Matelots Pillien et Peyrat was a 7,058 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1943 as Empire Friendship by Short Brothers Ltd, Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

Ownership was transferred to the French Government in 1945, when she was renamed Matelots Pillien et Peyrat She was sold to Compagnie Havraise de Navigation à Vapeur, Paris in 1948.

[1] Empire Friendship was built in 1943 as yard number 475 by Short Brothers Ltd., Sunderland, County Durham for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

She was operated under the management of Sir R. Ropner & Co. Ltd.[1] Empire Friendship made her maiden voyage by joining Convoy FN 1018, which had departed from Southend, Essex on 11 May 1943 and arrived at Methil, Fife on 13 May.

[6] Empire Friendship sailed from Cardiff on 4 October, arriving at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire later that day.

[12] She then joined Convoy KMS 29, which departed from Gibraltar that day and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 31 October.

[13] Empire Friendship then sailed to Suez, Egypt, from where she departed on 11 November for Aden.

[14] She then joined Convoy AKD 7S, which sailed that day and arrived at Durban, South Africa on 10 December.

[18] She then joined Convoy CN 32, which sailed on 21 June and dispersed at sea the next day.

Empire Friendship sailed a week later for Bahia Blanca, Argentina, arriving on 26 July.

[6] Carrying a cargo of wheat and 96 bags of mails, she sailed with Convoy SL 171 on 18 September.

Empire Friendship departed from Ancona under escort on 7 December, arriving at Bari two days later.

[6] Carrying a cargo of iron ore, she sailed with Convoy MKS 93G on 5 April.

[6] Empire Friendship sailed on 6 May for Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, arriving the next day.

Empire Friendship sailed on 3 June for Saint John's, Newfoundland, where she arrived the next day.

[31] She was renamed Matelots Pillien et Peyraut,[3] and placed under the management of Compagnie de Navigation Mixte.

[32] Jacques Pillien and Paul Peyrat were sailors who tried to capture the Vichy French merchant ship Gabriel Guist'Hau off Gibraltar on 6 March 1942 and deliver her to the Allies.

In 1962, her owners were the Compagnie Havraise de Navigation Corblet and her port of registry was changed to Dunkerque.