SS Manganese

For other ships named Laconia, see SS Laconia.

History
Name
  • Wiedau (1925-45)
  • Empire Contract (1945)
  • Herakleion (1945-48)
  • Laconia (1948-65)
  • Manganese (1965-93)
Owner
  • Bugsier Reederei & Berugungs AG (1925-45)
  • Ministry of War Transport (1945)
  • Greek Government (1945-48)
  • Lakoniki Steamship Navigation Co (1948-54)
  • Hellenic Levant Line (1954-64)
  • J Alexatos (1965-65)
  • Sinai Manganese Co (1965-93)
Operator
  • Bugsier Reederei & Berugungs AG (1925-45)
  • G Gibson & Co Ltd (1945)
  • Greek Government (1945-48)
  • I Tsengas & Co (1948-54)
  • Hellenic Levant Line (1954-64)
  • J Alexatos (1965-65)
  • Sinai Manganese Co (1965-93)
Port of registry
  • Weimar Republic Hamburg (1925–33)
  • Nazi Germany Hamburg (1933-45)
  • United Kingdom London (1945)
  • Greece Antwerp (1945-65)
  •  United Arab Republic (1965–71)
  • Egypt Egypt (1971-93)
BuilderNorderwerft AG
Yard number605
Launched1925
CompletedMay 1925
Identification
  • Code Letters RFLK (1925-33)
  • Code Letters DHZV (1933-45)
  • Code Letters GJDY (1945)
  • United Kingdom Official Number 180593 (1945)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Class and typeCoaster
Tonnage
Length221 ft 0 in (67.36 m)
Beam35 ft 1 in (10.69 m)
Depth13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
Installed powerTriple expansion steam engine
PropulsionScrew propeller
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)

Manganese was a 964 GRT coaster that was built in 1925 by Norderwerft AG, Hamburg, Germany as Wiedau for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Contract. Later that year, she was transferred to Greece and renamed Herakleion. She was sold into merchant service in 1948 and renamed Laconia. In 1965, she was sold to Egypt and renamed Manganese. The ship was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 1993.