Vessel TRINA winters in Kingston harbour

Over the winter of 1963-64, a notable vessel made Kingston harbour its home - the TRINA. Newsworthy, but I wondered why. Well, it was controversial and and made the news when it broke loose from its moorings at the Kingston Shipyards around January 26, making it out into ice-choked harbour before being rustled back into place. While in Kingston, she wore the Lakes Ocean stack markings of a circled-L, though she had several previous 'identities.' The 'TEXACO' letters on her side could be seen painted-out. Below is some background on this vessel, from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society Facebook page, beginning at 1959 in the vessel's history:

The 1959 sailing season, a major change came to both the The Texas Company and the MICHIGAN. The Texas Company, popularly known as Texaco by the public was adopted as the official name of the company in 1959. With the name change occurring, the MICHIGAN quickly followed with the new name TEXACO MICHIGAN appearing on the side of the vessel. Close to four short years had passed on the TEXACO MICHIGAN was sold to Lakes Ocean, Inc. with the fourth name change to the vessel, now known simply as TRINA. Once the change in ownership was official, the new owners urgently attempted to get their new investment off the lakes before closure of the Seaway would take place. The new owners attempted to take 200,000 bushels of corn bound for a port in the Gulf of Mexico. Timing was not on the side of the new owners and the Seaway closed, stranding the TRINA in Kingston for the 1963 – 1964 winter layup. 

The cargo was removed and sent via Montreal. The stranding caused a strenuous financial burden on Lakes Ocean, Inc. The TRINA was eventually sold for $36,500, well below its value, by the Exchequer Court of Canada. A public auction in Kingston took place on August 18, 1964 and William Brooks of Corpus Christi, TX paid cash as the high bidder. Before leaving Kingston, the vessel was scheduled for an 10-day overhaul at the Kingston Shipyards. Renamed CORPUS CHRISTI, she left Kingston flagged for Panama. A 20-man crew, mostly from Trinidad, arrived after the sale and remained aboard until her departure.

The TRINA was sold to William Brooks for $36,500 who in turn resold the newly named CORPUS CHRISTI to the Panamanian based company known as  Panama-Florida Shipping Co. The fate of the vessel was last known as sailing as a tank barge after conversion to a tank barge took place in Houston, Texas in 1967 for the West Indies Transportation Co., Ltd. located in the British West Indies. The last known date for the vessel was 1970 when the barge was purchased by the West Indies Transportation Co., Ltd. It is not known if the barge is still sailing the Caribbean or if scrapping has taken place. 

West Indies Transportation Co. also bought the former Cape Transport (formerly Northcliffe Hall then Wittransport II) which was a laker-turned-eyesore at the LaSalle Causeway in the 1980s.

A complete lineage of the TRINA:

U.S. Transportation Company  (1902 – 1911)

Great Lakes Steamship Company (1911 – 1939)

Merritt, Chapman & Scott Corp. (1939 – 1941)

Marinette-Escanaba Transportation Co. (1941 – 1941)

The Texas Co.  (1941 – 1959)

Texaco, Inc.  (1959 – 1963)

Lakes Ocean, Inc.  (1963 – 1964) ***Sold off Lakes***

William Brooks  (1964 – 1966)

Panama-Florida Shipping Co. (1966 – 1966) ***Panama***

Texas Coastal & International, Inc. (1966 – 1966) ***Panama***

Pullman Bank & Trust Co.   (1966 – 1970) ***Panama***

West Indies Transportation Co., Ltd. (1970 – Unknown) ***British West Indies***

Length: 370.00

Width: 48.16

Depth: 24.00

Gross Tonnage: 3860.00

Net Tonnage: 3057.00

Hull Material: Steel 

Built: 1902

Rebuilt: 1915