Kronprinsen was a 7,078 GRT cargo ship that was built as Empire Fairbairn in 1942 by Barclay Curle & Co, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

She served until 9 June 1942, when she was torpedoed and damaged by U-432 off Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.

In 1967, she was sold to a Greek company and renamed Lukia M. She sprang a leak on 10 February 1969, off Barren Island in the South China Sea, and was abandoned.

The ship was towed to Shanghai, China, where it was reported that it had been seized by the Chinese Government.

[4] The ship was propelled by a two-stroke Single Cycle, Single Action diesel engine, which had three cylinders of 23+5⁄8 inches (60 cm) diameter by 91+3⁄16 inches (231.6 cm) stroke driving a screw propeller.

[5] On 27 April,[6] Empire Fairbairn was transferred to the Norwegian Government and renamed Kronprinsen.

[3] Kronprinsen made her maiden voyage on 1 May 1942, departing from the Clyde for Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

[9] Kronprinsen was carrying general cargo, including calcium carbide,[10] cotton and flour.

[11] At 13:01 German time on 9 June, Kronprinsen was hit by two of four torpedoes that had been fired by U-432, which was under the command of Heinz-Otto Schultze.

The second torpedo hit the stern of the ship, destroying her rudder, causing the collapse of the after deck and flooding № 6 hold.

[11] Kronprinsen was south of Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia (42°53′N 67°11′W / 42.883°N 67.183°W / 42.883; -67.183) at the time of the attack.

The hole on the port side was sealed with a tarpaulin, cement and horse manure.

They were salvaged by local inhabitants who welcomed the free supply at a time when food was rationed.

[7] She then joined Convoy AP 42, which sailed on 22 August bound for Bandar Abbas, Iran.

She departed that day for Suez, arriving a week later and then sailing for Port Said, which was reached on 28 July.

[19] Kronprinsen was a member of Convoy UGS 55B, which departed on 27 September and arrived at Casablanca, Morocco on 13 October.

She arrived at Montevideo, Uruguay on 26 June, sailing two days later with a stated destination of Freetown and Las Palmas, Spain.

[19] She arrived at São Vicente, Cape Verde on 13 August, sailing that day for Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.

On 17 August, she called at Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, receiving orders to sail to Oslo, Norway.

She arrived at Baltimore, Maryland on 30 September, sailing on 7 October for Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom and Oslo.

[4] She sailed on 26 November for Baltimore, where she arrived on 5 December, departing four days later for Kirkwall and Oslo.

She then made a return voyage to Bergen, Norway, arriving back at Baltimore on 3 April.

[27] In January 1952, Kronprinsen was sold to Rios Societe Navigazione SA, Panama for £527,000 and was renamed Vori.

In 1953,[4] Vori was sold to Compagnia Navigazione Porto Alegre SA, Panama.

[1] On 5 January 1955, Vori was on a voyage from Baltimore to Bremen, West Germany with a cargo of grain when she sprang a leak 95 nautical miles (176 km) north east of Bermuda.

USCGC Bibb and a Boeing B-29 Superfortress from Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda were sent to look for the ship, and give her 30 crew assistance.