 scrapped 1970
38 Lakeside Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd freighter 7,149 1945 Lakeside 1946, Evgenia Mg. 1952, Theodora 1952, wrecked 1958
39 Seven Oaks Park Park Steamship Co. Ltd freighter 7,149 1945 Seaside 1946, Rubystar 1952, Lagos Huron 1956, foundered 1960
40 Ottawa Pasqua/Hai Han M O W T/China freighter 1,351 1946 Hsin Men 1950, deleted 1957
41 Ottawa Painter/Hai Tsin M O W T/China freighter 1,351 1946 Feng Yuen 1950, Hu Ming 1960, Folklight 1962, Great Eastern 1966, scrapped 1967
42 Ottawa Pandora/Hai Yu M O W T/China freighter 1,351 1946 Hai Ping 1946, Hua Lien 1950, Ta Chung 1964, Antares 1967, deleted 1981
43 Ottawa Parian/Chilkoot M O W T freighter 1,336 1947 Culiacan 1961, deleted 1971
44 190656 V.M.D.II VMD barge 180 1946 later Rivtow 6, Fredbarber 4
45 France Borsai French Supply Council river barge 535 1947
46 France Cantenac French Supply Council river barge 535 1947
47 Stewart White Pass & Yukon RR barge 266 1948
48 179634 Pelly White Pass & Yukon RR barge 189 1948 later Y.T.C. 105, NT 550
49 156749 Teslin White Pass & Yukon RR barge 195 1949 later Y.T.C. 106, NT 800
50 192065 McQuesten F. Mannix & Co. freighter 31 1949 suspended
51 Carmacks F. Mannix & Co. freighter 31 1949
52 192296 Lloyd-Jones BC-Dept. of Public Works ferry 277 1950 later Vesuvius Queen, Eleupina 1998
53 Comox (AMc-146) Royal Canadian Navy minesweeper 412 1954 to Turkey 1957 as Tirebolu, scrapped
54 193506 Black Bear Gulf of Georgia Towing Co. tugboat 32 1950 later Nanaimo Rebel, Black Bear II
55 Porte de la Reine (YMG/YNG-184) Royal Canadian Navy gate vessel 429 1952 retired 1996, seized by Washington State in 2013, to be scrapped
56 327255 Fortune (AMc-151) Royal Canadian Navy minesweeper 412 1954 sold 1969 as Greenpeace Two, Edgewater Fortune
57 Campbell Dept. of Resources & Dvlpmt ferry 46 1951
58 Terra Nova (DDE-259) Royal Canadian Navy destroyer 2,366 1959 laid up at CFB Halifax
59 Miramichi (AMc-163) Royal Canadian Navy minesweeper 412 1957
60 YSW 200 Royal Canadian Navy lighter 112 1957 later ferry S.S. Beaver
65 197664 barker Pontoon No. 1 B.C. Forest Products barge 177 1954
66 197845 Island Tug 45 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 468 1954 later Seaspan 120
67 197862 Bridge Project # 152 B.C. Dept. of Highways drydock 848 1954 later B. P. 152
68 197853 Island Tug 46 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 502 1955 later Seaspan 121
69 197854 Island Tug 47 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 502 1955 later Bendickson No. 2, FOH No. 1
70 Greater Victoria Water Board float 1955
71 331844 Arrow Park ferry B.C. Dept of Highways ferry barge 120 1955 later Arrowpark
72 198917 Yorke No. 10 F. M. Yorke & Sons barge 257 1955
73 197869 Island Tug 48 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 532 1955 later Seaspan 302, Nootka Sound
74 198826 Island Tug 49 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 532 1955 later Seaspan 125, Colleen Z
75 198987 Cloverleaf barge B.C. Packers Ltd. barge 1,060 1955 later Kemano IV
76 550 B.C. Forest Products work boat 1955 closed
77 Marjory H. II Yellowknife Transportation tugboat 60 1956
78 188348 Y.T.C. No. 107 Yellowknife Transportation Co barge 293 1956 later NT 650
79 198842 Mill Bay Coast Ferries Ltd., Victoria ferry 175 1956 later Buttle Shuttle
80 189297 Y.T.C. No. 108 Yellowknife Transportation Co barge 461 1957 later NT 750
81 Dept. of Transport landing craft 1957
82 Dept. of Transport landing craft 1957
83 311252 Essington II Dept. of Public Works snag boat 451 1958
84 311166 Arctic No. 1 Arctic Shipping Ltd. barge 798 1958 later A. S. No. 1
85 312273 Sidney B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 2,976 1960 Queen of Sidney 1963, Bad Adventure
86 312077 Arctic No. 2 Arctic Shipping Ltd. barge 798 1959 later A. S. No. 2
87 Saskatchewan (DDE-262) Royal Canadian Navy destroyer 2,366 1963 reefed off B.C. 1997
88 312285 Nitinat No. 1 Moore-Whittington barge 30 1960
89 804391 D.P.W. No. 264 Dept. of Public Works barge 89 1960 later B-264
90 313996 Island Tug 70 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 631 1960 later Seaspan 342, MBM 18, Ralmax 1
91 313998 Island Tug 71 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 631 1960 later Seaspan 343
92 314000 Island Tug 72 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 631 1960 later S N 8, ITB 8
93 314001 Island Tug 73 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 631 1960 later Amix IV
94 314040 Queen of Victoria B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 3,541 1962 Queen of Ocoa 2000, Aan 2005, scrapped 2006
95 314837 Jacques Cartier B.C. Deeks-McBride Company tugboat 70 1962 later Westco Pioneer
