Empire Malta

An unidentified steamship of the Empire Malta Class, on loaded trials off Hartlepool.

The Empire Perlis was a sister-ship to the Empire Malta and was commissioned some three months later. Here photographed at anchore off Liverpool in 1945.

Recollections of the Empire Malta – Capt. Sam Nicolson

“After I passed for 2^nd Mate in early March 1944, I relived on various company ships in port, eventually signing articles for the Empire Malta at Gray’s yard on 25/05/1944. As a heavy lift ship we assumed that we would be required for the invasion of Europe, however we spent some 14 voyages carrying coal between North-East coast ports and the Thames.

To say the least the design of the ship, with all the top-hamper, including the bridge, was totally unsuitable for loading at the coal staithes, so it may be said that we were not very popular. When the heeling test was done it was found necessary to bed some 100 tons of pig iron in cement in each of the wing ballast tanks. With the invasion in progress I found it somewhat galling to be carrying coal! In addition, I was concerned about my sea-time for 1^st Mate.

I applied for leave and left the ship on January 1^st, 1945, after which the company assigned me to the Empire Barry engaged in following up the invasion as ports became open – a much more gratifying assignment. The company must have thought that I had acquired some degree of expertise in the east coast convoy system.

I studied ashore for Master in December 1949, eventually taking up a shore appointment in 1960, remaining in the marine industry for another 25 years.”

This is a document from the William Gray Ship's Plans Collection, held by Hartlepool Museum Service. It is a list of all the sidelights (ie. portholes), fitted to the following 'Empire' ships: Empire Malta; Empire Perlis; Empire Newfoundland; Empire Labrador; Empire Bermuda; Empire Jamaica; Empire Barbados; Empire Caicos.

Capt. Sam Nicolson: Voyage 8 on the Empire Malta – 25/5/1944 to 02/01/1945

Voyage and total distance for the ship – 8,480 miles

West Hartlepool – Hartlepool – Middlesbrough (LD) – Purfleet – Hartlepool (LD) – Beckton – Jarrow (repairs) – Blyth (LD) – Rochester – Hartlepool (LD) – Beckton – South Shields (LD) – Greenwich – Howden-on-Tyne (LD) – Erith – Hartley Main (LD) – Dagenham – Howden-on Tyne (LD) – Albert Dock Hoists – Howden-on-Tyne (LD) – Beckton – Blyth (LD) – Albert Dock Hoists – Hartlepool (LD) – Purfleet – Hartlepool (LD) – Dagenham – Howden-onTyne (LD) – Beckton – Hartley main (LD) – Greenwich – Tyne Dock South Shields (LD).

The ship was kept on the North-east coast to London area coal trade waiting for the invasion and the opening of Continental ports. On my thirteen trips we carried some 57,000 tons of coal, mainly supplying power stations.

East coast convoys were subjected to fairly regular E-boat attacks and in addition there was the ever present danger of sea mines. We had no air attacks but we were under good air cover. Frequently we saw our own bombers returning home, flying low with engines out, gaping holes in the fuselage and general bits hanging off. In London River we were in the track of the V1 or ‘buzz-bombs’, with several landing in our vicinity. V2 rockets followed with little warning of arrival but most of these seemed to be concentrated on the main upriver docks and London town. Once more we scraped through and the comparative peace of the north-east coast ports was very welcome.

In 1945 the Ministry of War Transport sold the ship to the Indo-China Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Hong Kong, and was renamed the Hinsang. In 1960 she was sold to Continental Enterprises and Navigation, Hong Kong and renamed Slight Wind. In 1965 she was sold to Sunbeam navigation Co. SA, Panama, and renamed Sunbeam. On July 23^rd, 1969, her main engines broke down in position 13° 56’N, 114°30’E, while on a voyage from Malaysia to Kaohsiung. She was eventually towed to her destination and laid-up, before being scrapped at Kaohsiung in 1970.