She had been laid down during the Second World War as Greifswald for Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL), but was incomplete when Nazi Germany surrendered in 1945.

During the Second World War, NDL ordered a pair of standard Hansa Type C cargo steamships from Lübecker Flender-Werke, Lübeck.

[2] Danziger Werft built her compound engine in 1944, and Flender-Werke refurbished it in 1946–47 before finally installing it.

The exhaust turbine drove her propeller shaft via a Föttinger fluid coupling and double reduction gearing.

[1] In February 1949, Empire Ely was undergoing minor repairs at Leith on the Firth of Forth when she was offered for sale by public tender.

[5] On 26 August 1952, Empire Ely suffered engine failure when she was 200 nautical miles (370 km) west of Sabang, Indonesia.

[10] In 1959, Compania de Navigacion Andria bought the ship, renamed her Eleni, and registered her in Greece.

[11] On 5 September 1971, Eleni was in collision with the Norwegian ferry Prinsesse Ragnhild in the Bay of Kiel.