SS Kuroshio Maru

SS “Kuroshio Maru"
History
Name	Kuroshio Maru (1938–50) Yung Hao (1950–51) Surf Pilot (1951–60)
Owner	Chigai Kisen KK, (1938–43) Towa Kisen KK (1943–46) China Merchants Steam Navigation Co / China Tanker Co Ltd (1946–51) Admiralty (1951–60)
Operator	Tyugai Kaiun KK (1938–41) Imperial Japanese Navy (1941–42) Imperial Japanese Navy (1942–45) China Tanker Co Ltd (1946–51) Admiralty (1951–60)
Port of registry	Tokyo, Japan (1938–41)  Imperial Japanese Navy (1941–42)  Imperial Japanese Army (1942–45)  Hong Kong (1947-51) Admiralty (1951–60)
Builder	Harima Zōsen KK
Yard number	264
Laid down	21 January 1938
Launched	8 December 1938
Identification	Japanese Official Number 45674 (1938–45) Code Letters JZPM (1938–45)
Fate	Scuttled 1960
General characteristics
Class and type	Kawasaki-type oiler / Surf-class tanker
Tonnage	10,519 GRT, 6,206 NRT
Displacement	10,383 tons
Length	504.7 feet (153.8 m)
Beam	66.0 feet (20.1 m)
Depth	37.5 feet (11.4 m)
Installed power	Geared steam turbine
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	17 knots (31 km/h)

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Location where Surf Pilot was scuttled off the coast of Malaya

Kuroshio Maru (Japanese: 黒潮丸) was a tanker that was built in 1938 for Japanese owners. She was chartered by the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army during World War II: the ship was sunk in January 1945 at Takao, Formosa by American aircraft. Salvaged in 1946, she was allocated as a war prize to China and renamed Yung Hao (Chinese: 永灏), but was forced to remain at Hong Kong by the British. She was requisitioned by the Admiralty during the Korean War and allocated to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She was to have been named RFA Surf Pilot but due to her poor condition she did not serve in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She served as Surf Pilot, a tender to HMS Terror until 1958 and was subsequently scuttled off Pulau Aur, Malaya in 1960.