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Imperial Oil Shipping Co., Ltd.
Imperial Welland - (1947-1965)
See also : Royalite - (1916-1947)
"Imperial Welland" was build in 1916 as "Royalite".
Served Imperial Oil from 1947 till 1965 and she was scrapped.
 
"Imperial Welland".
 
"Imperial Welland".
 
"Imperial Welland" on Lake Horon Lore.
( Photo Copyright Richard Duncan )

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 fortynine years of service, the longest in Imperial Oil history, ROYALITE/IMPERIAL WELLAND was cut up for scrap.

The Miramar Ship Index for "ROYALITE"
IDNo:
1134513
Year:
1916
Name:
ROYALITE
Keel:
Type:
Tanker
Launch Date:
15.12.1915
Flag:
CAN
Date of completion:
06.1916

Tons:
2052
Link:
-
DWT:
Yard No:
45
Length overall:
Ship Design:
LPP:
76.2
Country of build:
CAN
Beam:
13.1
Builder:
Collingwood SB Co.
Material of build:
Location of yard:
Collingwood
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
1T-8.5

Subsequent History:
1947 IMPERIAL WELLAND

Disposal Data:
Scrapped at Santander 13.10.1965.

History:
ON
LR/IMO
ID
Year
Name
Tons
Change
Registered Owner
134513
1134513
1916
ROYALITE
2052
Imperial Oil Ltd.
134513
1134513
1916
ROYALITE
2052
1937
Imperial Oil Sg Co., Ltd.
134513
1134513
1916
ROYALITE
2052
1941
Imperial Oil Ltd.
134513
515966
1134513
1916
IMPERIAL WELLAND
2052
1947
Imperial Oil Ltd.

Additional information :

Registry & Rig Information
Vessel Name:
ROYALITE
Nationality
CANADA
Official Number:
134513
Rig:
Propeller

Dimensions & Tonnage
Vessel Length:
250.00
Gross Tonnage:
2052.00
Vessel Width:
43.16
Net Tonnage:
0.00
Vessel Height
16.58
Hull Material:
Steel
Masts:
Hull Number:
00045

Builder Information
Place of Build:
Collingwood, Ontario
Builder:
Collingwood Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Date of Build
1916

Name Changes
Vessel Name:
Date:
Registry
Official #
IMPERIAL WELLAND
1947 - 1965
CANADA
134513

Ownership Changes
Owner Name
Date
Registry
Official #
Imperial Oil, Ltd.
Toronto, Ont. Canada
1916 - 1965
CANADA
134513

Rebuild History
Tonnage change, 1947 (2104 gross -1544 registered).

Disposition
Sold to Spanish shipbreakers; arrived in tow at Santander, Spain, on October 13, 1965, for scrapping, along with IMPERIAL SIMCOE.