Maria Desgagnés was built at Shanghai, China, by Qui Xin Ltd., as Hull QX1255. It was launched on May 27, 1998, and completed in 1999 as Kilchem Asia for Knut I. Larsen A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark. The firm defaulted on the contract and the vessel was sold to Petro-Nav Inc. division of Desgagnés.
The new tanker was enrolled at Montreal as Maria Desgagnés (C820514) on March 19, 1999, and classed under Lloyd’s +100A1 double-hull type 2SG 1.55 EPS oil and chemical tanker Ice Class 1A for worldwide, St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes service. The ship has an overall length of 393 feet, 8 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 376 feet, 5 inches, a beam of 68 feet, 11 inches and a molded depth of 40 feet, 5 inches. Tonnage is registered at 8,848 gross and 4,527 net.
Maria Desgagnés has 10 epoxy coated, cargo tanks equipped with stainless steel heating coils and has a full load capacity of 97,936 barrels, or 13,199 metric tones, at a mid-summer draft of 31 feet, 2 inches. The ship is powered by a model S42MC Burmeister & Wain diesel engine that develops 8,361 brake horsepower. Electrical power is produced by three 500 kilowatt diesel generators and, with a normal full load, consumes fuel at a rate of 22 metric tons per day. It is also equipped with a 750 brake horsepower bow thruster and maintains a service speed of 14 knots.
The vessel departed Shanghai, China, on April 6, 1999, and loaded vegetable oil in the Philippines and paraffin wax in Indonesia for the delivery trip via the Suez Canal. On June 8, the vegetable oil was discharged at Genoa, Italy, and the paraffin wax was later unloaded at Montreal. In bound, a partial load of hydro cracker bottoms was loaded at Come-By-Chance, Newfoundland, for delivery to Clarkson, Ontario.
Maria Desgagnés has seen service on the Great Lakes, around Eastern Canada, north to the Arctic and on various deep-sea routes including a stop at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with chemicals. The ship hit bottom near Cardinal, Ontario, on November 11, 1999, while enroute to Hamilton. It visited Port Weller Dry Docks in St. Catharines for a refit in 2004. This was the last transit of the season downbound through the Seaway on December 29, 2005.
Adapted with permission from “The Desgagnes Fleet” by Buck Longhurst, Mac Mackay, Skip Gillham.
| Ship Particulars | |
| Length | 393′ 08″ (119.99m) |
| Beam | 68′ 11″ (21.01m) |
| Depth | 40′ 05″ (12.32m) |
| Midsummer Draft | 31′ 02″ (9.5m) |
| Capacity | 13,199 tons |
| Engine Power | 8,361 bhp diesel |
| Previous Names | |
| Kilchem Asia | 1999 – 1999 |
| Maria Desgagnés | 1999 – Today |