Empire Emerald was a 8,032 GRT tanker that was built in 1941 by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees, Co Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

She was sold into merchant service in 1946 and renamed El Gallo, serving until 1959 when she was scrapped.

The United Kingdom Official Number 164849 and Code Letters BCQC were allocated.

[4] Whilst she was in port, her captain, Edward Butcher had to go ashore to receive orders for the Convoy.

[4] Empire Emerald then joined Convoy HX 186, which departed that day and arrived at Liverpool on 2 May.

[4] Captain Charles Donn took command of the Empire Emerald on 4 May 1942 and remained as Master until 30 June 1945 Empire Emerald departed on 9 May to join Convoy ON 93,[4] which had departed from Liverpool the previous day and dispersed at 38°55′N 42°43′W / 38.917°N 42.717°W / 38.917; -42.717 on 17 May.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy BX 26, which departed from Boston, Massachusetts on 24 June and arrived at Halifax two days later.

On 17 August, she sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, arriving that day and returning to New York a week later.

[22] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy HX 205, which departed on 31 August and arrived at Liverpool on 15 September.

[23] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy ON 133, which departed from Liverpool on 25 September and arrived at New York on 11 October.

[4] Empire Emerald then joined Convoy HX 213, which departed on 26 October and arrived at Liverpool on 10 November.

[4] She joined Convoy JW 51B, which departed on 22 December and arrived at the Kola Inlet, Soviet Union on 4 January 1943.

She was carrying a cargo of petrol bound for the Stanlow Refinery, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

[29] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy ON 186, which departed from Liverpool on 24 May and arrived at New York on 7 June.

[4] Empire Emerald joined Convoy UGS 18, which departed on 15 September and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 13 October.

[41] She sailed that day to join Convoy UGS 21, which had departed from the Hampton Roads on 15 October and arrived at Port Said on 11 November.

[42] Empire Emerald then sailed to Suez, from where she departed on 28 November for Aden, arriving on 4 December.

[4] Empire Emerald then sailed to Port Said, from where she departed on 3 January 1944 for Alexandria, Egypt, arriving the next day.

[4] She then joined Convoy GUS 27, which departed from Port Said on 5 January and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 4 February.

[46] Empire Emerald departed that day on a special voyage to Bizerta, arriving on 23 January.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy EN 361, which departed from Methil on 21 March and arrived at Loch Ewe the next day.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy VN 42, which departed on 27 May and arrived at Naples the next day.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy UGS 48, which departed on 14 July and arrived at Port Said on 8 August.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy AH 70, which departed that day and arrived at Bari on 1 October.

[4] Empire Emerald was a member of Convoy HA 76, which departed on 31 October and arrived at Augusta on 2 November.

[71] Empire Emerald then joined Convoy TBC 114, which departed on 30 March and arrived at Milford Haven on 3 April.

[73] She loaded a cargo of avgas and returned with Convoy HX 352, which departed on 23 April and arrived at Liverpool on 8 May.

She sailed on 15 October for Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, from where she departed on 6 November for Sheerness, Kent, United Kingdom.

[1] On 20 April 1947, El Gallo suffered an engine breakdown off the coast of County Wicklow, Ireland.

She was carrying 12,000 long tons (12,000 t) of kerosene from Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles to Dublin.