Ramb IV was an Italian hospital ship, built at Monfalcone by the United Yards of the Adriatic (Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, CRDA) in 1938.

In the event of war, the design of Ramb IV allowed it to be refitted as an "auxiliary cruiser" for commerce raiding.

The goal of Ramb IV, in case of fall of Eritrea, was transporting Italian wounded back to Italy.

In addition, it would have been suicide to attempt to round the Cape of Good Hope and enter the Mediterranean Sea past Gibraltar.

When the port of Massawa fell on 10 April 1941 during the East African Campaign, the British captured Ramb IV.