Category:Merkur (ship, 1924)

Source: Miramar Ship Index

 See also category: Rio Bravo (ship, 1924).

Ship[edit]

• Built by: Germaniawerft, Frederick Krupp AG, Kiel
• Yard No: 458
• Date of completion: 1924.08.xx
• Length over all: 119.8 m
• Beam: 15.8 m
• GRT: 5952
• Main engine: diesel engined Twin screw
• Speed: 12 kn

History[edit]

• 1924 Named: Rio Bravo for the Flensburg Steamship Co (H Schuldt) for South American passenger service Flag: Germany
• 1931 Laid up because of the depression
• 1932 Sold to Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL)
• 1934 Expanded NDL services between Australia, New Guinea and Hong Kong. Renamed: Merkur Flag: Germany
• 02.1934 Arrived in Sydney and a refrigeration plant was installed. She began her first sailing in the service to Java-Singapore
• 1935 Sold to Burns Philp while on her way to Sydney from Europe. Registered in Singapore.
• 12.1941 Commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy and was fitted out as a "victualling storage stores issuing supply ship" She supplied stores to Australian and allied naval vessels across the Pacific theatre from New Guinea to the Philippines.
• 1945 At the end of the war Merkur carried relief supplies to Borneo
• 04.1946 Carried supplies from Australia to Kure, Japan for the occupation troops
• 1948 Returned to Sydney, extensively refitted
• 09.1949 Handed back to Burns, Philp, and returned to the Singapore service.
• 1953 Sold for scrapping purposes
• 01.1954 Broken up at Osaka