SS Yelkenci
{{Short description|Cargo ship}}
{{Redirect|SS New York City (1943)|other ships of the same name|List of ships named New York City}}
{{Redirect|SS Valacia (1943)|other ships of the same name|SS Valacia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = SS Yelkenci.webp | Ship caption = The cargo ship Yelkenci in the Kiel Canal in 1969 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *Empire Camp (1943-46)
| Ship owner = *Ministry of War Transport (1943-46)
| Ship operator = *Blue Star Line Ltd (1943-45)
| Ship registry = *{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Sunderland (1943-44)
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Short Bros Ltd | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 17 June 1943 | Ship completed = November 1943 | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = *Code Letters BFKR (1943-59)
| Ship fate = Scrapped 1971. | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = | Ship tonnage = *{{GRT|7,052}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|431|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|56|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = {{convert|35|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = Triple expansion steam engine | Ship propulsion = Screw propeller | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = {{convert|260219|ft3|m3|abbr=on}} refrigerated cargo space }} |
Yelkenci was a {{GRT|7052|link=off}} refrigerated cargo ship which was built in 1943 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Camp. She was sold in 1946 and renamed Valacia. In 1951, she was sold and renamed New York City. A further sale in 1955 saw her renamed Loch Morar. A final sale to Turkish owners saw her renamed Yelkenci. She served with them until scrapped in 1971.
Description
The ship was built by Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland. She was launched on 17 June 1943 and completed in November 1943.{{cite book | first = and Sawyer, L A| last = Mitchell, W H | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}
A total of {{convert|260219|ft3|m3}} of refrigerated cargo space was provided in three holds. Refrigeration was provided by two compressors and eight cooling machines made by L Sterne & Co Ltd. The cooling machines used ammonia as a coolant. Insulation was by direct expansion, air, cork and slag wool.{{cite web|url=http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name43a0860.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF VESSELS FITTED WITH REFRIGERATING APPLIANCES - Vessels having a capacity of 80,000 cubic feet and over, and including all vessels holding Lloyd's R.M.C. |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=28 February 2010}}
The ship was {{convert|431|ft|0|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|56|ft|3|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|35|ft|2|in|m|2}}. Her GRT was 7,052 and she had a NRT of 4,760.{{cite web|url=http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name45a0329.pdf|title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=28 February 2010}}
She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of {{convert|24+1/2|in|cm}}, {{convert|39|in|cm}} and {{convert|70|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|48|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by North East Marine Engine Co (1938) Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.
History
Empire Camp was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of Blue Star Line Ltd. Her port of registry was Sunderland. The Code Letters BFKR were allocated. Her Official Number was 169124.
Empire Camp was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.
;HX 306
Convoy HX 306 departed New York on 31 August 1944 and arrived at Liverpool on 17 September. Empire Camp joined the convoy at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 2 September. She was carrying general cargo and a cargo of fish, bound for Manchester.
;MKS 75G
Convoy MKS 75G departed Gibraltar on 1 December 1945 bound for Liverpool.{{cite web|url=http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/mksconvoys4.html |title=MKS Convoys – Nov. 1942-1945, MKS 61 through MKS 103 |publisher=Warsailors |access-date=28 February 2010}}
During 1945, management was transferred to Cunard White Star Line Co Ltd. In 1946, Empire Camp was sold to Cunard White Star Line and renamed Valacia. Her port of registry was changed to Liverpool.{{cite web|url=http://www.plimsollshipdata.org/pdffile.php?name45a1307.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=28 February 2010}} She was the second Cunard White Star Line ship to carry the name Valacia.{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cunard.html |title=Cunard Line / The British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company / Cunard Steamship Company, Limited |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=28 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216020451/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cunard.html |archive-date=16 December 2009 |df=dmy-all }} In 1950, Valacia was sold the Bristol City Line of Steamships Ltd and renamed New York City, the fourth ship to bear that name for Bristol City Line.{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/bristolcity.html |title=Bristol City Line |publisher=The Ships List |access-date=28 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604161947/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/bristolcity.html |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }} She was placed under the management of Charles Hill & Sons Ltd, Bristol. In 1955, she was sold to Glasgow United Shipping Co Ltd and renamed Loch Morar and placed under the management of Mackay & MacIntyre Ltd, Glasgow. In 1959, she was sold to Lütfi Yelkenci Evlatlari Donmata Iştiraki, Istanbul and renamed Yelkenci.{{cite web|url=http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/EmpireC.html |title=EMPIRE - C |publisher=Mariners |access-date=28 February 2010}} She served until 1971, arriving at Istanbul on 20 February 1971 for scrapping.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20E/slides/Empire%20Camp-01.html Photo of Empire Camp]
- [http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/Documents/Scanner/02/02/figures.asp?ID=f3 Photograph of New York City]
- [http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Y/slides/Yelkenci-01.html Photo of Yelkenci]
- [http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20Y/slides/Yelkenci-02.html Photo of Yelkenci]
{{Empire ships}}
{{Cunard ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yelenkci}}
Category:Ships built on the River Wear
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Ministry of War Transport ships
Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom