List of Empire ships (O)
[1] They were acquired from a number of sources: many were built for the government; others obtained from the United States; still others were captured or seized from enemy powers.
Most Empire ships have since been lost or scrapped; however, a few still remain in active service or preserved.
[2] Empire Oberon was a 244 GRT tug that was built by Henry Scarr Ltd., Hessle.
Total loss, wreck blown up to clear shipping lane in October 1959.
[3] Empire Ocean was a 6,765 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1941 by William Gray & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool.
[4][5] Empire Ocelot was a 5,866 GRT cargo ship that was built by the Ames Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Seattle, Washington.
Sold in 1930 to the Pacific-Atlantic Steamship Corporation, Portland, Oregon and renamed San Marcos.
[6][7] Empire Ock was a 6,133 GRT passenger ship that was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg.
[8] Empire Oil was an 8,145 GRT tanker that was built by Blythwood Shipbuilding, Scotstoun.
Launched on 23 July 1940, transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in November 1940 and renamed RFA Darkdale.
[9] Empire Oil was an 8,031 GRT tanker that was built by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees.
[10] Empire Onyx was an 8,221 GRT tanker that was built by Harland and Wolff Ltd, Govan.
[11] Empire Opal was a 9,811 GRT tanker that was built by Sir J Laing & Sons Ltd, Sunderland.
Sold in 1945 to The South Georgia Co. Ltd., converted to a whaling tanker, now 12,874 GRT (14,560 DWT) and renamed Southern Opal.
[12] Empire Opossum was a 5,760 GRT cargo ship that was built by Northwest Steel Company, Portland, Oregon.
Laid down as Joffre for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, France but completed in June 1918 as Western Ocean for the United States Shipping Board (USSB).
Sold in 1950 to D Oltmann & Co, Bremen, fitted with a diesel engine and renamed Ansgaritor.
Completed in October 1941 as Extavia for American Export Lines Inc as one of four variants of the C2-S-A1 type intended for the Spanish, North African and Black Sea trade built slightly shorter than the basic design, 420 ft (128.0 m), in order to navigate rivers to inland ports.
Converted to a transport ship by Todd Shipyards, Brooklyn, New York, completed in November 1943.
[15] Empire Orkney was an 813 GRT coastal tanker that was built by A & J Inglis Ltd, Glasgow.
[16] Empire Ortolan was a 4,989 GRT cargo ship that was built by American International Shipbuilding, Hog Island, Pennsylvania.
[17] Empire Orwell was a 3,132 GRT cargo ship that was built by Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Maiden voyage to Cape Town started on 19 December 1936, but ran aground at East Lepe, in the Solent.
[19] Empire Oryx was a 5,756 GRT (8,800 DWT) cargo ship that was built by Columbia River Shipbuilding Corp, Portland.
[20] Empire Osbourne was a 2,906 GRT cargo ship that was built by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool.
[21] Empire Otter was a 4,627 GRT cargo ship that was built by International Shipbuilding Co, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Struck a mine on 16 February 1941 and sank 25 nautical miles (46 km) southwest of Hartland Point, Devon.
[18] Empire Outpost was a 6,978 GRT cargo ship that was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast.
Sold in 1960 to Compagnia Navigazione Olissman Ltda, Greece and renamed Kyra Hariklia.
Sailed to Hamburg where she was drydocked, extensive damage to the bottom and stern found, uneconomic to repair.
