^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

House flags of Canadian Shipping Companies (C-H) (Canada)

Canadian Northern Steamships
Canadian Transport Co., Ltd.
Carryore
J.W. Carmichael & Co., Ltd.
Carvill Line
Cascadia Container Lines
Clarke Steam Ship Co. Ltd.
Clarke Transport Canada Inc.
CMTA Group
Constantine Lines
Dingwall Shipping Comp. Ltd.
Fednav, Ltd.
Forest Products Ltd.
Grand Trunk Pacific Coast SS Co., Ltd.
Great Lake Feeder Lines
Groupe Desgagnés
Hall Corp / Halco
Holliday Bros
Hudson’s Bay Co.
Hugh Cann & Son

See also:

Outside Links

Historic Flags of the West Coast (British Columbia, Canada) (museum exhibit book)

Canadian Northern Steamships

contributed by Jan Mertens, 7 August 2005
Source: Lloyds Flags & Funnels, 1912

This Toronto-based company – aka ‘Royal Line’ – was founded in 1910 and owned by Canadian Northern Railway. Ships sailed every two weeks between Avonmouth Docks (Bristol) and Quebec/Montreal during the summer and Halifax in winter as the St Lawrence was closed then (later this changed to St John). The company slogan was ‘Fastest to Canada’.

In 1914 its ships were called in for military transportation; two years later the fleet – then five ships in all – was bought by Cunard.

(Note: in 1910, ‘Canadian Northern’ acquired ‘Uranium Steam Ship Co’. active in transporting emigrants from Rotterdam to New York.)

Sources (second of them is a cache):

To quote Encyclopedia-Titanica:

the house flag was a “Blue and white pennant divided vertically, horizontal red stripe on the blue with saltaires above and below, red ball on the white”.

Those saltires were white. See also the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels, No. 1572

The company headquarters mentioned, however, is London.
Jan Mertens, 7 August 2005

Canadian Transport Co., Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005
Source: Brown’s Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World, 1995 [lgr95]

Vancouver - white flag, green fir-tree.
Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005

Carryore

image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 July 2008

eBay offer no. 260096892391 (ending 24 March 2007) concerned a table flag of a shipping company the Canadian Carryore. The image shows a black item with a white Canadian pale bearing a green maple leaf (black nerve lines). Additional information: '16" tall, flag is silky nylon material about 5 1/3" by 10 1/4”'.

A nice colour photo of the ‘Carol Lake’ funnel (also b/w) is shown in the canalpilot Flickr album.

Black with white disk bearing a green maple leaf (no nerve lines). The house flag can be made out on this Boatnerd photo, I think.

Founded in 1959. Carryore Ltd had a very small fleet, ordering ships built to fit the St Lawrence Seaway – two in all, it seems. A Canadian firm owned by US mining and steel companies, its vessels were after a time operated by Hanna Mining and typically transported iron ore to the Great Lakes, returning grain. Carryore was wound up in 1985; the ‘Carol Lake’ on above photo for instance was sold to Algoma Central and renamed.

Main source:
Boatnerd.com | Mapleglen
Jan Mertens, 28 July 2008

J.W. Carmichael & Co., Ltd.

image by Rob Raeside, 10 December 2013

Flag based on the Mystic Seaport museum Lloyds Book of Flags and Funnels search page: http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?BibID=11061&ChapterId=8 (p. 89). Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
Eric Odense, 8 December 2013

Carvill Line

contributed by Jan Mertens, 17 August 2005
Source: Mystic Seaport Library

From the Mystic Seaport Library page for a sailing card:

Carvill Line (of Packets), headquarters apparently Halifax, NS, Canada.

Green house flag with large, white serifed capital 'C' - let's suppose the letter is really centered on the flag!
Jan Mertens, 17 August 2005

Cascadia Container Line, Inc.

image by Jorge Candeias

Headquartered in: Vancouver, BC

Clarke Steam Ship Co. Ltd.

