Hundreds of Empire ships were employed by the Government of the United Kingdom. Empire ships were mostly used during World War II by the Ministry of War Transport MoWT , which owned the ships but contracted out their management to various shipping lines; however, some ships requisitioned during the Suez Crisis were also named as Empire ships. Most Empire ships have since been lost or scrapped; however, a few still remain in active service or preserved. Launched in as Benue for Deutsche Afrika Line.
Seized in May as a war prize at Cuxhaven. Scrapped in December at Bo'ness , West Lothian. Launched in as Licentia for J Jost, Flensburg. Sold in to new owners in Hamburg , renamed Rudi. Resold to shipbreakers in Santander , Spain. Completed in June as LST Entered service in January on the Preston to Larne service. Scrapped in September at Burcht , Belgium.
Rebuilt at Bremerhaven and renamed Arsterturm. Scrapped in March in Bombay. Launched in as Santander for Oldenburg-Portuguese Line.
Seized in May at Copenhagen. Chartered in August to the Dutch Government and renamed Arnhem. Scrapped in in the USSR. Launched on 17 June and completed in September Seized in November by Egypt during the Suez Crisis. Allocated in to the United Arab Maritime Co. Her wreck was cleared in as part of the preparations for the re-opening of the Suez Canal.
Launched in as Weserstrand for Norddeutscher Lloyd , Bremen. Seized in May at Kiel. Sank on 11 January Sold to Panama in and renamed Marionga Maris. Reflagged to Greece in Sold in to Liberia and renamed Everlucky. Sold c.
