SS Empire Duke

History
Name	Empire Duke (1943–46); Lieutenant J Le Meur (1946–49); Zelidja (1949–55); Propontis (1955–66);
Owner	Ministry of War Transport (1943–46); French Government (1946–49); Compagnie Franco-Cherifienne de Navigation, (1949–55); Compagnia de Navigazione Hellespont SA, (1955–57); Compagnie de Navigazione Propontis Liberia SA (1957–66);
Operator	H Hogarth & Sons Ltd (1943–46); Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (1946–49); Compagnie Franco Chérifienne de Navigation, (1949–55); Compagnia de Navigazione Hellespont SA, (1955–57); A M Embiricos (1957–66);
Port of registry	Sunderland, UK (1943–46); France (1946–49); Casablanca, Morocco (1949–55); Monrovia, Liberia (1955–66);
Builder	J L Thompson & Sons Ltd
Yard number	628
Launched	20 July 1943
Completed	November 1943
Maiden voyage	18 December 1943
Out of service	24 May 1966
Identification	United Kingdom Official Number 180048 (1943–46); Code Letters GCJW (1943–46); ;
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	7,240 GRT; 4,179 NRT;
Length	432 ft 8 in (131.88 m)
Beam	57 ft 2 in (17.42 m)
Draught	26 ft 11 in (8.20 m)
Depth	35 ft 9 in (10.90 m)
Installed power	510 nhp
Propulsion	Triple expansion steam engine
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h)
Armament	One 4-inch or 4.7-inch gun, six machine guns (Empire Duke)

Empire Duke was a 7,067 GRT cargo ship that was used during the Second World War in investigations into the metallurgical problems that Liberty ships were suffering from.

Empire Duke was built in 1943 by J L Thompson & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as an Empire ship.

She was transferred to France in 1945 and renamed Lieutenant J Le Meur. She was sold to Morocco in 1949 and renamed Zelidja. In 1955, she was sold to Liberia and renamed Propontis, not being renamed after a sale in 1957. She served until 1966, when she was scrapped in Taiwan.

History

Name	Empire Duke (1943–46) Lieutenant J Le Meur (1946–49) Zelidja (1949–55) Propontis (1955–66)
Owner	Ministry of War Transport (1943–46) French Government (1946–49) Compagnie Franco-Cherifienne de Navigation, (1949–55) Compagnia de Navigazione Hellespont SA, (1955–57) Compagnie de Navigazione Propontis Liberia SA (1957–66)
Operator	H Hogarth & Sons Ltd (1943–46) Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (1946–49) Compagnie Franco Chérifienne de Navigation, (1949–55) Compagnia de Navigazione Hellespont SA, (1955–57) A M Embiricos (1957–66)
Port of registry	Sunderland, UK (1943–46) France (1946–49) Casablanca, Morocco (1949–55) Monrovia, Liberia (1955–66)
Builder	J L Thompson & Sons Ltd
Yard number	628
Launched	20 July 1943
Completed	November 1943
Maiden voyage	18 December 1943
Out of service	24 May 1966
Identification	United Kingdom Official Number 180048 (1943–46) Code Letters GCJW (1943–46)
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	7,240 GRT 4,179 NRT
Length	432 ft 8 in (131.88 m)
Beam	57 ft 2 in (17.42 m)
Draught	26 ft 11 in (8.20 m)
Depth	35 ft 9 in (10.90 m)
Installed power	510 nhp
Propulsion	Triple expansion steam engine
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h)
Armament	One 4-inch or 4.7-inch gun, six machine guns (Empire Duke)