(1920) 1923                                  Willowbay                                  1936 (1958)

Steel twin-screw St. Lawrence River canal size bulk freighter

One of a fleet of vessels, ten or more, built shortly after the end of World War I for the French government for coastal service in the coal trade.  Cabins aft with twin screws, they were near sisters named for occupations involved in the construction or operation of ships.  Built by six or more different shipyards, they all had slightly different dimensions and tonnages.  Of the vessels brought to the Great Lakes, half were propelled by fore and aft compound engines and half by triple expansion engines.  Ten of these vessels were purchased in late 1922 primarily for the grain trade by Ogilvie Flour Mills, Montreal QC,  renamed for trees native to Canada with –bay suffix honoring their operating company, each vessel owned by a separate company indicating the name of the vessel, and brought to the Great Lakes in 1923.

Built at Bordeaux France by At. & Ch. Maritime du Sud-Ouest, Hull 4
Launched as Tolier (sheet iron worker).  Renamed Oissel 1922

229’6” LOA, 219’5” LBP, 34’3” beam, 14’9” depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, coal-fired boilers, 2 triple expansion engines, 700 IHP

Enrolled at Montreal QC 1923 as Willowbay
218.8 x 34.4 x 12.6, 1247 GT, 659 NT     Can 150838     to:
Willowbay Steamship Co., Montreal QC, Bay Line Steamships Ltd., Mgr. (home port Montreal QC)

Entered Great Lakes service 1923

Managing firm renamed Tree Line Navigation Co. 1924

Sold 1936 to Stirling Shipping Co., Halifax NS for off-Lakes service and left the Great Lakes

Renamed Maid of Stirling 1936, Tai Khoon (China) 1946, Ziang Lee 1949 and Hsing Ching No. 1 1952

Scrapped, probably by 1958

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