JAPANESE PRINCE (2)/INDIAN
PRINCE (4) was built in 1926 by Deutsches Werft A. G. at Hamburg
with a tonnage of 6734grt, a length of 441ft 7in, a beam of
60ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Javanese
Prince she was delivered in May 1926. In 1937 negotiations
were commenced to sell her to Butler Wang's Rederei A/S for
management by W. Butler Wang as the Wave but they were never
completed. She reverted to Prince Line Ltd as the Indian Prince
in 1938. On 3rd September 1943 Italy surrendered and in the
following November the Mediterranean was opened to escorted
Allied merchantmen. Two months later, on 11th November, during
a voyage from Liverpool to Bombay, she was hit by an aerial
torpedo dropped by the Luftwaffe 25 miles northwest of Bone,
Tunisia. She was taken in tow but later sank.
CHINESE
PRINCE (3) was built in 1926 by Deutsches Werft A. G. at Hamburg
with a tonnage of 6734grt, a length of 441ft 7in, a beam of
60ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Javanese
Prince she entered service in June 1926. On 12th June 1941
she was torpedoed by U-552 two hundred and eighty miles north
west of Malin Head. (Photo: A Duncan)
CINGALESE PRINCE (1) was built in 1929 by Blythswood Shipbuilding
Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage of 6625grt, a length of 441ft
6in, a beam of 60ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister
of the Javanese Prince she was completed in July 1929. In
April 1941, during the Greek campaign, she was bombed and
badly damaged when off Piraeus. Later in the same year, on
20th September, she was torpedoed and sunk by U-111 southwest
of Freetown.
BRITISH
PRINCE (4) was built in 1935 by Wm. Doxford & Sons at
Sunderland with a tonnage of 4979grt, a length of 412ft 2in,
a beam of 54ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. She was
completed in January 1935as the Sutherland for B. J. Sutherland
of Newcastle, one of a series of economy engined ships from
Doxford's. The economy came about by giving the ships a wider
beam, which provided more cargo space, and a slow running
engine. Acquired by Furness, Withy & Co. for Rio Cape
Line Ltd with Prince Line as managers in 1936 she was renamed
British Prince. On 26th September 1941 she was sunk by German
bombers off Hornsea as she was approaching the Thames estuary.
(Photo: FW Hawks)
SCOTTISH PRINCE (3) was built
in 1938 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. at Glasgow with a tonnage
of 4917grt, a length of 431ft 6in, a beam of 56ft and a service
speed of 10 knots. Another economy style ship she was delivered
in May 1938. On 17th March 1942 she was torpedoed by U-68
off Cape Palmas in Liberia.
JAVANESE
PRINCE (2) was built in 1944 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 8879grt, a length of 482ft 4in,
a beam of 62ft 1in and a service speed of 15 knots. She was
completed in November 1944 for Rio Cape Line Ltd with Furness,
Withy & Co. as managers and transferred to Prince Line
Ltd in 1954. In 1961 she was sold to Wm. Thomson's Ben Line
and renamed Benlarig. On 6th September 1969 she arrived at
Hong Kong where she was broken up by the Leung Yau Shipbreaking
Co. (Photo: Mersey Photos)
WELSH
PRINCE (6) was built in 1944 by Wm. Doxford & Sons at
Sunderland with a tonnage of 7381grt, a length of 444ft 10in,
a beam of 56ft 6in and a service speed of 11.5 knots. She
was a standard 'C' type vessel completed in Sept 1944 for
Rio Cape Line with Furness Withy as Managers and transferred
to Furness Withy ownership in 1954. She was sold to Vergocean
Steam Ship Co. of London in 1961 and renamed Vergmont. On
23rd February 1971 she arrived at Whampoa where she was broken
up.
EMPIRE
REGENT/BLACK PRINCE (3) was built in 1943 by Furness Shipbuilding
Co. at Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 9904grt, a length of
497ft 6in, a beam of 64ft 5in and a service speed of 15 knots.
The second ship of twelve 'Fast' standards she was launched
on 17th July 1943 as the Empire Regent for the Ministry of
War Transport. When she was completed and delivered on 25th
November she was placed under the management of T & J
Brocklebank. In 1945 management was transferred to Furness,
Withy & Co. and she was allocated to Rio Cape Line Ltd.
