Built as an icebreaker by Mil Tracy Marine Industries at Sorel, Canada for the Canadian Ministry of Transport.
Her building took from 1948 until 1953.
Launched under the name LABRADOR.
Tonnage 3.823 gross, 1.950 dwt., Displacement 6.490 ton. dim. 269 x 63.6 x 37.9½ft. Draught mean 29.1ft.
Diesel electric powered by 6 10 cyl. Fair Morse diesels, each 2.000 hp. coupled direct to the Propulsion Generator of 6 West House each 1.375 kW., driving the 2 propeller motors each 5.000 shp. Maximum speed 16 knots. Twin screws.
Has heeling tanks which are connected by reversible-propeller type pumps enable water ballast to be hurled from side to side at 40.000 gallons a minute, so that she can rock herself free when trapped by ice.
Ice strengthened. Helicopter flight deck, and carried some helicopters for ice reconnaissance.
1953 Delivered. Commissioned 8 July 1954.
By the end of the Second World War, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western Powers in the last era of the manned bombers gave rise to the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line of the defensive radar stations. To support this activity seaborne freight to the Arctic greatly increased and the Royal Canadian Navy turned its attention to high latitudes.
By the rich resources stored in the Arctic, the Canadian Government decided to build a strong and powerful icebreaker, not only for defence but also for exploration.
She was designed after the lines of the American “wind class” Arctic patrol vessels, and modified to the Canadian standards, which included highly sophisticated equipment and to use her as a floating laboratory, hospital, transport, rescue, school and exploration vessel.
23 July 1954 sailed on her first voyage to the Arctic under command of Capt. O.C.S. Robertson and through the Straits of Bell Isle, crossing the Arctic Circle 4½ days later. During the voyage she carried out various tasks in uncharted waters, through Glacier Strait, Smith Sound, Banc Basin and Buchanan Bay to Alexandra Fiord, Canada’s most northerly RCMP Detachment.
She was the first warship, which voyage to negotiate the Northwest Passage across the top of the continent; she visited homeward bound San Francisco, Panama City and Grenada.
Thereafter made many voyages to the Arctic regions with supplies, surveying little know waters in the north, erecting of navigation control stations etc.
1958 Due to manpower shortage, the Navy withdrew from the Arctic, and the LABRADOR was transferred to the Coast Guard.
Based at North Sydney, she helped shipping and ferry services during the winter months in the Gulf of St Lawrence. In summer mostly used high in the Arctic.
September 1964 under command of Capt. N.V.Clarke she reached 81º 45 min. North in Kennedy Channel, the most northerly position attained by any Canadian ship up to that time.
The Labrador served with the coast Guard for 29 years.
1988 Renamed by the Government of Canada in 1210.
Sold through Dutch intermediaries by the Canadian Ministry of Transport to Taiwan shipbreakers and she arrived under tow at Kaohsiung 24 June 1989.
Canada 1978 14c sg934, scott?
Marine News 1989/175 1990/442 http://www.crrstv.net/~gbailey/force50.htm Ships of Canada by Thomas Appleton.