After shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico, Pembina loaded cargo at Gulfport, Mississippi, for delivery to Subic Bay, Luzon in the Philippine Islands.

[3] Pembina was placed in temporary custody of US Maritime Administration (MARAD) 18 April 1957, and assigned to the Olympia, Washington, Reserve Fleet in ready status.

Renamed Spirit of Grace, the former Pembina hauled supplies and delivered aid to needy people in various part of the world.

On a mission trip to Israel in 2006, Spirit of Grace burned out a cylinder in her main engine, requiring an expensive rebuild.

[6] As a result, Spirit of Grace was returned to the original donor and subsequently sold to ESCO Marine in Brownsville Tx, where she was scrapped in December 2008.