[1] The ship was propelled by two two-stroke Single Cycle, Single Action diesel engines, which have seven cylinders of 247⁄16 inches (62 cm) diameter by 451⁄4 inches (115 cm) stroke driving twin screw propellers.

[3] The Code Letters GLTZ and United Kingdom Official Number 169468 were allocated.

She was operated under the management of Prince Line Ltd.[1] In 1946, Empire Forth was allocated to the Soviet Union under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement.

[6] She was converted to a research vessel in 1947-48 for the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, USSR Academy of Sciences.

The work was carried out at Leningrad, Odessa, Riga and Vladivostock in the Soviet Union and also at Wismar, Allied-occupied Germany.

[6] On 29 May 1958, Vityaz was 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) west of the Marshall Islands when she detected radioactivity in rainfall at levels that were harmful to human health (see Operation Hardtack I).

[11] On 7 November 1960, Vityaz was reported to have been buzzed in the Arabian Sea by a Grumman S-2F Tracker from USS Essex.

The United States Navy denied that the aircraft was buzzing the ship, but merely establishing her identity.

[13] Scientists on board Vityaz discovered 1,176 new species of marine plants and animals.

During her time as a research ship, Vityaz visited 49 countries and acted as a goodwill ambassador for the Soviet Union.

Notable people who visited her include Jacques Cousteau and Thor Heyerdal.