SS North Britain (1945)
{{Other ships|SS North Britain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name =*Empire Cyprus (1945-48)
| Ship owner =*Ministry of War Transport (1945)
| Ship operator =*Charlton, McAllum & Co Ltd (1945-47)
| Ship registry =*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Greenock (1945-48)
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Lithgows | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = 1005 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 18 April 1945 | Ship completed = June 1945 | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = 23 June 1945 | Ship in service = | Ship identification =*Code Letters GFWV (1945-62) | Ship fate = Scrapped in 1968 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Cargo ship | Ship tonnage =*{{GRT|7,189}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|433|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|56|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship range = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = | Ship complement = | Ship armament = }} |
North Britain was a {{GRT|7189|link=off}} Cargo ship that was built in 1945 by Lithgows, Port Glasgow as Empire Cyprus for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold into merchant service in 1948 and renamed North Britain. In 1962, she was sold to Hong Kong and renamed Jesselton Bay, serving until 1968 when she was scrapped.
Description
The ship was built in 1945 by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow.{{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1=W.H. |last2=Sawyer |first2=L.A. |year=1995 |title=The Empire Ships |page=not cited |publisher= Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location= London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong |isbn=1-85044-275-4}} She was yard number 1005.{{cite web |url=http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=11053|title=Empire Cyprus |publisher=Clydeships |access-date=6 November 2019}}
The ship was {{convert|433|ft|m}} long, with a beam of {{convert|56|ft|m}}.
The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine.
History
Empire Cyprus was launched on 18 April 1945, and completed in June. She was operated under the management of Charlton, McAllum & Co Ltd. Her port of registry was Greenock and the Code Letters GFWV were allocated.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/signal/index.html?search_all.php~signalmain |title=Signal Letters Database |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=15 May 2011}} (Enter GFWV or Empire Cyprus in relevant search box) She departed from the Clyde on her maiden voyage on 23 June 1945, bound for New York, United States. Over the next six months, she would visit Port Said, and Suez, Egypt; Colombo, Ceylon; Calcutta, India; and Rangoon and Kyaukpyu, Burma.{{cite web |url=http://convoyweb.org.uk/ports/index.html?search.php?vessel=EMPIRE%20CYPRUS~armain |title=EMPIRE CYPRUS |publisher=Convoyweb |access-date=14 May 2011}}
In 1947, management was transferred to Hugh Roberts & Son, Newcastle upon Tyne.{{cite web |url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireC.html |title=EMPIRE - C |publisher=Mariners |access-date=16 May 2011}} In 1948, she was sold to North Shipping Co Ltd and renamed North Britain. She remained under the management of Hugh Roberts & Son. On 28 January 1952, North Britain ran aground off Fiji. She was refloated later that day.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Hurricane Damage In Fiji Islands |date=29 January 1952 |page=3 |issue=52221 |column=F }} In 1962, North Britain was sold to Kinabatangan Shipping Co Ltd, Hong Kong and renamed Jesselton Bay. She was operated under the management of United China Shipping Ltd, Hong Kong. She arrived on 2 April 1968 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan for scrapping.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120616110432/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/ships/1945/EMPIRE_CYPRUS_1005.jpg Photo of North Britain]
{{Lithgows ships}}
{{Empire ships}}
{{1952 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:North Britain}}
Category:Ships built on the River Clyde
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Maritime incidents in 1952