26°31′34.13″N 53°54′29.11″E / 26.5261472°N 53.9080861°E / 26.5261472; 53.9080861

Khoula F, the "Greek Ship", on Kish Island
History
Name
Owner
OperatorT&J Harrison[1] (1943–1959)[2] B Ashworth (Overseas) Ltd (1959–65)[2]
Port of registryUnited Kingdom Greenock[1]
BuilderWilliam Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow[1]
Yard number458[2]
Launched9 March 1943[2]
CompletedApril 1943[1]
In service1943
Out of service1966
Identification
Nickname(s)"The Greek Ship"
Fatebeached 25 July 1966[2]
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship[1]
Tonnage
Length432.7 ft (131.9 m)[1]
Beam56.2 ft (17.1 m)[1]
Draught34.2 ft (10.4 m) [1]
Installed power510 NHP[1]
Propulsion3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine[1]
Sensors and
processing systems

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]

Propulsion

edit

Empire Trumpet was steam powered. She 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 supplied a 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

edit
 
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

edit
 
 
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 Island 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. The ship attracts tourists who come to view her at sunset.[4][5]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Cameron, Stuart; Robinson, George; Stewart, Gavin. "SS Empire Trumpet". Clydebuilt Ships Database. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ a b c "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.