The double-hulled motor tanker Esta Desgagnés was built as Emsstern by MTW Schiffswerft G.m.b.H., of Wismar, Germany, in 1992. The 10,511 deadweight capacity vessel was ordered by Rigel Schiffahrts G.m.b.H. of Bremen, Germany.

Emsstern was designed with an overall length of 405 feet, 10 inches, a beam of 58 feet, 1 inch and a molded depth of 34 feet, 9 inches. It was registered at 6,262 gross tons and 3,154 net tons and was equipped with 12 epoxy coated, cargo tanks with a total capacity of 68,018 barrels of petroleum products at a draft of 27 feet, 5 inches. The ship is powered by a 5,032 model 6L35MC Burmeister & Wain diesel engine. This provides a 12.5 knot service speed and has a daily fuel consumption of 14 metric tons.

On October 27, 1993, the ship was transferred to Rigel Shipping Canada Ltd. and enrolled at Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was renamed Emerald Star (C814361) at Montreal on November 10. This tanker was placed in the oil trade distributing Ultramar Refinery products to ports around Eastern Canada, down to the Gulf of Mexico, along the St. Lawrence and into the Great Lakes. A collision with Agawa Canyon below the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on April 10, 1998, resulted in hull damage.

The ship came under the management of the Groupe Desgagnés, through their subsidiary Petro-Nav Inc. and, in 2008 they acquired ownership with the mortgage held by the Royal Bank of Canada. The ship was enrolled at Quebec City as Esta Desgagnés on April 7, 2010.

Adapted with permission from "The Desgagnes Fleet" by Buck Longhurst, Mac Mackay, Skip Gillham.