SS Shuntien (1934)

SS Shuntien in civilian service, 1934–41 The icebreaker shape of her bow is clearly visible Photograph reproduced courtesy of WikiSwire
History
Hong Kong
Name	Shuntien
Namesake	Shuntian (順天), a Ming Dynasty name for Beijing
Owner	China Navigation Co, Ltd[1][2]
Operator	John Swire & Sons, Ltd
Port of registry	London[1]
Route	Shanghai – Tianjin coastal service[6]
Builder	Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co[1][3]
Yard number	264[4]
Completed	1934[1]
In service	1934
Out of service	23 December 1941[5]
Identification	UK official number 154092[1] Call sign GWSC[1]
Fate	Sunk by torpedo[4][5]
General characteristics
Type	Passenger and cargo liner[6]
Tonnage	3,059 GRT[1] 2,194 tonnage under deck[1] 1,570 NRT[1]
Length	303.7 ft (92.6 m)[1]
Beam	46.1 ft (14.1 m)[1]
Depth	23.1 ft (7.0 m)[1]
Installed power	3,400 shp[4]
Propulsion	Twin steam turbines;[1][3] single reduction geared to drive a single screw[3]
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h)[3][4] or 16 knots (30 km/h)[6]
Capacity	(in civilian service): 39 saloon 20 cabin 52 2nd class 60 3rd class[6]
Crew	70 crew, plus (in WW2) 18 DEMS gunners[4][6]
Sensors and processing systems	direction finding[1]
Armament	(as DEMS) 1 × QF 12 pounder gun 4 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon 4 × Marlin M1895/14 machine guns 2 × Lewis guns[6]
Notes	sister ship: Shengking[6]

SS Shuntien was a 3,059 GRT^[1] coastal^[7] passenger and cargo liner of the British-owned The China Navigation Company Ltd (CNC). She was built in Hong Kong in 1934 and sunk by enemy action in the Mediterranean Sea with great loss of life in 1941. A Royal Navy corvette rescued most of Shuntien's survivors, but a few hours later the corvette too was sunk and no-one survived.