M/V William Carson was a CN Marine passenger/vehicle icebreaker ferry named in honour of Newfoundland colonial politician William Carson. Built by Canadian Vickers Ltd. in Montreal, Canada, William Carson measured 351 feet (107 m) in length and displaced 8,300 tons. Primarily a freight/cargo ferry, she had a capacity for 260 passengers and 60 cars which were loaded through a side ramp. William Carson was reassigned to the seasonal Labrador coastal service in 1976, operating between Lewisporte and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.