List Of Empire Ships (K)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:


Suffix beginning with K


''Empire Kamal''

''
Empire Kamal An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' was a
cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usu ...
which was built by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Maschinenbau,
Vegesack Vegesack is a northern district of the city of Bremen. Geography ''Vegesack'' is located about north from the centre of Bremen-city at the mouth of the river Lesum, beside the river Weser (). Abutting the district of Vegesack to the northwest is ...
. Launched in 1938 as ''Hohenfels'' for
DDG Hansa DDG Hansa, short for Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft Hansa (German Steamship Company Hansa; in modern orthography, Deutsche Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft Hansa) was a major German shipping company specialising in heavy freight and schedul ...
,
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...
. Scuttled on 25 August 1941 at
Bandar Shapur Bandar-e Shahpour ( fa, بندر شاهپور) is a city and capital of Bandar-e Shahpour District of Mahshahr County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. As of the 2006 census, its population was 67,078, in 14,681 families. Bandar Shahpour is a port cit ...
,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. Raised and seized as a
war prize A prize of war is a piece of enemy property or land seized by a belligerent party during or after a war or battle, typically at sea. This term was used nearly exclusively in terms of captured ships during the 18th and 19th centuries. Basis in inte ...
. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Kamal''. Allocated in 1944 to the
Dutch Government The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy, and a decentralised unitary state.''Civil service systems in Western Europe'' edited by A. J. G. M. Bekke, ...
and renamed ''Van Ruisdael''. Sold in 1947 to Vereenigde Nederland Scheepsvaart and renamed ''Ridderkerk''. Scrapped in September 1962 at
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
.


''Empire Kangaroo''

'' Empire Kangaroo'' was a (9,600 DWT) cargo ship which was built by Federal Shipbuilding Co, Kearny,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Completed in January 1919 as ''Mercer'' for the
United States Shipping Board The United States Shipping Board (USSB) was established as an emergency agency by the 1916 Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), on September 7, 1916. The United States Shipping Board's task was to increase the number of US ships supporting the World War ...
(USSB). To MoWT in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Kangaroo''. Sold in 1946 to Donaldson Brothers, Glasgow and renamed ''Parthenia''. Sold in 1949 to P Mazzella,
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
and renamed ''Erminia Mazzella''. Sold in 1951 to A Onorato, Naples and renamed ''Pina Onorato''. Scrapped in August 1958 in
Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...
, Italy.


''Empire Katy''

''Empire Katy'' was a tug which was built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd,
Goole Goole is a port town and civil parish on the River Ouse in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town's historic county is the West Riding of Yorkshire. According to the 2011 UK census, Goole parish had a population of 19,518, an increa ...
. Launched on 18 December 1944 and completed in June 1945. Sold in 1948 to Aden Port Trust,
Aden Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
and renamed ''Sir Bernard Reilly''. Sold in 1963 to Societa di Navigazion Rim. Capiechi, Italy and renamed ''Mar Siculo''. Scrapped in 1979 at
Milazzo Milazzo ( Sicilian: ''Milazzu''; la, Mylae; ) is a town (''comune'') in the Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, southern Italy; it is the largest commune in the Metropolitan City after Messina and Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. The town has a p ...
, Italy.


''Empire Keats''

''
Empire Keats An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' was a cargo ship which was built by Short Brothers Ltd,
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
. Launched on 19 March 1942 and completed in May 1942. Allocated in 1943 to the
Greek Government Greece is a parliamentary representative democratic republic, where the President of Greece is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Greece is the head of government within a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in both the g ...
and renamed ''Ionion''. Sold in 1947 to E & J Chandris, Greece and renamed ''Ioannis Chandris''. Sold in 1955 to Navigation de Samos and renamed ''Ioannis Inglessis''. Operated under the management of D Inglessi Fils SA, Greece. Sold in 1965 to Welfare Marine Corporation,
Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
and renamed ''Thai Long''. Operated under the management of Tai Chong Navigation Co Ltd, Hong Kong. Scrapped in October 1966 at
Keelung Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...
,
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
.


''Empire Kedah''

''
Empire Kedah An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' was a cargo ship which was built by Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd, Sunderland. Launched on 6 November 1945 as ''Empire Kedah'' and completed in April 1946 for Kaye, Son & Co Ltd, London. Sold in 1962 to Cerra Umumi,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
and renamed ''M Nurfan''. Arrived on 25 September 1969 at
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
for scrapping.


