The Southern class was a class of whale-catcher ships requisitioned from a commercial whaling company for service during the Second World War.

Six ships were built in Germany for the Southern Whaling Company and after the war, one was retained in the South African Navy, one had been sunk by a mine and four were sold back to commercial whaling companies.

The fleet of six ships was accompanied by the factory ship Southern Princess in their annual whaling season sorties.

The fleet spent four seasons in the Antarctic before being requisitioned for naval service on their return to Cape Town after completion of the 1939-40 season.

The owners requested that all six ships were to be taken up into the Royal Navy, but only Southern Breeze was taken up for service in the UK, with the other five vessels being assigned to the South African Seaward Defence Force (the renamed South African Naval Service).