While owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd she was one of three sister ships operating the service between Bremen and the Far East.

En route to the United States when war was declared, she managed to return to Germany.

Used as an accommodation ship and troopship during World War II, she was seized by the Allies in 1945 and renamed Empire Jewel.

She was converted to a troopship in 1946 but her high-pressure boilers proved troublesome and the ship was rebuilt in 1947 and renamed Empire Fowey.

The turbines were constructed by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and the electric motors were by Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG, Berlin.

She arrived at Kiel on 19 June and an armed guard was posted on board to stop the Germans using her to block the Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal.

After three weeks with an all-German crew on board, she sailed on 20 July for Methil, Fife, United Kingdom.

[10] In July 1945, she was converted to a troopship by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, County Antrim.

Empire Fowey was the first ship to fly this flag, which was a defaced Blue Ensign.

[17] In August 1955, there were complaints about the quality of the food served aboard Empire Fowey and also poor ventilation of the vessel.

A report by Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation John Boyd-Carpenter stated that ventilation on the lower decks had been improved and that there would be greater variety in the menu offered.

[20] In June 1956, Empire Fowey was on a voyage from Singapore to Hong Kong when a passenger on board suffered a perforated duodenum.

A surgeon and medical party were flown out the ship in a Royal Air Force Short Sunderland aircraft.

[22] She was put up for sale to "foreign or other buyers" in 1960, a decision criticised by Irene Ward, MP for Tynemouth.