''Empire Keith''

''Empire Keith'' was to have been a tug built by A Hall & Co,
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
. The contract to build her was cancelled when she was under construction and she was scrapped on the stocks. Her engine was installed in the tug ''
Serviceman The term serviceman, alternatively service member, refers to enlisted members of a nation's armed forces. More generally, the term can be applied to officers as well. For more information see: *Soldier *Sailor *Airman *Marine *Coast guard *Nat ...
'' which had suffered a boiler explosion.


''Empire Ken''

'' Empire Ken'' was a
passenger ship A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...
which was built by
Blohm & Voss Blohm+Voss (B+V), also written historically as Blohm & Voss, Blohm und Voß etc., is a German shipbuilding and engineering company. Founded in Hamburg in 1877 to specialise in steel-hulled ships, its most famous product was the World War II battle ...
,
Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...
. Launched in 1928 as ''Ubena'' for
Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie (''German East Africa Line'') was a shipping line, established in 1890 as an alternative to the existing shipping services to East Africa, including German East Africa (1891–1919), then dominated by United Kingdom ...
. Requisitioned in 1939 by the
Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
, used as
depot ship A depot ship is an auxiliary ship used as a mobile or fixed base for submarines, destroyers, minesweepers, fast attack craft, landing craft, or other small ships with similarly limited space for maintenance equipment and crew dining, berthing an ...
for the
3rd Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...
, 5th and 21st
U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...
Flotillas. Converted in 1945 to
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. ...
, participated in the evacuation of Germans from the Baltics. Seized in May 1945 at
Travemünde Travemünde () is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Bay of Lübeck, Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, an ...
. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Ken''. Conversion to
troop ship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
completed in December 1945. In collision with HMT Empire Medway in
Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
Harbour,
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
in 1951. Involved in the Suez Canal landings in 1956. In September 1957 scrapping commenced at
Dalmuir Dalmuir (; gd, Dail Mhoire) is an area northwest of Glasgow, Scotland, on the western side of Clydebank, and part of West Dunbartonshire Council Area. The name is a lowland Scots derivation of the Gaelic meaning Big Field. The area was ori ...
,
Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire ( gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Breatann) or the County of Dumbarton is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbartonshire borders P ...
. Hulk arrived on 16 December 1957 at
Troon Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with freight services and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O Ferrie ...
, Ayrshire for final demolition.


''Empire Kennet''

'' Empire Kennet'' was a cargo ship which was built by
Deutsche Werft Deutsche Werft (English: German Shipyard) was a shipbuilding company in Finkenwerder Rüschpark, Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1918 by Albert Ballin and with Gutehoffnungshütte (GHH), ''Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft'' ( AEG) and ' ...
, Hamburg. Launched in 1925 as ''Las Palmas'' for Oldenburg Portuguese Line. Seized in May 1945 at
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish, Low Saxon: ''Flensborg''; North Frisian: ''Flansborj''; South Jutlandic: ''Flensborre'') is an independent town (''kreisfreie Stadt'') in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the ...
. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Kennet''. Allocated in 1946 to
USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
and renamed ''Brest''. Later converted to a
factory ship A factory ship, also known as a fish processing vessel, is a large ocean-going vessel with extensive on-board facilities for processing and freezing caught fish or whales. Modern factory ships are automated and enlarged versions of the earlier wh ...
and stationed at
Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
, her name was removed from shipping registers in 1955 and she was scrapped in 1971.


''Empire Kent''

'' Empire Kent'' was a cargo ship which was built by
Nordseewerke Nordseewerke Emden GmbH (sometimes abbreviated NSWE, in English: North Sea Company) was a shipbuilding company, located in the Emden Harbor of the north German city of Emden. Founded in 1903, shipbuilding ended in 2010, and the company was taken ...
,
Emden Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528. History The exact founding date of E ...
. Launched in 1939 as ''Levante'' for Deutsche Levante Linie, Hamburg. Seized in May 1945 at
Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Kent''. Sold in 1947 to Johnson Warren Lines Ltd and renamed ''Oakmore''. Scrapped in April 1967 at
Avilés Avilés (; ) is a town in Asturias, Spain. Avilés is, along with Oviedo and Gijón, one of the main cities in the Principality of Asturias. The town occupies the flattest land in the municipality, partially in a land that belonged to the sea, ...
, Spain.


