Her port of registry was Grangemouth and she was placed under the management of Christian Salvesen & Co Ltd, Leith, Midlothian.

[4] Empire Dunstan made her maiden voyage on 30 March 1942, when she joined Convoy EN 65,[5] which departed from Methil, Fife that day and arrived at Oban, Argyllshire on 1 April.

[5] Empire Dunstan departed two days later with Convoy XB 15, which arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 2 May.

[9] Laden with a cargo of flour, she departed on 24 May as a member of Convoy HX 191, which arrived at Liverpool on 6 June.

[13] Carrying a cargo of woodpulp, she departed two days later with Convoy SC 67, which arrived at Liverpool on 7 August.

[5] She then joined Convoy ON 126, which departed from Liverpool on 29 August and arrived at New York, United States on 18 September.

Empire Dunstan then joined Convoy FS 951, which departed the next day and arrived at Southend on 6 November.

[19] She then joined Convoy EN 164 to Loch Ewe and sailed on to the Clyde, arriving on 25 November.

[21] Empire Dunstan departed from Liverpool on 2 April and sailed to Cardiff, Glamorgan, where she arrived the next day.

She departed from Cardiff on 12 April and sailed to Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, arriving the next day.

[5] She then sailed to Augusta, Italy, joining Convoy HA 6, which departed on 29 October and arrived at Bari two days later.

[5] Empire Dunstan departed from Augusta on 17 November as a member of Convoy AH 9, which was bound for Bari.

The survivors were rescued by the Norwegian merchant ship Lom and landed at Taranto.

[4] Those killed on Empire Dunstan are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.