She was sunk in the Mediterranean in 1916 by a German U-boat during World War I. Caird & Company built Arabia at Greenock on the River Clyde, launching her in November 1897 and completing her in March 1898.

[2] On 15 March 1905 the 4,206 GRT cargo steamship Riverdale was manœuvreing in Bombay Harbour when she struck Arabia amidships on her port side, damaging the liner's promenade deck, boat deck and upper works.

Powerful's bow holed the crew toilet above the waterline, crushing lascar crewman Hassan Moosa to death.

On 6 November 1916 she was en route from Sydney via Fremantle, Western Australia to England when the German submarine UB-43 torpedoed her without warning 97 nautical miles (180 km) south by west of Cape Matapan, Greece, killing 11 of her engine room crew.

Four armed trawlers and Ellerman Lines' 8,204 GRT passenger liner City of Marseilles rescued survivors.