[6] The ship was originally launched as SS Panama on Clydeside on 8 March 1902, as an ocean liner for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company of Liverpool.

[2][7] The 5,981 GRT, 3,507 NRT ship was registered in Liverpool assigned the United Kingdom official number 115276, signal letters TJKP.

Following conversion, she was dispatched to the Mediterranean to evacuate casualties from the Gallipoli campaign, but from the summer of 1916, she was mainly engaged in ferrying the sick and wounded from Le Havre to Netley Hospital at Southampton.

In 1935 she attended King George V's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review off Spithead, where she was used to entertain important guests, her Red Cross markings having been removed for the occasion.

[2] During the war, Maine acted as Base Hospital Ship at Alexandria in Egypt and treated a total of 13,514 patients, despite being damaged during air raids on the port.