''Empire Kestrel''

was a (5,050 DWT) cargo ship which was built by
Great Lakes Engineering Works The Great Lakes Engineering Works (GLEW) was a leading shipbuilding company with a shipyard in Ecorse, Michigan, that operated between 1902 and 1960. Within three years of its formation, it was building fifty percent of the tonnage of all ships ...
,
Ecorse Ecorse ( ') is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,512 at the 2010 census. Ecorse is part of the Downriver community within Metro Detroit. The city shares a northwestern border with the city of Detroit ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. Completed in 1919 as ''Lake Ellithorpe'' for the USSB. To Newtex Steamship Corp,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
in 1926. Renamed ''Texas Trader'' in 1932. To MoWT in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Kestrel''. Attacked on 16 August 1943 by
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
aircraft and sunk by an
aerial torpedo An aerial torpedo (also known as an airborne torpedo or air-dropped torpedo) is a torpedo launched from a torpedo bomber aircraft into the water, after which the weapon propels itself to the target. First used in World War I, air-dropped torped ...
at .


''Empire Kew''

'' Empire Kew'' was a cargo ship which was built by John Lewis & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen. Launched on 29 March 1945 and completed in May 1945. Sold in 1947 to Constants (South Wales) Ltd and renamed ''Beltinge''. Sold in 1950 to Ald Shipping Co Ltd and renamed ''Monkton Coombe''. Operated under the management of A L Duggan & Co,
Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
. Sold in 1958 to Ligure Fiorentina di Naviagzione and renamed ''Astarte''. Operated under the management of Danio Navigazione SRL, Italy. New
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
fitted in 1959. Sold in 1964 to Ditta Giuseppi Dormio, Italy and renamed ''Maria Dormio''. Rebuilt to . Sold in 1975 to Ant. Scotto di Santolo, Italy. On 3 February 1978, she sprang a leak in bad weather and was abandoned. She sank in the
Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; it, Mar Tirreno , french: Mer Tyrrhénienne , sc, Mare Tirrenu, co, Mari Tirrenu, scn, Mari Tirrenu, nap, Mare Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian pe ...
southwest of
Cape Miseno Cape Miseno (Italian: ''Capo Miseno'', Latin: ''Misenum'', Ancient Greek: ''Μισήνον'') is the headland that marks the northwestern limit of the Gulf of Naples as well as the Bay of Pozzuoli in southern Italy. The cape is directly across fr ...
.


''Empire Kingfisher''

'' Empire Kingfisher'' was a cargo ship which was built by the G. M. Standifer Construction Company,
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, Washington. Completed in 1919 as ''Coaxet'' for the USSB. To MoWT in 1941 and renamed ''Empire Kingfisher''. On 18 January 1942 she struck a submerged object off
Cape Sable Island Cape Sable Island, locally referred to as Cape Island, is a small Canadian island at the southernmost point of the Nova Scotia peninsula. It is sometimes confused with Sable Island. Historically, the Argyle, Nova Scotia region was known as Cape S ...
,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
and was holed. She was anchored and abandoned and sank on 19 January 1942 before salvage tugs could reach her. The German U-boat has long been credited with the sinking, as the ''Empire Kingfisher'' believed she was hit by a torpedo rather than had struck a rock. A U-boat attack distress signal was sent out and since the U-109 was attacking and launching several torpedoes on a ship nearby the Germans believed one of the stray torpedoes had hit the ''Empire Kingfisher''.


''Empire Kingsley''

'' Empire Kingsley'' was a cargo ship which was built by Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd,
Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...
. Launched on 19 September 1941 and completed in December 1941. Torpedoed on 22 March 1945 and sunk by ''U-315'' at .


''Empire Kingsway''

'' Empire Kingsway'' was a
coaster Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter rail line features eight s ...
which was built by G Brown & Co (Marine) Ltd, Greenock. Launched on 27 July 1945 as ''Empire Kingsway'' and completed in 1946 as ''The Emperor'' for J Hay & Sons Ltd, Glasgow. Scrapped in 1963 at
Boom Boom may refer to: Objects * Boom (containment), a temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill * Boom (navigational barrier), an obstacle used to control or block marine navigation * Boom (sailing), a sailboat part * Boom (windsurfi ...
, Belgium.


''Empire Kinsman''

'' Empire Kinsman'' was a cargo ship which was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. Launched on 29 August 1942 and completed in December 1942. Damaged on 6 March 1943 by enemy bombing at
Murmansk Murmansk (Russian: ''Мурманск'' lit. "Norwegian coast"; Finnish: ''Murmansk'', sometimes ''Muurmanski'', previously ''Muurmanni''; Norwegian: ''Norskekysten;'' Northern Sámi: ''Murmánska;'' Kildin Sámi: ''Мурман ланнҍ'') i ...
, USSR but later repaired. Sold in 1948 to Bullard, King & Co and renamed ''Umzinto''. Sold in 1956 to Compagnia Ltda Filia,
Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
and renamed ''Vastric''. Arrived on 30 August 1966 at
Onomichi is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, facing the Inland Sea. The city was founded on April 1, 1898. As of April 30, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 141,811 and a population density of 497.8 persons per km2. The total a ...
, Japan for scrapping.


