SS Kirovograd

In 1929, AG Weser in Bremen built a class of four cargo steamships for DG „Neptun“ (the "Neptune Steamship Company"). Yard number 874 was launched as Helios; 875 as Hercules; 876 as Hermes; and 877 as Hestia.^[9] They were based on the Ajax class that AG „Weser“ had built for DG „Neptun“ in 1927; but with increased cargo capacity, and an innovative new bow design.

The Helios class had a depth of 23.3 ft (7.1 m) instead of 15.3 ft (4.7 m); and a registered length of 296.9 ft (90.5 m) instead of 287 ft (87 m). The extra length was because the new ships had a Maierform bow, designed by Erich Maier at the recently-founded Maierform GmbH in Bremen. But they had the same propulsion system as the Ajax class: a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine plus a Bauer-Wach exhaust steam turbine.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Hercules' registered length was 296.9 ft (90.5 m), her beam was 46.0 ft (14.0 m), and her depth was 23.3 ft (7.1 m). Her tonnages were 2,883 GRT, 1,616 NRT. The combined power of her reciprocating engine plus her turbine was rated at 180 NHP,^[11] or 1,170 ihp.^[9] She was equipped with submarine signalling. DG „Neptun“ registered her at Bremen. Her code letters were QMJN.^[11] By 1934, wireless direction finding had been added to her navigation equipment; her wireless telegraph call sign was DONX; and this had superseded her code letters.^[14]

The Kriegsmarine requisitioned Hercules in 1940, and returned her to her owners later that year. The Kriegsmarine requisitioned her a second time in 1941, and returned her again in 1942.^[2] In May 1945, the Allies seized her at Copenhagen.^[15] On 23 June she was declared a war prize, along with her cargo,^[16] which included 1½ tons of grease, which was sold by public tender in January 1946.^[17]

The Ministry of War Transport took ownership of Hercules, and renamed her Empire Dovey, after the River Dyfi (anglicised to Dovey) in mid-Wales. She was registered in London; her UK official number was 180601; and her call sign was GDYV.^[18]

In February 1946, Empire Dovey was transferred to the Soviet Union under the Potsdam Agreement.^[19] She was renamed Kirovograd, after the city of that name (now called Kropyvnytskyi) in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. She was registered in Leningrad (now St Petersburg).^[20]

On 11 July 1960, Kirovograd collided with the motor barge Gladys in the Medway Estuary off the Isle of Grain, Kent, England. The barge sank.^[21]

By 1965, Kirovograd's registration had been transferred from Leningrad to Archangel.^[22] She was scrapped in West Germany in 1968.^[2]