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SS Esperance Bay

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SS Esperance Bay
SS Esperance Bay.jpg
Australian National Maritime Museum 00041535
SS Esperance Bay 1.jpg
As SS Arawa - State Library of Victoria
History
Name SS Esperance Bay
Owner Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line
Builder William Beardmore & Co, Dalmuir
Yard number 617
Launched 15 Dec 1921
Completed July 1922
In service 1922
Out of service 1955
Fate Broken up 1955
General characteristics
Type Passenger/cargo ship
Tonnage 14,176 tons
Length 530.9 ft (161.82m)
Beam 68.3 ft (20.82m)
Depth 39.3 ft (11.98m)
Propulsion twin screw, 4 steam turbines
Speed 14.5 knots



Remarks

Built for the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers, Fremantle, in 1928 she was transferred to the White Star Line Ltd. In 1933 she was bought by the Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line, and then in 1936 the Shaw Savill & Albion Line took over ownership and renamed her SS Arawa.


In August 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty for service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser, but seems to have used the name SS Esperance Bay during her military service.


Usual employment was as a cargo/passenger ship between the UK and Australia via the Suez Canal. On 21 May 1955 she was broken up in Newport for scrap.

Soldiers carried

Bombay to Fremantle via Colombo 13 February 1942 - 1 March 1942