On 13th August 1946 she was acquired by Rio Cape Line Ltd
and renamed Black Prince. Three years later, on 19th May 1949,
she was transferred to Shaw, Saville & Albion who renamed
her Zealandic. She was sold on 3rd October 1952 to Canadian
Pacific Steamships of Liverpool who renamed her Beaverlodge
and on 16th March 1960 to Wm. Thomson's Ben Line who changed
her name to Benhiant. On 15th April 1970 she was acquired
by Witty Cia. Naviera S. A. of Limassol, renamed Venus and
on 14th July 1971 arrived at Koahsuing in Taiwan where she
was broken up by Chuang Kuo Steel & Iron Works. (Photo:
World Ship Society)
MALAYAN
PRINCE (2) was built in 1945 by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard
at Baltimore with a tonnage of 7698grt, a length of 455ft
2in, a beam of 62ft 1in and a service speed of 14 knots. She
was completed for the US War Shipping Administration as the
Tusculum Victory and bare boat chartered to the Ministry of
War Transport with Furness, Withy & Co. as managers. As
such she was one of 97 ships converted into troopships for
1,547 men. In 1947 she was acquired by Furness & Withy
& Co. from the Ministry of Transport and renamed Pacific
Stronghold. Transferred to Rio Cape Line Ltd in 1954 she was
renamed Malayan Prince but remained under Furness, Withy ownership.
In 1959 she was sold to Marine Bulk Carriers Inc. of New York
who changed her name first to Wang Knight and then to Marine
Carrier. In the following year she was purchased by the Elie
Shipping Corp. of New York who renamed her Elie V and four
year later she became the Oceanic Wave when she was acquired
by the Oceanic Pioneer Steam Ship Co. of Cleveland, Ohio.
Her last owner was the Oswego Shipping Co. Inc of Cleveland
who named her Silver Falcon in 1969 and in February of the
following year she was broken up at Kaohsuing in Taiwan. (Photo:
A Duncan)
BRITISH PRINCE (5) was built
in 1945 by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard at Baltimore with
a tonnage of 7681grt, a length of 455ft 2in, a beam of 62ft
1in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Malayan
Prince she was completed as the Stamford Victory for the US
War Shipping Administration. Built as a troopship she was
bareboat chartered to the Ministry of Transport in 1946 and
placed under the management of Furness, Withy & Co. In
1948 she was acquired by Prince Line Ltd and renamed British
Prince for operation by Rio Cape Line Ltd. She was transferred
to Furness, Withy & Co. in 1954 and in 1957 was chartered
to T & J Brocklebank for a two year period as the Mandagala.
In 1960 she was sold Orient Mid-East Great Lake Services Inc.
of Piraeus and renamed Orient Trader. On 21st July she caught
fire whilst discharging a cargo of rubber at Toronto and was
towed out and beached on Ward Island. Total gutted she was
sold for scrap and on 7th July 1966 arrived at Valencia in
tow of Praia da Adragal.
The company history has
been extracted from -
"Pride of the Princes" by Norman Middlemiss
The ship histories have been taken from -
Merchant Fleets-Manchester Liners, Houlders, Alexander, Prince
& Rio Cape Lines by Duncan Haws
.JPG)
CHINESE
PRINCE (3) was built in 1926 by Deutsches Werft A. G. at Hamburg
with a tonnage of 6734grt, a length of 441ft 7in, a beam of
60ft 4in and a service speed of 14 knots. Sister of the Javanese
Prince she entered service in June 1926. On 12th June 1941
she was torpedoed by U-552 two hundred and eighty miles north
west of Malin Head. (Photo: A Duncan) 
BRITISH
PRINCE (4) was built in 1935 by Wm. Doxford & Sons at
Sunderland with a tonnage of 4979grt, a length of 412ft 2in,
a beam of 54ft 2in and a service speed of 10 knots. She was
completed in January 1935as the Sutherland for B. J. Sutherland
of Newcastle, one of a series of economy engined ships from
Doxford's. The economy came about by giving the ships a wider
beam, which provided more cargo space, and a slow running
engine. Acquired by Furness, Withy & Co. for Rio Cape
Line Ltd with Prince Line as managers in 1936 she was renamed
British Prince. On 26th September 1941 she was sunk by German
bombers off Hornsea as she was approaching the Thames estuary.