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Clarke Steam Ship Co. Ltd.
The company was located in Quebec. The flag is blue bearing a white initial “C”.
Source: US Navy Hydrographic Office: “Merchant Marine House Flags and Stack Insignia”, 1st edition 1961, p.3-8
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Clarke Transport Canada Inc.

image by Jarig Bakker, 6 February 2006
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95]

Montréal - horizontal RWB flag, in center blue disk, white outlined NATO-like cross, "C", all white.
Jarig Bakker, 6 February 2006

CMTA Group

image by Eugene Ipavec, 9 August 2006

The CTMA Group is principally involved in operating a ferry service based at Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec, Canada (Îles de la Madeleine). Some information gathered from its website. Quoting from the ‘Company / History’ section:

CTMA Group was founded in the forties from the need of the community of Les Îles de la Madeleine to provide itself a dedicated and reliable means of transportation that would play an active role in the economic development of the Region.

For many years, the Group's ships traveled between the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and Les Îles de la Madeleine, carrying goods and passengers to and from the archipelago. In the seventies, the Group introduced a regular Ferry Service between Prince Edward Island and Les Îles de la Madeleine. That Ferry Service has since become, the main access to the Islands. More recently, the company introduced a regular weekly cruise between Montreal, the Gaspésie Region and Les Îles de la Madeleine, with a stopover in Quebec City on the way back.

Jan Mertens, 4 December 2005

The blue of the flag is darker than that of the logo.
Eugene Ipavec, 9 August 2006

Constantine Lines

image by Jarig Bakker

From The National Maritime Museum:

The house flag of Constantine Lines, Montreal. A white flag with a red cross. In the centre, there is a white disc with a red border bearing the black letter 'C'. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached.

Image as in Brown 1951
image by Jarig Bakker

Brown (1951) has a red C.
Jarig Bakker, 9 August 2004

Dingwall Shipping Comp. Ltd.

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Dingwall Shipping Comp. Ltd.
The company was located in Halifax. The flag was blue. In the centre was a white disc containing three blue tridents ordered 2:1.
Source: US Navy Hydrographic Office: “Merchant Marine House Flags and Stack Insignia”, 1st edition 1961; p.3-8
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Fednav Ltd.

Fednav , Ltd.
image by Al Simpson, 28 September 2017

Representation in Brown, 1995
image by Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005
Source: Brown’s Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World, 1995 [lgr95]

Montreal - white burgee, red "F", accompanied by an arrowlike chunk from a red star.
Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005

According to the Colors of the Great Lakes & Seaway Flags & Smokestacks and Josef Nüsse, a rectangular flag.
Jan Mertens, 6 November 2006

I don't think the logo is supposed to be a chunk from a star but rather a chunk of a red maple leaf.
Marc Pasquin, 6 November 2006

The flag seems to be inspired by the Canadian national flag although the red shade seems to be dark.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 19 July 2007

Fednav is Canada's largest ocean-going dry-bulk shipowning and chartering group. Fednav is the leader in international shipping on the Great Lakes, as well as the Canadian Arctic, boasting the world’s largest fleet of ice-class bulk carriers. Headquartered in Montreal, Fednav has offices in Antwerp, Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, and Tokyo, as well as a number of local offices in the United States and Canada.

Fednav operates 76 vessels, 70 of them being named "Federal ...". The company offers dry-bulk shipping via its division Fednav International Ltd. (FIL), liner shipping via its division Fednav Atlantic Lakes Line (FALLine), arctic operations and projects, shipowning and technical services, ice monitoring and analysis via its subsidiary Enfotec Technical Services Inc., marine terminal operations via its subsidiary Federal Marine Terminals, Inc. (FMT), and logistics via Fednav Direct.
http://www.fednav.com - Fednav website

