Cressington Court was a 7,359 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1943 as Empire Earl by William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

[4] On 8 June 1944, Empire Earl made the first of many round trips from Southend, Essex to the Seine Bay, Seine-Maritime, France.

No voyages are recorded until 30 October, when Empire Earl made a round trip to Methil, Fife via convoys FN 1526 and FS 1646, arriving back at Southend on 26 November.

From 6 December until the end of the war, she made a number of round trips from Southend to Antwerp, Belgium as a member of various TAM and ATM convoys.

[5] After VE Day, Empire Earl made more round trips between Southend and Antwerp, the first four in convoy and then sailing independently.