Built under yard no 29 by the Port Weller Dry Dock Ltd., at St. Catherine, Ontario, Canada, for the Canadian department of Transport.
21 June 1961 she floated in her building dock, and was christened on 26 August under the name FEDERAL PALM.
Tonnage 3.171 gross, 1.594 net, 1.900 dwt., dim. 90.84 x 15.75 x 8.11m.
Powered by two Fairbanks-Morse locomotive diesels 3.400 bhp. Service speed 14.5 knots.
Two self-containing cranes for hold no 3 and the two fore holds carried two 5 tons derricks and one 20-ton heavy lift derrick.
For cargo handling between anchorage and shore she carried on the afterdeck two steel scows or whaleboats, when shore based lighterage was not available.
Passenger accommodation for 50 cabin and 200 dormitory class.
Building cost $ 3 million Canadian.
After completing on the end of 1961handed over to the West Indies Federation. She was used in the same service as the FEDERAL MAPLE. and also managed by Furness Withy & Co., Trinidad.
After sailing for a decade in the Caribbean waters she was sold in October 1972 to Nauru Pacific Line at Nauru, and renamed in CENPAC ROUNDER.
Sailed via the Panama Canal and Peru to the South Pacific.
After sailing from Suva on 27 March 1979, when she carried a 30 ft long fishing vessel on deck, she was during the passing of cyclone Meli driven hard aground on Votualailai Reef in position 18 30S and 177 40E the next day.
Extensively damaged, the wrecked vessel was abandoned by most of her crew.
She was refloated on 27 April and towed back to Suva, but beyond economical repair she was sold to South Korean shipbreakers for scrap.
Arrived at Busan in June 1979 and she was broken up by Yuham Sangsa Co.
Grenada 1975 1c sg834, scott? (as FEDERAL PALM) viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8182&p=9816&hilit=federal+palm#p9816
Trinidad and Tobago 1985 $1.50 sg 678, scott? (as FEDERAL PALM.)
Tuvalu 1978 30c sg87, scott? (as CENPAC ROUNDER.)
Source Marine News 1980/484. Modern Shipping Disasters 1963-1987 by Norman Hooke.
http://www.pwdd.com/albums/ShipsofPortW ... es0015.htm