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Royalite - (1916-1947)
See her as : Imperial Welland - (1947-1965)
"Imperial Welland" was build in 1916 as "Royalite".
Served Imperial Oil from 1947 till 1965 and she was scrapped.
( Photo thanks to Lindsey Byers )
Crew members "Royalite". Who are they, anyone ????
( Photo thanks to Lindsey Byers )
"ROYALITE" upbound Bridge 1 Welland Canal April 20, 1932.
( Photo courtesy Geny Ascroft Sr. )
ROYALITE, launched December 15,1915, for Imperial Oil, made history as the first tanker to be built in Canada. The vessel was intended
for the Great Lakes trade but headed to sea in 1916 due to the demands of World War One. She was based at Halifax while
on the coast and did make some transatlantic runs.
The 258 foot (78.6 metre) tanker returned to the inland seas before heading back to the Atlantic for World War Two duty. In the post
war years she experienced both freshwater and saltwater sailing.
Imperial renamed their liquid cargo carriers in 1947 and ROYALITE became the IMPERIAL WELLAND. A year later the vessel received major
damage in a grounding accident on a shoal near Canso, Nova Scotia. The ship lost her rudder and had extensive bottom damage.
Fortunately,she was without cargo and there was no spill or pollution danger.From 1957 to 1963, IMPERIAL WELLAND was based at Montreal
as a bunkering vessel. There she refuelled a variety of ships from cargo carriers to passenger liners. Her final days were spent back on the
Great Lakes and she left for the last time in April 1965. After unloading at Kingston, Ontario, the vessel sailed for the St. Lawrence.
Sold for scrap, a tug took IMPERIAL WELLAND and IMPERIAL SIMCOE and headed overseas late in the summer of 1965. The tow line broke
twice enroute to Santander, Spain, but the ships were retrieved and they arrived safely October 13, 1965. After forty-nine years of service, the
longest in Imperial Oil history, ROYALITE/IMPERIAL WELLAND was cut up for scrap.
Additional information :
Registry & Rig Information
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Vessel Name:
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ROYALITE
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Nationality
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CANADA
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Official Number:
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134513
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Rig:
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Propeller
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Dimensions & Tonnage
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Vessel Length:
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250.00
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Gross Tonnage:
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2052.00
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Vessel Width:
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43.16
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Net Tonnage:
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0.00
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Vessel Height
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16.58
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Hull Material:
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Steel
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Masts:
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Hull Number:
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00045
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Builder Information
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Place of Build:
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Collingwood, Ontario
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Builder:
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Collingwood Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
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Date of Build
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1916
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Name Changes
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Vessel Name:
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Date:
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Registry
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Official #
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IMPERIAL WELLAND
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1947 - 1965
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CANADA
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134513
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Ownership Changes
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Owner Name
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Date
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Registry
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Official #
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Imperial Oil, Ltd.
Toronto, Ont. Canada
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1916 - 1965
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CANADA
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134513
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Rebuild History
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Tonnage change, 1947 (2104 gross -1544 registered).
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Disposition
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Sold to Spanish shipbreakers; arrived in tow at Santander, Spain, on October 13, 1965, for scrapping, along with IMPERIAL SIMCOE.
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