Launched September 27, 1961; this ocean and Seaway bulk carrier was built by Hall Russell & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland as the Gosforth for the Burnett Steamship Co. Ltd., Newcastle, England. She is powered by a Sulzer 4,100 horsepower 6 cylinder diesel engine giving her a rated service speed of 14 knots. The Gosforth was rebuilt in 1968 increasing her tonnage from 7,580 dwt to 8,350 dwt. She has 4 hatches feeding into 4 holds where she is capable of carrying 8350 tons at her maximum mid-summer draft of 25 feet 6 inches.
The Quebec & Ontario Transportation Co. Ltd., Montreal, QC bought the Gosforth in 1972 renaming her the Thorold (3). After a refit at Sorel, QC to carry newsprint, she re-entered service July 31, 1972.
Thorold was sold to Transport Desgagnes Inc., Quebec City, QC, in early 1984 after the Q&O ceased operations Dec.31, 1983. The vessel was renamed Catherine Desgagnes in 1985. Her cargoes included pig iron, coal, grain products, salt, and aluminum ingots. As an example of this vessel’s versatility, in late 1999 she arrived at Goderich, ON, from Marinette, WI, to pick up corn for Long Point, NFL.
Her usefulness to the Desgagnes fleet came to an end in 2015, and that fall she was sold to the R. J. MacIsaac Construction Co. of Antigonish, NS, and renamed Catherine III. During the winter of 2015-16 she loaded scrap metal from the hull of the former laker Canadian Miner, wrecked on Scatarie Island, for delivery overseas. That voyage completed, the vessel itself was scrapped in 2016.
Written by George Wharton.
| Ship Particulars | |
| Length | 410′ 03″ (125.05m) |
| Beam | 55′ 06″ (19.92m) |
| Depth | 31′ 00″ (9.45m) |
| Midsummer Draft | 26′ 03″ (8.0m) |
| Capacity | 8,394 tons |
| Engine Power | 3,841 bhp diesel |
| Previous Names | |
| Gosforth | 1962 – 1972 |
| Thorold (4) | 1972 – 1985 |
| Catherine Desgagnes | 1985 – 2015 |
| Catherine III | 2015 – 2016 |