SS Uhenfels

History
Germany
Name	Uhenfels (1931–40) Empire Ability (1940–41)
Owner	DDG Hansa (1931–39) Ministry of Shipping (1939–41)
Operator	DDG Hansa (1931–39) Elder Dempster Lines Ltd (1939-41)
Port of registry	Bremen (1931–39) Liverpool (1939–41)
Builder	Deschimag, Bremen
Yard number	886
Launched	January 1931
Completed	March 1931
Identification	Code letters QMLD (1931–33) Call sign DOKS (1934–39) Call sign GQJY (1939–41) UK official number 167423 (1939–41)
Captured	by HMS Hereward, 5 November 1939
Fate	Sunk by U-69, 27 June 1941
General characteristics
Type	heavy-lift ship
Tonnage	7,603 GRT, 4,570 NRT
Length	503.9 ft (153.6 m)
Beam	62.2 ft (19.0 m)
Draught	27.7 ft (8.4 m)
Installed power	672 NHP
Propulsion	3-cylinder triple-expansion engine plus exhaust steam turbine
Speed	13.7 knots (25.4 km/h)
Capacity	12 passengers
Crew	64
Notes	sister ships: Lichtenfels, Freienfels, Geierfels

SS Uhenfels was a German-built heavy-lift ship that was launched in 1931 for DDG Hansa. She was captured by the Royal Navy in 1939, two months after the start of the Second World War. The UK Ministry of Shipping renamed her Empire Ability and contracted Elder Dempster Lines to operate her. In 1941 a German U-boat sank her by torpedo.