Greek Ship

The Greek Ship (Persian: کشتی یونانی‎, Kešti-ye Yunāni) is the nickname of a cargo steamship, Khoula F, that has been beached on the southwest coast of Kish Island, Iran, since 1966. She was built in 1943 by the British shipyard of William Hamilton and Company in Port Glasgow, Scotland, under the name Empire Trumpet.[1] From 1946 to 1966, she passed through a series of British and Iranian owners and various changes of name.[2] Her final owners were Greek,[2] and the nickname given to her derives from them.

Khoula F, the "Greek Ship", on Kish Island
History
Name:
Owner:
Operator:

T&J Harrison[1] (1943–1959)[2]

B Ashworth (Overseas) Ltd (1959–65)[2]
Port of registry: Greenock[1]
Builder: William Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow[1]
Yard number: 458[2]
Launched: 9 March 1943[2]
Completed: April 1943[1]
In service: 1943
Out of service: 1966
Identification:
  • (as Empire Trumpet)
  • UK official number 168995[1]
  • signal code BFGT[1]
Nickname(s): "The Greek Ship"
Fate: beached 25 July 1966[2]
Status: wreck
General characteristics
Type: cargo ship[1]
Tonnage:
Length: 432.7 ft (131.9 m)[1]
Beam: 56.2 ft (17.1 m)[1]
Draught: 34.2 ft (10.4 m) [1]
Installed power: 510 NHP[1]
Propulsion: 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine[1]
Sensors and
processing systems:

Propulsion

Empire Trumpet had nine corrugated furnaces with a combined grate area of 165 square feet (15 m2) that heated three 220 lbf/in2 single-ended boilers with a combined heating surface of 7,248 square feet (673 m2).[1] The boilers raised steam for its triple-expansion engine, which had cylinders of 24.5 inches (62 cm), 39 inches (99 cm) and 72 inches (180 cm) bore by 48 inches (120 cm) stroke and was rated at 510 NHP.[1] The engine was built by David Rowan & Co Ltd of Glasgow.[1]

Career
Khoula F, the "Greek Ship", on Kish Island

Empire Trumpet's first owner was the British Ministry of War Transport,[1] which placed her under the management of Larrinaga Steam Ship Co from 1943[3] and then T&J Harrison Co[1] from 1945.[3] She was chartered to the South African Government from 1943 to 1946.[2] In 1946, Charente Steam Ship Co bought the ship, renamed her Naturalist, and continued the management arrangement with T&J Harrison.[2]

In 1959, Iranian Lloyd & Co Ltd of Khorramshahr bought the ship and renamed her Persian Cyrus.[2] Iranian Lloyd placed Persian Cyrus under the management of B Ashworth and Co. (Overseas) Ltd of London.[2] In 1965, Iranian Shipping Lines SA of Khorramshahr bought the ship and renamed her Hamadan.[2] In 1966, P.J. Frangoulis and A.I. Cliafas of Greece bought the ship and renamed her Koula F.[2]

Wreck
Approximate position of Kish Island and Koula F's wreck in the Persian Gulf.

On July 25, 1966, Koula F ran aground on the south-western coast of Kish in the Persian Gulf. The Dutch salvage tug Orinoco tried to refloat the ship but was unsuccessful.[2] The insurers declared Khoula F a total loss[2] and she has remained beached ever since. The ship's condition has deteriorated and her stern has started to break up.

Tourist attraction

In Kish Island, the ship attracts tourists who come to view her at sunset.[4][5]

References
  1. Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motor Ships (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1945. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  2. Cameron, Stuart; Robinson, George; Stewart, Gavin. "SS Empire Trumpet". Clydebuilt Ships Database. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2013.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  3. "Empire "T" ships". Mariners. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  4. "Kish Island, Iran's Reputable Tourism Hub". Mosaferan Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  5. "Kish Attractions". Kish Golden Towers. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
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