As City of Belfast, the ship was an armed boarding steamer for most of the First World War.

Laird Brothers built the ship in Birkenhead on the River Mersey as yard number 590.

[7] In October 1914 the Admiralty requisitioned City of Belfast and had her converted into an armed boarding steamer.

[10] In 1930 ownership passed to Hellenic Coast Lines, who renamed the ship Kephallinia and registered her in Piraeus.

On 13 August she left Alexandria in Egypt with supplies for the Allied force holding Tobruk in Libya.

The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Hero rescued Kephallinia's entire crew, and there was no loss of life.