[1] At the time of her delivery, Wacousta was chartered by Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company for a period of 7 consecutive navigation seasons (April through December) to transport coal and iron ore. After completion the vessel proceeded directly to North America departing from Greenock on June 19 and arrived at Wabana 8 days later.

[7][8] Wacousta was then employed on Canadian route along St. Lawrence River, transporting primarily coal and sometimes steel from North Sydney to Montreal and Quebec City during the summer navigation season.

During one of these trips up the river, Wacousta ran aground on the Goose island (Île aux Oies) on September 28, 1909, but was refloated shortly after sustaining only minor damage.

On June 6, 1910, it was reported that Wacousta set a new record for travel between North Sydney and Montreal during her mid May trip, being able to complete the full roundtrip, including loading and unloading of 5,600 tons of coal, in approximately 6+1⁄2 days.

[14] On May 28, 1910, the ship grounded on St. Paul's island, just north of Cap Breton, during heavy fog, but after 5 hour struggle was able to refloat herself without assistance and sailed to Halifax for repairs with damaged front hull plates and water in her forepeak.

During her first trip, she left Norfolk on January 5 for Mexico, visiting ports of Tampico, Veracruz and Cárdenas and returning to New York in early February.

[19] For the remainder of 1912 and during 1913 the ship continued transporting coal from North Sydney and Louisbourg to other Canadian localities along the St. Lawrence River and Portland.

In the first three months of 1914 Wacousta was chartered to carry coal between Baltimore and Newport News and Cuba, and transport iron ore back on her return journeys.

At the end of 1914 the ship was outfitted for the ice-breaking work in Archangel for the Russian Government, however, the project was abandoned shortly after when it was learned she wouldn't be able to carry enough fuel for the trip.

[22] Around the same time, Wacousta together with several other ships was sub-chartered by Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company to Barber Line to operate on their South American routes and the vessel was ordered to continue on to Brazil.

[23][24] Wacousta departed Pictou for her final voyage at about 04:00 on October 19, 1915, carrying 175 boxcars made by the Eastern Car Company and some other railway equipment for Vladivostok in Russia.

The crew set course for the nearest land, an island of Gavdos, about 73 nautical miles (135 km) north-northwest from the site of sinking.