Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company

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Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company
Industry Shipbuilding
Founded1909
Founder James Whalen
Defunct2014
Headquarters Port Arthur, Ontario
Area served
Canada
Products Cargo and Passenger ships, Naval vessels

The Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard that operated at Port Arthur, Ontario, now part of Thunder Bay, on Lake Superior from 1911 to 1993. [1] The shipyard was established in 1909 [2] and renamed in 1916 as the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company. [3] The yard closed in 1993. It reopened as a repair yard Lakehead Marine and Industrial, however that venture failed in 2014. As of 2016, the shipyard was purchased by Heddle Marine. It is operated by Heddle Marine in partnership with Fabmar Metals Inc, of Thunder Bay. The venture focuses on ship repair services and winter layup options.

Contents

Its dry dock and shops were constructed in 1910 and located at Bare Point at the extreme eastern end of the Thunder Bay harbour. [4] The company built and repaired many ships during its years of operation, including warships during the First and Second World Wars. [5]

History

W. Grant Morden, first Canadian ship to hold the title "Queen of the Lakes", largest freighter on the Great Lakes W. Grant Morden.jpg
W. Grant Morden, first Canadian ship to hold the title "Queen of the Lakes", largest freighter on the Great Lakes

Beginning

Entrepreneur James Whalen began the company in 1909. Letters patent issued at Port Arthur in February 1909 and construction began in 1910 after negotiations with The American Ship Building Company, which supplied top management and skilled workmen. The initial cost CAD$650,000. The officers at the time were James Whalen, President from 1910 to 1924; Irving S. Fenn from the American Ship Building Company, Secretary-Treasurer; and Hugh Simms, Superintendent.

The first ship to enter the dry dock was Dunelm, a cargo vessel that docked on 16 April 1911. The first passenger vessel was Hamonte, which docked on 29 July 1911. 1914 marked the launching of W. Grant Morden, later known as Donnacona, a 625-foot (191 m) vessel that was completely built at Western Dry Dock. W. Grant Morden was the largest Canadian-built freighter on the Great Lakes for 20 years. 1914 also marked the construction and launch of SS Sicamous and SS Naramata, two steamships that operated on Okanagan Lake, British Columbia. [6]

Early 1900s

The company built many ships over next years, including warships for the First World War. In 1916, it was acquired by John Burnham of Chicago, who changed the name to Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company Limited. During the recession of the 1920s, production and employment dropped. The company was taken over by H.B. Smith and R.M. Wolvin ten years later, and business boomed during the Second World War. [6]

Second World War

Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company constructed and delivered many ships and parts for the war. These included nine corvettes, six Bangor-class minesweepers 20 Algerine-class minesweepers, boilers and engines, and many aircraft components. Increasing business led to new buildings and equipment. The number of employees reached a peak in the July 1944 at 2150 employees (the average was 310). [7]

Decline and end

The company was acquired by Canada Steamship Lines Limited in 1946. It continued to build ships, including three coasters, two of which were delivered to Chinese government, and six hopper barges for the French government. Major constructions ceased after 1959, though the company continued to repair and renovate ships. [6] The company became a subsidiary of Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited in 1987 and closed in 1993. It reopened as a repair yard called Lakehead Marine and Industrial Inc., which continued to operate until 2014. [1] Lakehead Marine and Industrial announced its bankruptcy and sold off its assets at auction in November 2014. [8]

Purchase and re-development

Heddle Marine purchased the property in 2016 and operates as a ship repair and winter layup facility.

Grounds and facilities

The dry dock is 747 feet (228 m) long and 98 feet (30 m) wide (Seawaymax capacity). There is usually 16 feet (4.9 m) of water over the sill of the dry dock, depending on the level of Lake Superior. The dock is pumped by two 200 horsepower (150 kW) direct current pumps that can empty the dock in four hours, discharging 1,000,000 gallons per hour.

The company had modern shops for mill work, pulp and paper machinery, general machine shop work, structural steel, power and heating, boilers and tanks, iron, and brass and aluminum castings. At the time of its construction, the machine shop contained the largest vertical boring mill between Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia. The plant covered 35 acres and was located at the north of Lakehead Harbour. There were 76 buildings with a roofed area of 300,000 square feet (28,000 m2). [7]

Ships built

Warships built

Flower-class corvette

Ship Pennant number Laid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
HMCS Algoma K12718 June 194017 December 194011 July 1941Transferred in 1945 to Venezuela as Constitucion.
HMCS Cobalt K1241 April 194017 August 194025 November 1940In the Netherlands 1953 as whale catcher Johanna W. Vinke (AM5²) in service. Scrapped 15 December 1961 in South Africa.
HMCS Kamsack K17120 November 19405 May 19414 October 1941Sold in 1945 to Venezuela as Carabobo. Lost in December 1945.
HMCS Kenogami K12520 April 19405 September 194029 June 1941Scrapped in January 1950 in Canada.
HMCS Morden K17025 October 19405 May 19416 September 1941Scrapped in November 1946 in Canada.
HMCS Oakville K17821 December 194021 June 194118 November 1941Sold in 1946 to Venezuela as Patria.
HMCS Rosthern K16918 June 194030 November 194017 June 1941Scrapped in June 1946 in Canada.
HMCS Weyburn K17321 December 194026 July 194126 November 1941Mined on 22 February 1943 off Cape Espartel at 36-46N, 06-02W. 7 crew were killed.
HMCS Port Arthur K23328 April 194118 September 194126 May 1942Sold on 23 October 1945. Scrapped in 1948 at Hamilton, Ontario.

Bangor-class minesweeper

ShipPennant numberLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
HMCS Blairmore J3141 February 194214 May 194217 November 1942Decommissioned on 16 October 1945. Recommissioned in 1949 with pennant J193. Sold to Turkey in 1958 as Beycoz in 1971.
HMCS Fort William J31118 August 194130 December 194125 August 1942Sold in 1957 to Turkey as Bodrum. Sold in 1971.
HMCS Kenora J28118 August 194120 December 19416 August 1942Decommissioned on 6 October 1945. Recommissioned in 1949 with pennant J191.

Decommissioned in 1957 and sold to Turkey as Bandirma. Sold in 1972.

HMCS Kentville J31215 December 194117 April 194210 October 1942Decommissioned on 28 October 1945. Recommissioned in 1949 with pennant J182.

Decommissioned in 1957 and sold to Turkey as Bartin. Sold in 1972.

HMCS Milltown J31718 August 194127 January 194218 September 1942Decommissioned on 18 October 1945. Recommissioned in 1949 with pennant J194.

Sold in February 1959.

HMCS Mulgrave J31315 December 19412 May 19424 November 1942Struck a mine in the English Channel off Le Havre on 8 October 1944 and badly damaged, not repaired.

Scrapped in May 1947.

Algerine-class minesweeper (Royal Canadian Navy)

ShipPennant numberLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
HMCS Border Cities J34426 August 19423 May 194318 May 1944Sold for scrapping 1948
HMCS Fort Frances J39611 May 194330 October 194328 October 1944Transferred to Department of Mines and Technical Surveys in 1948

Broken up in 1974

HMCS Kapuskasing J23619 December 194222 July 194317 August 1944Loaned to the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys from 1949-1972

Sunk as a target in 1978

HMCS Middlesex J32829 September 194227 May 19436 August 1944Ran aground near Halifax and became a total loss on 2 December 1946
HMCS New Liskeard J3977 August 194214 January 194421 November 1944Scrapped in 1969
HMCS Oshawa J3306 October 19426 October 19436 July 1944Sold as civilian survey vessel in 1958

Broken up in 1966

HMCS Portage J33123 May 194221 November 194222 October 1943Broken up in 1961
HMCS Rockcliffe J33523 December 194219 August 194330 September 1944Broken up in 1960
HMCS Sault Ste. Marie J33427 January 19425 August 194224 June 1943Broken up in 1960
HMCS St. Boniface J33221 May 19425 November 19429 October 1943Sold mercantile as Bess Barry M. in 1948
HMCS Wallaceburg J3366 July 194217 December 194218 November 1943Sold to the Belgian Navy as Georges Lecointe in 1959

Broken up in 1970

HMCS Winnipeg J33731 January 194219 September 194229 July 1943Sold to the Belgian Navy as A.F. Dufour in 1959

Broken up in 1966

Algerine-class minesweeper (Royal Navy)

ShipPennant numberCommissionedFate
HMS Lysander J3791943Broken up in 1957.
HMS Mariner J3801944Sold to the Burmese Navy as Yan Myo Aung in 1958.

Withdrawn and Laid up in 1982.

HMS Marmion J8311944Broken up in 1959.
HMS OrcadiaJ4621945Broken up in 1958.
HMS Ossory J4631945Broken up in 1959.
HMS Pluto J4461945Broken up in 1973.
HMS PolarisJ4471945Broken up in 1956.
HMS PyrrhusJ4481945Broken up in 1956.
HMS RomolaJ4491945Broken up in 1957.
HMS Rosamund J4391945Sold to the South African Navy as HMSAS Bloemfontein in 1947.

Sunk as a target off Simonstown on 5 June 1967.

Bay-class minesweeper

Ship Hull classification symbol Laid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
HMCS Chaleur MCB 1448 June 195121 June 195218 June 1954Sold to the French Navy as La Dieppoise in 1954, stricken 1985.
HMCS Quinte MCB 14914 June 19528 August 195315 October 1954Paid off in 1964.
HMCS Thunder MCB 1611 September 195527 October 19563 March 1957Paid off in 1997.

References

  1. 1 2 "Port Arthur Shipbuilding, Thunder Bay ON". Shipbuildinghistory.com. 20 February 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Big Shipyard". Montreal Gazette. 29 May 1909. p. 8. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Port Arthur Daily News, 14 October 1909.
  4. ↑ Port Arthur Daily News, 27 June 1911.
  5. ↑ Port Arthur Daily News, 20 May, 14 August 1915.
  6. 1 2 3 Division of Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited. History of Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company. August, 1969.
  7. 1 2 Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company archives. 1975.
  8. ↑ "Lakehead Marine and Industrial auction 'saddens' many". CBC News. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2015.

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