(Photo: FW Hawks) 
JAVANESE
PRINCE (2) was built in 1944 by Blythswood Shipbuilding Co.
at Glasgow with a tonnage of 8879grt, a length of 482ft 4in,
a beam of 62ft 1in and a service speed of 15 knots. She was
completed in November 1944 for Rio Cape Line Ltd with Furness,
Withy & Co. as managers and transferred to Prince Line
Ltd in 1954. In 1961 she was sold to Wm. Thomson's Ben Line
and renamed Benlarig. On 6th September 1969 she arrived at
Hong Kong where she was broken up by the Leung Yau Shipbreaking
Co. (Photo: Mersey Photos) 
WELSH
PRINCE (6) was built in 1944 by Wm. Doxford & Sons at
Sunderland with a tonnage of 7381grt, a length of 444ft 10in,
a beam of 56ft 6in and a service speed of 11.5 knots. She
was a standard 'C' type vessel completed in Sept 1944 for
Rio Cape Line with Furness Withy as Managers and transferred
to Furness Withy ownership in 1954. She was sold to Vergocean
Steam Ship Co. of London in 1961 and renamed Vergmont. On
23rd February 1971 she arrived at Whampoa where she was broken
up. 
EMPIRE
REGENT/BLACK PRINCE (3) was built in 1943 by Furness Shipbuilding
Co. at Haverton Hill with a tonnage of 9904grt, a length of
497ft 6in, a beam of 64ft 5in and a service speed of 15 knots.
The second ship of twelve 'Fast' standards she was launched
on 17th July 1943 as the Empire Regent for the Ministry of
War Transport. When she was completed and delivered on 25th
November she was placed under the management of T & J
Brocklebank. In 1945 management was transferred to Furness,
Withy & Co. and she was allocated to Rio Cape Line Ltd.
On 13th August 1946 she was acquired by Rio Cape Line Ltd
and renamed Black Prince. Three years later, on 19th May 1949,
she was transferred to Shaw, Saville & Albion who renamed
her Zealandic. She was sold on 3rd October 1952 to Canadian
Pacific Steamships of Liverpool who renamed her Beaverlodge
and on 16th March 1960 to Wm. Thomson's Ben Line who changed
her name to Benhiant. On 15th April 1970 she was acquired
by Witty Cia. Naviera S. A. of Limassol, renamed Venus and
on 14th July 1971 arrived at Koahsuing in Taiwan where she
was broken up by Chuang Kuo Steel & Iron Works. (Photo:
World Ship Society) 
MALAYAN
PRINCE (2) was built in 1945 by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard
at Baltimore with a tonnage of 7698grt, a length of 455ft
2in, a beam of 62ft 1in and a service speed of 14 knots. She
was completed for the US War Shipping Administration as the
Tusculum Victory and bare boat chartered to the Ministry of
War Transport with Furness, Withy & Co. as managers. As
such she was one of 97 ships converted into troopships for
1,547 men. In 1947 she was acquired by Furness & Withy
& Co. from the Ministry of Transport and renamed Pacific
Stronghold. Transferred to Rio Cape Line Ltd in 1954 she was
renamed Malayan Prince but remained under Furness, Withy ownership.
In 1959 she was sold to Marine Bulk Carriers Inc. of New York
who changed her name first to Wang Knight and then to Marine
Carrier. In the following year she was purchased by the Elie
Shipping Corp. of New York who renamed her Elie V and four
year later she became the Oceanic Wave when she was acquired
by the Oceanic Pioneer Steam Ship Co. of Cleveland, Ohio.
Her last owner was the Oswego Shipping Co. Inc of Cleveland
who named her Silver Falcon in 1969 and in February of the
following year she was broken up at Kaohsuing in Taiwan. (Photo:
A Duncan) 
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