The SS Ethie

Marine Atlantic, its predecessor CN Marine, and pre-confederation Newfoundland coastal boats have a strong and proud history serving the people of Atlantic Canada through ferry terminals, passenger vessels and rail service.

In this week’s blog posting we highlight the SS Ethie, a Newfoundland and Labrador coastal boat which operated from 1900 to 1919.

Named after a location in Scotland, similar to other vessels comprising the ‘alphabet fleet’, the SS Ethie spent much of its time travelling the waters in Conception and Trinity Bays, and between Labrador and St. Barbe. The coastal boats were a welcome site in remote communities as it was a lifeline for residents in need of vital supplies such as food, fuel and clothing. At 155 feet in length and weighing 439 tonnes, the vessel had the ability to ship significant volumes of freight during each sailing.