Canadian Tugs (CT) Built During WWII

Most recent update: August 10, 2011.

There is very little publicly available information about the 265 Canadian Tugs that were built by Canadian shipyards during WWII and transferred to the British Ministry of War Transport.  They were called TANACs, believed to be the Canadian equivalent of the TUSA label used for British tugs built in U.S. yards.  They were 60-foot, 55-ton, diesel-powered boats, with steel hulls, except for the 10 built by Smith & Rhuland and the 25 built by Industrial Shipping, which were wooden-hulled.  The first was delivered in late 1942 and the last in 1946.  Some were returned after the war and the last few never left Canada, but almost all of them were sold to tug operators worldwide and many are still active.  The one shown on the right is the Russel-built CT 46 on her sea trials.  Read more about the TANACs on Steve Briggs' web site, here.  If anyone can fill any of the gaps in this table, please send your information to timcolton@aol.com

Some names:

Lac Como (ex Halifax) - McKeil Marine

Lac Erie (ex TANAC 74) - McKeil Marine

Lac Manitoba (ex Manitoba) - McKeil Marine

Lac Vancouver (ex Vancouver). - McKeil Marine

Irving Alder (ex Toronto) - Irving Company

Irving Poplar (ex TANAC 42) - Irving Company

TANAC V 222 - DoT

Colinette (ex Lac Ottawa) - Waterman's Services

Lac St. Louis (ex Hamilton)

Lac Quebec (ex Lac Michigan)