96 314847 Crown Zellerbach Loader #2 Crown Zellerbach Canada Ltd. barge 267 1962 later Pacific Fibre Barge No. 1
97 Westport Straits Marcus Barge Company barge 1,527 1962 sank 1968
98 Hunter Point Dept. of Fisheries patrol boat 1,392 1963
99 318669 Queen of Saanich B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 3,547 1963 Owen Belle 2008, scrapped 2012
100 318673 Queen of Esquimalt B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 3,547 1963 Princess Jacqueline 2008, scrapped 2011
101 Queen of Alaska Alaska Cruise Lines passenger 3,000 1963
102 318676 Island Tug 82 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd. barge 720 1963 later P.R.B. No. 1, closed 2004
103 320033 Island Tug 83 Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd barge 720 1963 later Seaspan 372
320051 500 B.C. Forest Products suspended 2008
104 320068 Queen of Nanaimo B C Ferry Authority ferry 3,545 1964
105 322953 Queen of New Westminster B C Ferry Authority ferry 3,544 1964
106 320041 Undersea Garden Saltaire Products barge 280 1963
107 322969 Comox Queen B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 651 1965 later Tenaka
108 322410 Straits No. 107 Straits Marine Ltd. barge 790 1964
109 322419 Straits No. 108 Straits Marine Ltd. barge 790 1964 later Gypsy Mechanic
110 320033 Island Tug 84 Island Tug & Barge Ltd. barge 720 1964 later Seaspan 373
111 322943 Island Tug 85 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 720 1964 later Seaspan 374
112 322950 Island Tug 86 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 720 1964 later Seaspan 375, Miller 502
113 322952 Island Tug 87 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 720 1964 later Seaspan 376, Calypso 11
114 322954 Island Tug 88 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 720 1964 later Seaspan 377
115 322957 Island Tug 110 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1964 later Seaspan 430
116 322959 Island Tug 111 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1964 later Seaspan 431
117 322962 Island Tug 112 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1964 later Seaspan 432, VPD 432
118 320346 Evco No. 2 Ocean Cement Ltd. barge 1,110 1964
119 323243 Straits No. 109 Straits Towing barge 790 1964 later WCT 109
120 323232 Straits No. 150 Straits Towing barge 790 1965
123 322960 Island Tug 106 Island Tug & Barge Ltd. barge 1,336 1964 later Seaspan 902
124 323870 Queen of Prince Rupert B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 5,864 1966 Victoria Princess 1980, Queen of Prince Rupert 1980
125 322978 Queen of Burnaby B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 3,542 1965 Royal Victorian 1994, Princess Marguerite III 1997, Queen of Burnaby 2000
126 320351 Evco No. 14 Ocean Cement Ltd barge 1,581 1965
127 323251 Straits No. 151 Straits Towing barge 790 1965
128 323330 Plymouth Lafarge Cement Company barge 1,926 1965 suspended
129 323841 Powell River Queen B.C. Ferry Authority ferry 1,125 1965
130 323848 Mayne Queen B C Ferry Authority ferry 1,125 1965
131 323854 Bowen Queen B C Ferry Authority ferry 1,125 1965
132 323296 Rivtow 104 Rivtow Marine Ltd barge 823 1965
133 323834 Island Tug 113 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1965 later Seaspan 433
134 323839 Island Tug 114 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1965 later Seaspan 434
135 323843 Island Tug 115 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1965 later Seaspan 435, VPD 435
136 Liberia Sedco 135-F Sedco Inc. drill rig 8,676 1967 later a water facility in Brazil
137 325657 Straits No. 152 Straits Towing Ltd barge 790 1965 later Pacific Western No. 1, Ledcor No. 1
138 325670 Straits No. 153 Straits Towing Ltd barge 790 1965
139 325682 Straits No. 154 Straits Towing Ltd barge 790 1965 later Catherwood Transporter No. 4, More Chips No. 1
140 323855 V.M.D. 140 VMD Co. barge 791 1965 later G. of G. 470, Seaspan 164
141 323856 V.M.D. 141 VMD Co. barge 794 1965 later Seaspan 420, FRPD 6
142 323857 V.M.D. 142 VMD Co. barge 794 1966 later G. of G. 392, Seaspan 421
143 323859 Island Tug 89 McAllister Towing Co. Ltd barge 721 1966 later Seaspan 378
144 323862 Island Tug 90 McAllister Towing Co. Ltd barge 721 1966 later Seaspan 379
145 328327 Doris Yorke F M Yorke & Sons Ltd. ferry 2,612 1968 later Seaspan Doris 1974
146 327936 Rivtow 51 Harken Towing Co. barge 577 1967
147 327937 Rivtow 52 Harken Towing Co. barge 577 1967 later Odyssey 102
148 327938 Rivtow 53 Harken Towing Co. barge 577 1967
149 328282 Island Tug 122 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1967 later Seaspan 442
150 328291 Island Tug 123 Island Tug & Barge Ltd barge 823 1967 later Seaspan 443
151 Greater Victoria Water Board float 1967

Printed from shipbuildinghistory.njscuba.net