Founded in Toronto 70 years ago as Federal Commerce and Navigation Co., the company moved to Montreal in the early 50s, changing its name to Fednav Limited in the 70s, and with it, a new logo that depicts both a stylized “F” with a maple leaf, but also a spanner or wrench. Fednav employs a staff of 260 employees in offices worldwide (about 130 at the Montreal headquarters), plus roughly 2,000 crew members and stevedores.
http://www.armateurs-du-st-laurent.org/fileadmin/Documents/Nouvelles/Bulletins_des_Armateurs/EN/SLSNewsletter_September2014.pdf - St. Lawrence Shipoperators, Newsletter, September 2014
Ivan Sache, 29 September 2017

Forest Products Ltd.

image by Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005
Source: Brown’s Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World, 1995 [lgr95]

Vancouver - white flag, in center green circle containing one large and two small green cones.
Jarig Bakker, 7 November 2005

Grand Trunk Pacific Coast SS Co., Ltd.

image by Rob Raeside, 10 December 2013

Flag based on the Mystic Seaport museum Lloyds Book of Flags and Funnels search page: http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?BibID=11061&ChapterId=8 (p. 20). Location: Vancouver, BC.
Eric Odense, 8 December 2013

Great Lakes Feeder Lines

contributed by Jan Mertens, 10 October 2008
Source: Great Lakes Feeder Lines

Great Lake Feeder Lines (GLF) is situated in Burlington, Ontario (CA) and maintains a website from which the following is extracted:

Quoting from the introductory page:

The mission of Great Lakes Feeder Lines is to provide a competitive, reliable and environmentally responsible alternative to the existing surface modes of transportation carrying all types of cargo throughout the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and East Coast regions. Our vessels are modern, state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose, short sea shipping feeder vessels (…) under the Canadian flag (…).

Since May 2008, the German built ‘Dutch Runner’ – a frontrunner “Ro/Ro - Lo/Lo, double skin single decker fully fitted Container Vessel with stern ramp leading to weather deck” – is being operated. For details see the ‘Ship Specs’ section. Besides the company seat there are offices at Montreal and Erie, Penn. (US).

GLF’s logo appears on the website and also on the house flag: see the ‘News’ section for both. The flag is white bearing said logo in the centre: a white square within green holding lines is divided by an ascending diagonal and wavy line, blue, which is accompanied by two similar lines, green, which interrupt, and extend outwards from, the square.
Jan Mertens, 10 October 2008

Groupe Desgagnés

contributed by Jan Mertens, 2 October 2007

From relaisnordik.com:

Groupe Desgagnés is a Quebec conglomerate reputed for the excellence of its maritime and land operations. It is headquartered in Quebec City, with subsidiaries at major Canadian ports, in the Middle and Lower North Shore regions, and in the Eastern Canadian Arctic.

With its tankers, cargo vessels, passenger and cargo carriers, Ro/Ro, and tugboats, with its charter, ship repair, refloating, heavy machinery rental, and road transportation services, Groupe Desgagnés stands as a leader in merchant marine operations.”

and giving some highlights from its ‘History’ section.

Shipping started quite humbly in 1866 on a wooden schooner. Father and sons Desgagnés slowly but surely acquired trade and experience. Named ‘Transport Desgagnés’, the firm had its first steel vessel built end of the nineteen-fifities.

Still a family concern, the Groupe Desgagnés was established in 1972; the years 1976-1981 saw a participation in Navigation Sonamar Inc.

No longer restricted to inland or coastal shipping, Desgagnés vessels were now seen in the Arctic, too, starting 1985. Relais Nordik, active in passanger transportation, was bought in 1988 while during a brief period, 1994-96, Croisičres Nordik (cruises) existed as a subsidiary.

Another subsidiary, Petro-Nav, was established in 1996 for the transportation of bulk liquid cargo; Desgagnés Transarctik in its turn was to engage in Arctic shipping five years later.

Several more group members take care of various marine related services.

