HMCS Hallowell was ordered on 1 February 1943 as part of the 1943-44 River-class building program by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

[2][3] She was laid down by Canadian Vickers Ltd. aT Montreal on 22 November 1943 and launched 28 March 1944.

As a result, Gajabahu became the flagship of the fleet and only major warship of the Royal Ceylon Navy after Mahasena and Parakram were sold off and Vijaya was lost in a storm.

During the 1971 Insurrection she could not be deployed to sea since her crew were dispatched for ground duty due to personnel shortages.

In the 1980s she was taken out of active service to be converted to a training ship for the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee.