Empire Austen was built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow as yard number 969.

Empire Austen was carrying a cargo of cotton and military stores bound for Manchester.

[4] Empire Austen was listed as a member of Convoy OS 60 which departed Liverpool on 23 November 1943 and arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 18 December.

In 1955, Freecrest was sold to the International Navigation Corporation, Liberia and renamed Fairwater, operating under the management of Tidewater Commercial Co Inc, Baltimore.

In 1961, Fairwater was sold to Surrendra (Overseas) Private Ltd, Bombay and renamed APD Usha.