All vessels fly the Canadian flag and there seems to be a single Group flag, the one seen at the above url. It is dark blue with a yellow slanting stripe in the fly and bears the name ‘DESGAGNES’ in white letters in the centre (accent'´ 'on the ‘E’). Funnels and hulls, at least in a number of cases, show the slanted yellow stripe.
Jan Mertens, 4 October 2005

Groupe Desgagnés has two subsidiaries sharing the name i.e. Transport Degagnés Inc. and Degagnés Tankers Inc.
Jan Mertens, 27 November 2006

Hall Corp. / Halco

image by Jarig Bakker, 6 November 2005
Source: wellandcanal.ca

The Hall Corporation of Canada Ltd (Halco) was a shipping company based in Montreal, founded in 1918 as the Canadian subsisiary of the George Hall Co. (US., est. 1880, preceded by Hall & Gardner, Ogdensburg, New York). Named “Hall Corp. Shipping Ltd” since 1969. The firm operated bulk carriers as well as tankers (these last from 1957 till 1986); their movements were not restricted to the Great Lakes or the St Lawrence Seaway however. Ceased operations in 1987.
Jan Mertens, 3 November 2005

I think the flag is black - would be consistent with the funnel.

Loughran (1979) [lgr79] has three more:

First flag
image by Jarig Bakker, 6 November 2005
Source: A Survey of Mercantile House Flags and Funnels [lgr79]

The earliest flag is a red burgee bordered white, blue "H" for the Hall Corporation of Canada, Montreal.

Wishbone version
image by Jarig Bakker, 6 November 2005
Source: A Survey of Mercantile House Flags and Funnels [lgr79]

The later flag is red, a white chevron of c. 4/5 flaglength and 2/3 flag height, white "H"; same company - this is the famous "wishbone"-flag.

1969 version
image by Jarig Bakker, 6 November 2005
Source: A Survey of Mercantile House Flags and Funnels [lgr79]

Another flag is red, white "HALCO" for Hall Corporation Shipping Ltd., Westmount, P.Q. (Quebec) as per 1969.
Jarig Bakker, 6 November 2005

Holliday Bros.

image by Rob Raeside, 10 December 2013

Flag based on the Mystic Seaport museum Lloyds Book of Flags and Funnels search page: http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/ImPage.cfm?BibID=11061&ChapterId=8 (p. 67). Location: Quebec.
Eric Odense, 8 December 2013

Hudson’s Bay Co.

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Hudson’s Bay Co.
The company was located in Winnipeg. The houseflag was a red ensign. In the lower fly corner was a white caption “HB.C.”. The “H” and the “B” had one common vertical bar.
Source: US Navy Hydrographic Office: “Merchant Marine House Flags and Stack Insignia”, 1st edition 1961; p.3-8
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 5 January 2014

Hugh Cann & Son

image by Ivan Sache, 11 April 2008
Source: Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) llo12

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) llo12 shows the house flag of "Hugh Cann & Son" (#263, p. 49), a company based in Yarmouth (Nova Scotia), as white with the red letters "CANN", the "C" being bigger than the three other letters.

Quoting the Vanguard, 20 August 2002:

George Cann will be launching his 380-page book about his seafaring relatives Aug. 29 at the Yarmouth County Museum. The book includes stories on 39 Captain Canns, many shipbuilders, ordinary seamen, career navy men and marine engineers. The book is titled Ships and Their Men: The Cann Boats and follows the seafaring Cann family from 1788 to the 1970s.

The book begins with the original Canns, brothers John and Hugh, who came from New England to Nova Scotia in 1788. "They were two brothers who primarily were the ones to start the Canns in the southern part of Nova Scotia," Cann explained ... "I have a chapter devoted to boats that were sailed by Captain Canns, but ... there were 40 of them ... so you have to do a lot more digging to identify which of these Captain Canns is that particular one."

The other chapter is devoted to "Hugh Cann & Son" a company started by George Cann's great-grandfather and his oldest son. The company operated coastal tugs and freight and passenger steamers around the Maritimes between 1879 and 1929. It served the Bay of Fundy, the South Shore, and the Strait of Canso.

[...]

Ivan Sache, 11 April 2008