I wasn’t expecting to see this vessel in the Halifax Harbour and was in awe when I did, vividly remembering the event on June 18, 2023.
Once a stalwart of the Canadian Coast Guard, this historic vessel has had a remarkable journey—serving in Arctic waters, ferrying passengers through the Northwest Passage, being auctioned on eBay, and most famously, acting as the last surface ship to see the Titan submersible before its tragic implosion near the Titanic wreck on June 18, 2023.
Originally commissioned as CCGS Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1959, the vessel was a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker and buoy tender. After a significant 1984 refit that added an air bubbler system and extended its length by 18 feet, it served until 2001 before transitioning to private ownership under the name Polar Prince.
Following years of sporadic use, it gained national attention in 2017 as Canada C3, embarking on a 150-day celebratory voyage for Canada’s sesquicentennial. In 2021, it was acquired by Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Service Ltd. and given the Mi’kmaq name Oqwatnukewey Eleke’wi’ji’jit.
In June 2023, chartered by OceanGate Inc., Polar Prince towed the Titan to the North Atlantic. Days later, the submersible vanished en route to the Titanic. Debris was discovered near the wreck site, confirming a catastrophic implosion that claimed all five lives aboard.
Seeing this storied vessel in person during my travels was nothing short of eerie—a quiet, imposing reminder of the lives it last saw and the depths of history it has touched.
Article Above Submitted by Janey Anderson @ Ship Junkies
Description
The icebreaker has an overall length of 72.5 meters (237 feet 10 inches), a beam of 14.7 meters (48 feet 3 inches), and a draught of 5 meters (16 feet 5 inches). When fully loaded, the vessel displaces 3,000 long tons (3,000 metric tons). Originally, it had a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 2,153 and a net register tonnage (NRT) of 693.
It is equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, utilizing DC motors to drive two shafts with fixed-pitch propellers, producing a total of 4,250 shaft horsepower (3,170 kW). This setup allows the ship to reach a top speed of 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h).
The vessel has a fuel capacity of 467 cubic meters (102,730 imperial gallons) of diesel, enabling it to travel up to 10,000 nautical miles (approximately 19,000 kilometers) at a cruising speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). It is capable of operating at sea for periods of up to 30 days without resupply.
In 1985, the vessel’s tonnage was remeasured, resulting in an updated gross tonnage (GT) of 2,062 and a net tonnage (NT) of 618.
The icebreaker was built by Davie Shipbuilding at its facility in Lauzon, Quebec, under yard number 614. It was launched on October 29, 1958, and named in honor of Humphrey Gilbert, a historical figure known for his exploration of the Northwest Passage. The vessel’s design was derived from the established models of the icebreakers CCGS Montcalm and CCGS Wolfe, but featured modern upgrades, including diesel-electric propulsion.
On December 20, 1963, the French ship Douala sent out a distress call off the coast of Newfoundland. At the time, Sir Humphrey Gilbert (Polar Prince) had been assigned to assist a fishing vessel in the Atlantic but was redirected to respond to Douala, which was in serious danger of sinking. During the journey, a barge on board the Coast Guard vessel broke free, damaging the ship. Harsh icing conditions made it difficult to secure the barge, causing a delay in the vessel’s arrival. On December 21, Douala sank. The following day, 19 crew members were rescued, though two of them died on the way back to Newfoundland. Thirteen others perished in the water.
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