''Empire Kitchener''

'' Empire Kitchener'' was a cargo liner which was built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd,
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
. Launched on 18 August 1944 and completed in December 1944. Sold in 1946 to Canadian Pacific Steamship Co Ltd and renamed ''Beaverford''. Sold in 1963 to Alliance Marine Corporation,
Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
and renamed ''Hulda''. Operated under the management of P S Li, Hong Kong. Sold in 1966 to International Marine Corporation, Liberia. Operated under the management of Y C Cheung, New York. On 18 August 1969 she broke her moorings during
Hurricane Camille Hurricane Camille was the second most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the United States, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. The most intense storm of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season, Camille originated as a tropical depression ...
and came aground at Gulfport,
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
. Declared a constructive total loss and scrapped in situ.


''Empire Kite''

'' Empire Kite'' was a cargo ship which was built by the
Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation The Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation (abbreviated MSC) was an American corporation established in 1917 by railroad heir W. Averell Harriman to build merchant ships for the Allied war effort in World War I. The MSC operated two shipyards: the f ...
,
Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Completed in May 1922 as ''Californian'' for American-Hawaiian Steamship Co. To MoWT in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Kite'' then '' Empire Seal'' later that year. Torpedoed on 19 February 1942 and sunk by ''U-96'' at .


''Empire Kittiwake'' (I)

'' Empire Kittiwake'' was a cargo ship which was built by the
Ames Shipbuilding and Drydock Company Steel refs: East Coast Gulf Coast West Coast * See also ** Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation#Shipbuilding in Puget Sound ** Moore Dry Dock Company#Shipbuilding in Oakland and Alameda Great Lakes Contracts and Cancel ...
,
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. Ordered as ''War Hector'' for the
British Shipping Controller Shipping Controller was a post created by the Lloyd George Coalition Government in 1916 under the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916, New Ministries and Secretaries Act (6 & 7 George 5 c.68) to regulate and organize merchant shipping in order ...
, London. Completed in January 1919 as ''Western Ally'' for the USSB. To McCormick Steamship Co,
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
in 1927. To MoWT in 1940 and renamed ''Empire Kittiwake''. Allocated to the Greek Government in 1942 and renamed ''Epiros''. Sold in 1948 to Zaunos, Stavrides & Cocolis, Greece. Sold in 1951 to Transworld Lines SA, Panama and renamed ''San Andrea''. Scrapped in January 1953 at Stockton on Tees, Co. Durham.


''Empire Kittiwake'' (II)

'' Empire Kittiwake'' was a LST (3) which was built by Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co Ltd, Lauzon,
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
. Launched in July 1945 as HMS ''LST 3510'' and later renamed HMS ''Slinger''. Laid up in the
River Clyde The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
but requisitioned in 1956 by the
Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government age ...
during the
Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...
. Scrapped in January 1969 at
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
.


''Empire Knight''

'' Empire Knight'' was a cargo ship which was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. Launched on 15 January 1942 and completed in April 1942. On 11 February 1944 she ran aground in a blizzard at Boon Island Ledge, from
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
,
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
(). She was abandoned the next day and broke in two, with the stern section sinking. The bow section sank on 15 February 1944.


''Empire Knoll''

'' Empire Knoll'' was a collier which was built by William Gray & Co Ltd,
West Harlepool West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
. Launched on 16 December 1940 and completed in February 1941. On 17 February 1941, she came ashore in a gale and struck the foundations of the North Pier,
Tynemouth Tynemouth () is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, North East England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne, hence its name. It is 8 mi (13 km) east-northeast of Newcastle upon T ...
, broke in two and declared a total loss.


''Empire Kohinoor''

'' Empire Kohinoor'' was a cargo ship which was built by W Hamilton & Co Ltd,
Port Glasgow Port Glasgow ( gd, Port Ghlaschu, ) is the second-largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19,426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16,617 persons. The most recen ...
. Launched in 1919 as ''War Celt''. Sold in 1919 to
Lloyd Triestino Lloyd Triestino was a major shipping company, created in 1919 when the city of Trieste became part of Italy in the settlement after the First World War. It ran passenger services on ocean liners around the world. Seriously harmed by Second World W ...
,
Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
, Italy and renamed ''Caboto''. Scuttled on 25 August 1941 at Bandar Shapur, Iran. Refloated and seized by the British as a war prize. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Kohinoor''. Torpedoed on 2 July 1943 and damaged by ''U-618'' at . She was torpedoed again by ''U-618'' the next day and sunk.


