Empire MacDermott was built by William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton, Scotland.

She spent most of her time on the Atlantic convoy routes, providing air cover and transporting desperately needed grain to the UK.

After the end of the, she was handed over to Buries Markes Ltd, London in 1947 and returned to merchant service the following year under the name La Cumbre.

They sailed her as Parnon under the Greek flag until 1969, when they sold her to Southern Shipping & Enterprises, Hong Kong.

She was then transferred to the China Ocean Shipping Co, Peking in 1975, and by 1991 she had been deleted from Lloyd's Register.