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HMS Port Napier
HMS Port Napier was a British motor ship that was designed and laid down as a civilian cargo ship but completed in 1940 as an auxiliary minelayer for the Royal Navy. An engine room fire caused an explosion that destroyed her in November 1940. Her remains in Loch Alsh in Scotland are now a recreational wreck diving site.
She was the third of four ships called Port Napier to be owned by Port Line. She was named after Napier Port on the North Island of New Zealand.
Between 1937 and 1942 Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson's Wallsend shipyard built four twin-screw motor ships for Port Line. The first was the refrigerated cargo ship Port Jackson, launched in November 1936 and completed in January 1937. Her sister ships Port Napier, Port Phillip and Port Victor were launched in 1940, 1941 and 1942 respectively. Their dimensions and appearance were similar to that of Port Jackson, but their engines were five-cylinder instead of four-cylinder.
Port Napier was built as yard number 1569. She was launched on 23 April 1940 and completed that June. Her registered length was 503.3 ft (153.4 m), her beam was 68.2 ft (20.8 m) and her depth was 29.8 ft (9.1 m). Her tonnages were 9,847 GRT and 5,906 NRT.
She had a pair of five-cylinder, single-acting, two-stroke diesel engines, built by William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland, which between them developed a total of 7,500 bhp and gave her a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h).
Port Line registered Port Napier at London. Her UK official number was 167578 and her wireless telegraph call sign was GLSK. But she never entered merchant service. The Admiralty requisitioned her, and had her completed as an auxiliary minelayer.
Port Napier's holds were adapted to carry 600 mines, and chutes were installed in her stern to lay them. A pair of narrow-gauge railways was laid inside the ship, one on each side, to carry each mines on a trolley from her holds to her stern chutes. She was armed with two QF 4-inch naval gun Mk Vs, two QF 2-pounder naval guns and four Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and protected with 2-inch (51 mm) armour plate.
On 12 June 1940 the ship was commissioned as HMS Port Napier, with the pennant number M32. By mid-August she had joined the 1st Minelaying Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh (Port ZA), along with four other auxiliary minesweepers, and an escort of Royal Navy destroyers.
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HMS Port Napier
HMS Port Napier was a British motor ship that was designed and laid down as a civilian cargo ship but completed in 1940 as an auxiliary minelayer for the Royal Navy. An engine room fire caused an explosion that destroyed her in November 1940. Her remains in Loch Alsh in Scotland are now a recreational wreck diving site.
She was the third of four ships called Port Napier to be owned by Port Line. She was named after Napier Port on the North Island of New Zealand.
Between 1937 and 1942 Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson's Wallsend shipyard built four twin-screw motor ships for Port Line. The first was the refrigerated cargo ship Port Jackson, launched in November 1936 and completed in January 1937. Her sister ships Port Napier, Port Phillip and Port Victor were launched in 1940, 1941 and 1942 respectively. Their dimensions and appearance were similar to that of Port Jackson, but their engines were five-cylinder instead of four-cylinder.
Port Napier was built as yard number 1569. She was launched on 23 April 1940 and completed that June. Her registered length was 503.3 ft (153.4 m), her beam was 68.2 ft (20.8 m) and her depth was 29.8 ft (9.1 m). Her tonnages were 9,847 GRT and 5,906 NRT.
She had a pair of five-cylinder, single-acting, two-stroke diesel engines, built by William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland, which between them developed a total of 7,500 bhp and gave her a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h).
Port Line registered Port Napier at London. Her UK official number was 167578 and her wireless telegraph call sign was GLSK. But she never entered merchant service. The Admiralty requisitioned her, and had her completed as an auxiliary minelayer.
Port Napier's holds were adapted to carry 600 mines, and chutes were installed in her stern to lay them. A pair of narrow-gauge railways was laid inside the ship, one on each side, to carry each mines on a trolley from her holds to her stern chutes. She was armed with two QF 4-inch naval gun Mk Vs, two QF 2-pounder naval guns and four Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and protected with 2-inch (51 mm) armour plate.
On 12 June 1940 the ship was commissioned as HMS Port Napier, with the pennant number M32. By mid-August she had joined the 1st Minelaying Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh (Port ZA), along with four other auxiliary minesweepers, and an escort of Royal Navy destroyers.