SS Habib Marikar

History
Name
  • Empire Duchess (1943–49)
  • Braemar Castle (1949–50)
  • King James (1950–58)
  • Tyne Breeze (1958–63)
  • Cathay Trader (1963–64)
  • Pearl Light (1964–66)
  • Habib Marikar (1966–67)
Owner
  • Ministry of War Transport (1943–45)
  • Ministry of Transport (1945–49)
  • Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd (1949–50)
  • King Line Ltd (1950–58)
  • Cambay Prince Steamship Co Ltd (1959–63)
  • Cathay Trader Steamship Co Ltd (1963–64)
  • Pacific Pearl Navigation Co Ltd (1964–66)
  • Marikar Navigation & Agencies Ltd (1966–67)
Operator
  • H Hogarth & Sons Ltd (1943-46)
  • Union Castle Mail Steamship Co Ltd (1946–50)
  • King Line Ltd (1950–58)
  • J Manners & Co Ltd (1958–64)
  • Pacific Pearl Navigation Co Ltd (1964–66)
  • Marikar Navigation & Agencies Ltd (1966–67)
Port of registry
  • Sunderland, UK (1943-49)
  • London (1949–58)
  • Hong Kong (1958-67)
BuilderShort Brothers Ltd
Yard number478
Launched14 August 1943
CompletedDecember 1943
Maiden voyage16 December 1943
Out of service3 November 1967
Identification
  • United Kingdom Official Number 180051 (1943–58)
  • Code Letters GBQP (1943–58)
FateWrecked
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
Length431 ft 0 in (131.37 m)
Beam56 ft 3 in (17.15 m)
Draught26 ft 9 in (8.15 m)
Depth35 ft 2 in (10.72 m)
Installed power510 nhp
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine
Crew44 (Habib Malakar)
Location where Habib Marikar was wrecked near the Paracel Islands.

Habib Marikar was a 7,067 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1943 by Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham as Empire Duchess for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was sold into merchant service in 1949 and renamed Braemar Castle. A further sale in 1950 saw her renamed King James.

In 1958, she was sold to Hong Kong and renamed Tyne Breeze. Further sales in 1963 and 1964 saw her renamed Cathay Trader and Pearl Light respectively. In 1966, she was sold and renamed Habib Marikar. She was wrecked on 3 November 1967 when her engine failed whilst the ship was caught in Typhoon Emma. All but one of her crew were rescued by USS Navarro before the ship was driven ashore on the Paracel Islands and wrecked.