''Empire Kudu''

'' Empire Kudu'' was a cargo ship which was built by the
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company The Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company was a United States shipyard, active from 1917 to 1948. It was founded during World War I to build ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II, it built ships as part of the U.S. Gov ...
, Kearney, New Jersey. Completed in March 1919 as ''Duquesne'' for the USSB. To Lykes Brothers-Ripley Steamship Co Inc in 1933. To MoWT in 1941 and renamed ''Empire Kudu''. On 26 September 1941 she came ashore west of Point Amour, Belle Isle Strait and was declared a total loss. Henry Carter (26/05/1924-15/02/2014) WWII Merchant Navy, wrote in his autobiography 'My Life During WWII & in Times of Peace' (2017) "I joined the Empire Kudu on 4/6/1941 as a cabin boy. We ran aground off the Labrador coast – in northeastern Canada, on 26 September 1941. We got into the lifeboats and then were told to get back onboard the ship. We found the engine room was half full of water so we got off very quickly again. She didn’t sink because she must have been sitting on the bottom. The foggy weather saved our lives because the submarines were waiting for the convoy to sail into the Atlantic Ocean when it came out of the straight, off the Labrador Coast. We did not panic when the ship ran aground because we could not see where we were going. In peace-time, we would have sailed from the convoy area via the Atlantic Ocean but we went the other way to dodge the submarines, but they were waiting for us to come out anyway" (Carter, pp. 28–29).


''Empire Kumari''

'' Empire Kumari'' was a cargo ship which was built by
AG Weser Aktien-Gesellschaft „Weser" (abbreviated A.G. „Weser”) was one of the major German shipbuilding companies, located at the Weser River in Bremen. Founded in 1872 it was finally closed in 1983. All together, A.G. „Weser" built about 1,400 ...
, Bremen. Launched in 1920 as ''Sturmfels'' for DDG Hansa, Bremen. Scuttled on 25 August 194 at Bandar Shapur, Iran. Refloated and seized by the British as a war prize. To MoWT and renamed ''Empire Kumari''. Torpedoed on 26 August 1942 by ''U-375'' and damaged at . Towed to
Haifa Bay The Bay of Haifa or Haifa Bay ( he, מפרץ חיפה, ''Mifratz Heifa''), formerly Bay of Acre, is a bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. Haifa Bay is Israel's only natural harbor on the Mediterranean. ''Haifa Bay'' also ref ...
,
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
and beached but subsequently sank. On 14 December 1951, the Turkish cargo ship SS ''Gucum Erman'' grounded on the wreck of ''Empire Kumari'' and sank.


''Empire Kumasi''

'' Empire Kumasi'' was a cargo ship which was built by William Hamilton & Co Ltd, Port Glasgow. Launched on 30 October 1944 and completed in December 1944. Sold in 1947 to Stag Line Ltd,
North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...
and renamed ''Ixia''. Operated under the management of J Robinson & Sons. Sold in 1951 to Century Shipping Corp., Liberia and renamed ''Empire Trader''. Operated under the management of Southern Shipping Co Inc, New York. Sold in 1954 to Compangia Atlantica Pacifica SA and renamed ''North River''. Operated under the management of Tidewater Commercial Co Inc.,
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
. Arrived on 31 January 1960 at
Savona Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona used to be one of the chie ...
, Italy for scrapping but later scrapped at Spezia.


''Empire Kyle''

''Empire Kyle'' was a (320 DWT) coaster which was built by I Pimblott & Sons Ltd,
Northwich {{Infobox UK place , static_image_name = Northwich - Town Bridge.jpg , static_image_caption = Town Bridge, the River Weaver and the spire of Holy Trinity Church , official_name = Northwich , country ...
. Launched in 1941 and completed in June 1941. A new diesel engine was fitted in 1945. Sold in 1946 to Erskine Shipping Co Ltd,
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
and renamed ''Turgail''. Sold in 1956 to London & Rochester Trading Co and renamed ''Ordinence''. Scrapped in July 1972 at
Queenborough Queenborough is a town on the Isle of Sheppey in the Swale borough of Kent in South East England. Queenborough is south of Sheerness. It grew as a port near the Thames Estuary at the westward entrance to the Swale where it joins the River M ...
,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
.


See also

The above entries give a précis of each ship's history. For a fuller account see the linked articles.


Citations


Sources

* * {{Empire ships K