SS Beaverburn (1944)

Beaverburn was a 9,875 GRT cargo liner which was built in 1944 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Captain. In 1946 she was sold to Canada and renamed Beaverburn. In 1960, she was sold to the United Kingdom and renamed Bennachie. In 1964, she was sold to Liberia and renamed Silvana. She served until 1971 when she was scrapped.

History
Name:
  • Empire Captain (1944-46)
  • Beaverburn (1946-60)
  • Bennachie (1960-64)
  • Silvana (1964-71)
Owner:
  • Ministry of War Transport (1944-46)
  • Canadian Pacific Railway (1946-60)
  • Ben Line Steamers Ltd (1960-64)
  • Atlantic Navigation Corporation Ltd (1964-71)
Operator:
  • T & J Harrison Ltd (1944-46)
  • Canadian Pacific Steamship Co (1946-60)
  • Ben Line Steamers Ltd (1960-64)
  • W H Eddie Hsu (1964-71)
Port of registry:
  • Dundee (1944-46)
  • London (1946-60)
  • Leith (1960-64)
  • Monrovia (1964-71)
Builder: Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd
Yard number: 404
Launched: 25 February 1944
Completed: July 1944
Identification:
  • Code Letters BFKF (1944-60)
  • United Kingdom Official Number 166217 (1944-64)
Fate: Scrapped 1971.
General characteristics
Tonnage:
Length: 475 ft 8 in (144.98 m)
Beam: 64 ft 4 in (19.61 m)
Depth: 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)
Installed power: Two steam turbines
Propulsion: Screw propellor
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)

Description

The ship was built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee,[1] as yard number 404.[2] She was launched on 25 February 1944 and completed in July.[1]

The ship was 475 feet 8 inches (144.98 m) long, with a beam of 64 feet 4 inches (19.61 m) and a depth of 40 feet 0 inches (12.19 m). Her GRT was 9,875, with a NRT of 7,110.[3] Her DWT was 11,975.[4] She was propelled two steam turbines, driving a single screw propellor via double reduction gearing. The turbines were built by Richardsons Westgarth & Co Ltd, Hartlepool.[3] They could propel her at 15 knots (28 km/h).[4]

History

Empire Captain was built for the MoWT. She was placed under the management of T & J Harrison Ltd. The Official Number 166217 and Code Letters BFKF were allocated and her port of registry was Dundee.[3]

Empire Captain was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War.

UC 50A

Convoy UC 50A departed Liverpool on 24 December 1944 bound for New York. Empire Captain was bound for Cape Town, south Africa.[5]

UC 65A

Convoy UC 65 departed St Helens Roads on 23 April 1945 bound for New York. Empire Captain was bound for Cristóbal, Panama.[5]

In 1946, Empire Captain was sold to the Canadian Pacific Railway and renamed Beaverburn, the second Canadian Pacific ship to bear this name.[6] Her port of registry was changed to London. She was placed under the management of Canadian Pacific Steamship Co.[7] In April 1947, Beaverburn was the first ship to reach Montreal once the port had opened after having been closed for the winter by ice. Her captain, John Bisset Smith, received the traditional gold-headed cane for this achievement.[8]

In 1960, Beaverburn was sold to Ben Line Steamers Ltd and renamed SS Bennachie.[1] Her port of registry was changed to Leith.[9]

In 1964, Bennachie was sold to Atlantic Navigation Corporation,[1] Liberia.[10] She was placed under the management of W H Eddie Hsu, Formosa. Silvana served until 1971 when she was sold for scrap. She arrived for scrapping on 6 April 1971 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[1]

References
  1. Mitchell, W H, and Sawyer, L A (1995). The Empire Ships. London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  2. "Photographs in Caledon Collection sorted by yard number". Dundee City Council. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  3. "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  4. Postcard of ship
  5. "UC Convoys – 1943-1945, Convoy UC 1 through UC 71". Warsailors. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  6. "Canadian Pacific Line / Canadian Pacific Railway Co. (CPR) / Canadian Pacific Ocean Services (CPOS)". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 10 March 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  7. "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  8. "Canada: QUEBEC: 1,000 Miles from the Sea". Time. 5 May 1947. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  9. "Ben Line". Rhiw. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  10. "Ben Line / William Thomson & Co". The Ships List. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
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