The Dart Atlantic was built in 1972 by Swan, Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders Ltd at Hebburn-on-Tyne with a tonnage of 31036grt, a length of 759ft 10in, a beam of 100ft 6in and a service speed of 23 knots. She was the first of three container ships capable of carrying the equivalent of 1556 TEUs containers of which 1100 were below deck. Of an all welded construction with much high tensile steel she was, at the time, equipped with the UK's highest powered diesel engines. Her enclosed bridge and chartroom extended the full width of the ship. She was launched on 14th October 1970 for the Bristol City Line as part of their contribution to the Dart Container consortium to operate a weekly service, Antwerp - Southampton - Halifax - New York - Norfolk, Virginia. When she was delivered on 24th May 1972 Bibby's had become the owners.

The planned service proved to be unprofitable and she was taken over by C. Y. Tung's newly acquired Furness, Withy & Co. in 1980 for operating the same route and with the same name. In 1981 the Dart Consortium was reorganised and she was transferred to Canadian Pacific Ltd on a demise charter and renamed C P Ambassador. Her owner was recorded as being Tricity Finance Ltd. of London. In 1985 she was renamed Canmar Ambassador by the same owner but operated by 'Canmar' (Canadian Marine Drilling Ltd) of Calgary and still on charter to Canadian Pacific. In 1988 she was owned by Channel Ltd and managed by BCP Ship Management Ltd of Bermuda. She was owned by Canadian Maritime Ltd in 1991 and managed by Canada Maritime Services still as the Canmar Ambassador. Current records indicate that she has either changed owners again or been broken up.

The Dart America, the Dart Europe, the Dart Canada, the Dart Britian and the Dart Continent were all sister ships of the Dart Atlantic. They all went to the OOCL fleet in 1980 after C.Y. Tung acquired Furness, Withy & Co. The Dart America was renamed the OOCL Challenge in 1988.