Ubena

Vessel name on Arrival: Empire Ken

Original Builder: Blohm + Voss, Steinwerder, Hamburg, Germany

Original Yard No: 482

Official Number: 180773

Vessel Type: passenger

GRT: 9554

Year Built: 1928

Arrival Date: 16/12/1957

Breakup Started: 06/01/1958

Date First Beached: 09/04/1958

Date Breakup Completed: 27/11/1958

Draught For’d: 9' 6"

Draught Aft: 9' 9"

Name Changes:

 

1928  :   Ubena for Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie

1939  :   Commandeered by German Navy to serve as a U-Boat Depot Ship

1945  :   Role changed to German Hospital Ship

1945  :   Seized by the Allies at Travemunde as war reparation

1945  :   Assigned by British Government for Trooping and renamed S.S. Empire Ken

Other Information:

 

Passenger-Cargo reefer vessel S.S. UBENA for the Deutsche Ost-Afrika Line of Germany

 

31-03-1928   :    Launched

31-07-1928   :    Completed

 

Single-Screw Steam Turbine Propulsion delivering a vessel speed of 14 knots

 

Dimensions  :   135.8 metres  x  18.4 metres

 

1934  :   Vessel lengthened to 142.9 metres

 

 

20-09-1957  :   Arrived at Armott Young shipbreakers, Dalmuir, Clyde, for initial breaking

09-11-1957  :   Arrived at WSSCL shipbreakers, Troon, South Ayrshire, for final breaking