She was built by Russel & Company for the Nourse Line, named after the River Moy in northwest of Ireland and launched in May 1885.

She was primarily used for the transportation of Indian indenture labourers to the colonies.

Details of some of these voyages are as follows: In 1888, the Moy repatriated 327 former indentured labourers from St Lucia back to India.

The Surgeon Superintendent's gratuity was withheld for this incident and the captain and third officer also lost part of their pay.

In February 1905, on the way back to Liverpool from British Guiana she was reported as missing.