MS Arctic Explorer was a ship which sank off St. Anthony, Newfoundland, in the Strait of Belle Isle, on 3 July 1981. Arctic Explorer was built by the Hoivolds shipyard of Kristiansand, Norway as a sealer. She was laid down in March 1973, launched in November, and delivered in January 1974. She had a gross tonnage of 991 GT and a deadweight tonnage of 331 DWT, with a length of 49.5 metres (162 ft) and a beam of 11.5 metres (38 ft). She was powered by a single diesel engine that gave her a service speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h).