| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |  Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff |
| Yard number | 1276[1] |
| Launched | 2 September 1944 |
| Completed | 21 February 1945[1] |
| Maiden voyage | 25 February 1945 |
| Out of service | September 1966 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Refrigerated cargo liner |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 432 ft 9 in (131.90 m) |
| Beam | 56 ft 2 in (17.12 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m) |
| Propulsion | 4SCSA diesel engine, single screw propeller |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
Stirlingshire was a 7,067 GRTrefrigeratedcargo liner that was built in 1944 byHarland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast, United Kingdom asEmpire Falkland for theMinistry of War Transport (MoWT. She was sold into merchant service in 1946 and renamedStirlingshire. She served until 1966, when she was scrapped.
The ship was built in 1944 byHarland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast.[2]
The ship was 432 feet 9 inches (131.90 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches (17.12 m). She had a depth of 34 feet 3 inches (10.44 m),[3] She was assessed at 7,067 GRT, 4,808 NRT,[3]The ship was propelled by afour-stroke Single Cycle, Single Actiondiesel engine, which had six cylinders of 291⁄2 inches (75 cm) diameter by 591⁄16 inches (150 cmm) stroke driving a screwpropeller. The engine was built by Harlane & Wolff Ltd,Glasgow.[3] It could propel her at 12 knots (22 km/h).[4]
Empire Falkland was launched on 2 September 1944 and completed in February 1945.[2] Thecode letters GCQD and United Kingdomofficial number 168536 were allocated.[3] She was operated under the management of Turnbull, Martin & Co Ltd.[5]
Empire Falkland made her maiden voyage on 25 February 1945,[6] joining Convoy OS 113 km.[4] She departed from theClyde,[6] joining the convoy, which had departed fromLiverpool,Lancashire. The convoy separated at sea on 1 March to form OS 113 and KMS 87. The latter arrived atGibraltar on 6 March.Empire Falkland was in the portion of the convoy which formed OS 113, and dispersed on the day the convoys split. Her destination wasBuenos Aires, Argentina,[4] where she arrived on 21 March.[6] She loaded a cargo of meat,[7] and sailed to Gibraltar, where she arrived on 27 April.[6]Empire Falkland joined Convoy MKS98G, which departed on 30 April and arrived at Liverpool on 8 May.[7] She left the convoy at the Clyde and sailed toThe Downs,Kent, arriving the next day.[6] She then joined Convoy TAM 163, which departed fromSouthend,Essex on 9 May and arrived atAntwerp, Belgium the next day.[8]Empire Falkland returned with Convoy ATM 164, which departed on 24 May and arrived at Southend the next day. She sailed on toCardiff,Glamorgan, where she arrived on 28 March.[9]
Empire Falkland departed from Cardiff on 2 June for New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, arriving on 13 June. She sailed on 28 June forCristóbal, Colón, Panama, arriving on 5 July. She then sailed toBalboa, Panama, from where she departed on 7 July forSydney,New South Wales, Australia, arriving on 4 August.Empire Falkland sailed on 28 August forMelbourne,Victoria, arriving two days later.[6] She sailed on 14 September forAuckland, New Zealand, where she arrived on 20 September. She sailed on 11 October for theCape Verde Islands Portugal, arriving on 17 November.Empire Falkland sailed that day forAvonmouth,Somerset, United Kingdom, arriving on 27 November. She sailed on 5 December forNewport,Monmouthshire, arriving the next day.[6]
In 1946,Empire Falkland was sold to the Scottish Shire Line Ltd, Glasgow and renamedStirlingshire. She was operated under the management of Turnbull, Martin & Co Ltd.[2] On 5 September 1946,Stirlingshire departed from Melbourne, Australia with a cargo that included 6,000tons of foodstuffs, including beef, butter, eggs, lamb, meat sundries and turkeys, as well as a cargo of wool, which was carried above deck to make room for the meat. She was to sail to Liverpool via theSuez Canal, with an expected arrival in mid-October.[10] In 1960,Stirlingshire was sold to Houston Line Ltd.[5] On 22 November 1961,Stirlingshire collided with the DanishLily Nielsen atDurban,South Africa.Lily Nielsen then collided with the South AfricanSherwood. Her departure was delayed whilst the damage was inspected.[11] She served until 1966, arriving atBruges, Belgium on 2 September for scrapping.[2]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1961 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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