MV Merkur
From Our Contribution
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | MV Merkur |
| Owner | Flensburg Steamship Company (1924-1933) |
| Builder | Frederick Krupp AG, Kiel |
| Yard number | 458 |
| Launched | 1924 |
| Completed | August 1924 |
| Fate | Sold to shipbreakers in 1954. |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 5,952 tons |
| Length | 393.1 ft (119.8 m) |
| Beam | 51.9 ft (15.8 m) |
| Depth | Draught 25.3 ft (7.7 m) |
| Propulsion | Twin screw |
| Speed | 12 knots (22.2 kmh) |
Remarks
Oriinally built as the MV Rio Bravo for Flensburg Steamship Company, she worked the South American passenger / cargo market until she was laid up in 1931 due to the recession. Her owners went into bankruptcyin 1932 at which time she was sold to North-German Lloyd (1932-1935) who changed her name to MV Mekur. During 1934 in Sydney she was fitted with a refrigeration plant.In 1935 she was sold to Burns Philp & Company.
Merkur was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy on 12 Dec 1941 as a victualling stores and supply vessel and she operated in North Queensland and New Guinea waters with her civilian crew. Mekur carried relief supplies to Borneo and cargo and personnel to Japan in April 1946 before being returned to her owners in 1949 aftetr an extensive refit.
In 1953 she was sold for scrap and sent to Osaka, japan to be broken up in January 1954.