Algoma Provider

The keel was laid for this classic straight-deck bulk carrier in August, 1962 at Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, ON as their hull # 177. Nine months later, on May 3, 1963, the new hull was launched as the Murray Bay (2) for Canada Steamship Lines, Inc., Montreal, QC. This build was the fastest construction of a vessel of this type and size and proved to be the last steam turbine powered vessel built for Canada Steamship Lines. The new carrier was named Murray Bay (2) just prior to the original Murray Bay being sold June 15, 1963 to N.M. Paterson and Sons Ltd. who, in turn, named their vessel Comeaudoc. The naming of the new laker followed a Canada Steamship Lines naming pattern for this class of vessel honoring better known bays on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Murray Bay (La Malbaie) is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Fate
On June 9, 2013 with the tug VB Artico on the bow and Vigilant I on her stern, the former Algoma Provider –with her name shortened to OVI for her last voyage, stack markings painted over and a homeport of Freetown (Sierra Leone) lettered on the stern – was towed from Montreal bound for Aliaga Turkey. The last survivor of a long line of Collingwood built steamers, the old Murray Bay was beached on July 12, 2013 to be broken up.