The Cape class were two maintenance ships of the Canadian Navy. The ships were modified Fort class cargo ships (similar to the US Liberty ship

Liberty ship

Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...

) launched in Vancouver in 1944 for the British Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 as part of the Beachy Head class of repair ships. They were bought by Canada in 1952.

Ships

, originally HMS Beachy Head. She was loaned to the Royal Netherlands Navy

Royal Netherlands Navy

The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...

 in 1947 and served until 1950 as the Vulkaan, before returning to the RN. In 1952, she was sold to Canada, who renamed her Cape Scott. She was used on the East Coast until 1970, and was used alongside for several years for the Fleet Maintenance Facility until that organization moved ashore in 1975. Although Cape Scott was towed to Texas for scrapping in 1978, the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 still bears her name.
, originally HMS Flamborough Head, was also purchased by Canada in 1952, and sent to the West Coast. She served until 1964, but from 1972 until at least 1993, she was used as a towed mobile support facility and accommodation vessel at Esquimalt. She was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of British Columbia in 2001. Although Cape Breton was sunk in 2001, the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Esquimalt still bears her name.