Empire Caicos was a cargo ship which was built in 1945 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold in 1946 and renamed Sugar Transporter. In 1957 she was sold and renamed Pattawilya. In 1962, she was sold and renamed Clovelly, serving until she was damaged in a storm in 1967 and then scrapped later that year.

Description

Empire Caicos was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool for the MoWT. She was launched on 28 February 1945 and completed in March.

SS Empire Caicos

The ship was long, with a beam of and a depth of }. She had a GRT of 3,533 and a NRT of 2,250. She was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of , and diameter by stroke. The engine was built by the Central Marine Engineering Works, West Hartlepool. The engine could propel her at .

SS Empire Caicos

History

Empire Caicos was allocated the United Kingdom Official Number 180082. She used the Code Letters GFDY. She was owned by the MoWT and operated under the management of H Hogarth & Sons Ltd. In 1946, management was transferred to the Rodney Steamship Co Ltd.

SS Empire Caicos

In 1950, Empire Caicos was sold to Silvertown Services Ltd and renamed Sugar Transporter. She was placed under the management of R S Dalgleish Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1953, management was transferred to Kentships Ltd. In the aftermath of Hurricane Charlie, Sugar Transporter departed Rochester, Kent for Jamaica with a cargo of of cement and over 100 parcels of clothes. In 1957, Sugar Transporter was sold to J Paterson & Co (Pty) Ltd, Melbourne, Australia and renamed Pattawilya. She was used to carry cargos of coal, gypsum and limestone, as well as general cargo to the coastal ports of Australia.

In 1961 she was sold to McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co. In 1962, Pattawilya was sold to Cronulla Shipping Co Ltd, Hong Kong and renamed Clovelly. In 1963, she was sold to the San Jeronimo Steamship Co Ltd, Panama. On 6 January 1967, Clovelly was damaged in a storm and was towed in to Sasebo, Japan. She was then sold for scrap, arriving at Uchiumi on 13 May 1967.

References

External links

Blog thread with photo of Sugar Transporter

1945 ships

Ships built on the River Tees

Empire ships

Ministry of War Transport ships

Merchant ships of the United Kingdom

Steamships of the United Kingdom

Merchant ships of Australia

Merchant ships of Hong Kong

Steamships of Hong Kong

Merchant ships of Panama

Steamships of Panama

Iron and steel steamships of Australia