Hazelbank was a 6,140 GRT cargo ship built in 1942 as Empire Franklin by John Readhead and Sons Ltd, South Shields, County Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

She was sold Compagnia Navigazione Nuevo Mundo SA, Panama in 1957 and renamed Irinicos.

She was sold to Paleocrassos Bros, Greece in 1962 then to Salinas Compagnia Navigazione SA, Panama in 1963 and was renamed Iris II, serving until 1967 when she was scrapped in Hong Kong.

Empire Fortune was built in 1941 as yard number 522 by John Readhead and Sons Ltd, South Shields, County Durham for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

The United Kingdom Official Number 168649 and Code Letters BCMB were allocated.

She was initially operated under the management of Hall Brothers,[2] Empire Franklin was converted to a CAM ship shortly after completion.

[5] Empire Franklin made her maiden voyage on 27 June 1941, sailing from the River Tyne to join Convoy EC 38,[6] which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at the Clyde on 1 July.

[6] Carrying a cargo of grain, she sailed that day with Convoy SC 49, which arrived at Liverpool on 27 October.

[12] Empire Franklin left the convoy and arrived at the Clyde on 27 October.

She sailed three days later with Convoy XB 25,[6] which arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 16 June.

Empire Franklin sailed on 15 July with Convoy BX 29F, which arrived at Halifax the next day.

[6] Empire Franklin departed from Cardiff on 13 November for Newport, Monmouthshire, arriving later that day.

[27] She then joined Convoy EN 196, which sailed the next day and arrived at Loch Ewe on 17 February.

She was carrying general cargo and stores bound for Takoradi, Gold Coast.

[6] She then joined Convoy OS 59KM, which departed from Liverpool that day and split at sea on 28 November.

[39] She then joined Convoy KMS 33, which sailed from Gibraltar that day and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 9 December.

[40] Empire Franklin left the convoy at Augusta, Sicily, Italy on 5 December.

[41] She left the convoy at Brindisi, Italy that day She sailed on 22 December to join Convoy AH 14,[6] which had sailed from Augusta that day and arrived at Bari on 24 December.

[42] She then joined Convoy HA 14, which sailed that day and arrived at Augusta on 26 December.

[46] Her destination was Libreville, French Equatorial Africa, which was reached on 3 February.

[48] Laden with manganese ore, she sailed with Convoy SL 152 on 13 March.

[54] Empire Franklin departed from Liverpool on 28 July and arrived at the Clyde the next day.

She then joined Convoy FS 1659,[6] which sailed that day and arrived at Southend on 9 December.

[6] Empire Franklin was a member of Convoy XB 142, which sailed from Halifax on 12 January 1945 and arrived at Boston three days later.

Empire Franklin departed on 10 May as a member of her final convoy, NK 686, which was bound for Key West, Florida.

[67] She was operated under the management of A. Weir Shipping & Trading Co Ltd.[3] In 1957, Hazelbank was sold to Compagnia Navigazione Nuevo Mundo SA, Panama City and was renamed Irinicos.

Irinicos was sold to Paleocrassos Bros., Piraeus, Greece in 1962, remaining under Syros's management.

She was sold to Salinas Compagnia Navigazione SA, Panama in 1963 and renamed Iris II, still under Syros's management.

[68] She arrived at Hong Kong on 15 February 1967 for scrapping by Ming Hing & Co.[3][4]