SS Kowloon No.1

History
Name
  • Empire Dirk (1943-51)
  • Nancy Moller (1951)
  • Mount Austin (1951-52)
  • Coolabah (1952-56)
  • Troon Breeze (1956-64)
  • Cachupin (1964-66)
  • Kowloon No.1 (1966-67)
Owner
  • Ministry of War Transport (1943-45)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945-50)
  • Moller Line (U.K.) Ltd (1950-52)
  • Australian Shipping Board (1952-56)
  • Cambay Prince Steamship Co Ltd (1956-64)
  • San Fernando Steamship Co Ltd (1964-66)
  • Shui Cheung Shipping & Trading Ltd (1966-67)
Operator
  • C Strubin & Co Ltd (1943-461)
  • Moller Line (U.K.) Ltd (1946-52)
  • Australian Shipping Board (1952-56)
  • J Manners & Co Ltd (1956-66)
  • Shui Cheung Shipping & Trading Ltd (1966-67)
Port of registry
  • United Kingdom Troon, United Kingdom (1943-51)
  • United Kingdom London (1951-54)
  • Australia Melbourne, Australia (1954-56)
  • United Kingdom Hong Kong (1956-64)
  • Panama Panama City, Panama (1964-66)
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong (1966-67)
BuilderAilsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd
Yard number447
Launched31 August 1943
CompletedNovember 1943
Maiden voyage28 November 1943
Identification
FateRan aground in September 1967, scrapped in June 1968
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
  • 2,943 GRT (1943-52)
  • 3,327 GRT (1952-68)
  • 1,668 NRT (1943-52)
  • 1,824 NRT (1952-68)
Length
  • 327 ft 10 in (99.92 m) overall
  • 315 ft 4 in (96.11 m) (between perpendiculars)
Beam46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Draught20 feet 9+12 inches (6.337 m)
Depth20 ft 10 in (6.35 m)
Installed power268 nhp
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine
Crew40 (Troon Breeze)
SS Kowloon No.1 is located in Japan
SS Kowloon No.1
Location where Kowloon No.1 ran aground off the coast of Japan.

Kowloon No.1 was a 2,942 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1943 as Empire Dirk by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon, Ayrshire, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Spending the war years in home waters, she was sold into merchant service in 1951 and renamed Nancy Moller, and then Mount Austin after a further sale later that year. In 1956, she was sold to the Australian Government and renamed Coolabah.

She was sold to Hong Kong in 1956 and renamed Troon Breeze. A sale in 1964 to Panama saw her renamed Cachupin before she was sold back to Hong Kong in 1966 and renamed Kowloon No.1. She served until 1967 when she ran aground off Hachinohe, Japan. Although refloated, she was declared a constructive total loss and was scrapped in 1968.