HMCS Cormorant was a notable diving support vessel that served in the Canadian Forces from its commissioning in 1978 until its decommissioning in 1997. Originally constructed as the Italian stern trawler Aspa Quarto in 1965, the vessel was built by Cantiere Navale Apuania in Italy, measuring 74.4 meters in length overall, with a beam of 12.2 meters and a gross tonnage of 1,643 GRT. Powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system, Aspa Quarto could reach a maximum speed of 14 knots. In 1975, the vessel was acquired by the Canadian Forces and underwent extensive conversion at Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon, Quebec. Post-conversion, she was reconfigured as a diving support vessel with a displacement of approximately 2,350 long tons. Her length was slightly increased to 74.7 meters overall, with a beam of 11.9 meters and a draught of 5.0 meters. The ship was equipped with three Marelli-Deutz ACR 12456 EV diesel engines delivering 1,800 horsepower, enabling her to sustain a range of 13,000 nautical miles at 12 knots. Cormorant was designed with specialized equipment for deep-sea and diver operations, including two SDL-1 submersibles capable of operating at depths of 610 meters, housed in a heated hangar aft. She had a complement of 65 crew members, which increased to 74 with the inclusion of women, marking her as the first Canadian vessel to have women assigned to her crew. Notably, she participated in various significant missions, such as the discovery of the sunken vessel Breadalbane in 1989 and the recovery of the ship’s bell from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald during "Expedition '95." Decommissioned in 1997 and sold to U.S. owners, the vessel was later converted for offshore support before being laid up in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. She sank in the LaHave River in 2015 due to ice accumulation, leading to complex salvage and legal disputes. Ultimately, the vessel was towed for scrapping in 2020 at Sheet Harbour, with demolition completed in 2021. Her ship’s bell remains on loan to a Navy League Cadet Corps in British Columbia, symbolizing her enduring maritime legacy.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.