View source for TSS Empire Byng

{{short description|World War II merchant ship of the United Kingdom}}
{{distinguish|SS Peter Dal}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |display title=TSS ''Empire Byng''}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country =
|Ship flag =
|Ship class=
|Ship name=*''Empire Byng'' (1944-51)
*''Peter Dal II'' (1951-55)
*''Benwyvis'' (1955-63)
*''Southern Comet'' (1963-68)
*''Marites'' (1968-72)
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=Greenock Dockyard Co, Greenock.
|Ship yard number=458
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=16 November 1944
|Ship completed=May 1945
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship registry=*{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} Greenock (1944-51)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom |civil}} London (1951-55)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom |civil}} Leith (1955-63)
*{{flagicon|Panama}} Panama City (1963-68)
*{{flagicon|Philippines}} Manila (1968-72)
|Ship identification=*UK [[Official Number]] 169521 (1944-63)
*Code Letters GFNY (1944-51)
*{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Yankee}}
|Ship owner=*Ministry of War Transport (1944-45)
*Ministry of Transport (1945-51)
*Dalhousie Steam & Motorshipping Co Ltd (1951-54)
*Novacastria Shipping Co Ltd (1954-55)
*Ben Line Steamers Ltd (1955-63)
*Bacong Shipping SA (1963-68)
*Peoples Bank & Trust Co (1968-72)
|Ship operator=*P & O Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1944-46)
*Dalhousie Steam & Motor Shipping Co Ltd (1946-51)
*Nomikos (London) Ltd (1951-55)
*Ben Line Steamers Ltd (1955-63)
*Southern Industrial Projects Inc (1963-68)
*Peoples Bank & Trust Co (1968-72)
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service= 19 November 1970
|Ship route=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate= Scrapped
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|7,832}}
*{{NRT|4,418}}
*9,175 [[Deadweight tonnage|DWT]]
|Ship type=
|Ship length={{convert|451|ft|3|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|66|ft|9|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship depth={{convert|30|ft|7|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=1 x steam turbine
|Ship speed=
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship badge=
|Ship honours=
|Ship notes=
|Ship crew =
}}
|}

'''''Empire Byng''''' was a {{GRT|7832|link=off}} [[heavy lift ship]] which was built in 1944 for the [[Ministry of War Transport]] (MoWT). Completed in May 1945, she was sold in 1951 and renamed '''''Peter Dal II'''''. Further sales saw her renamed '''''Benwyvis''''', '''''Southern Comet''''' and '''''Marites'''''. In November 1970, she ran aground at [[Manila Bay]] in [[Typhoon Patsy (1970)|Typhoon Patsy]]. ''Marites'' was scrapped in 1972.

==Description==
''Empire Byng'' was built by [[Greenock Dockyard Company|Greenock Dockyard Co]], [[Greenock]] for the MoWT.<ref name=Ships>{{cite book | first = and Sawyer, L A| last = Mitchell, W H | year = 1995| title = The Empire Ships| publisher = Lloyd's of London Press Ltd| location = London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}</ref> She was yard number 458.<ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=1169521|access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> ''Empire Byng'' was launched on 16 November 1944 and completed in May 1945.<ref name=Ships/>

The ship was {{convert|451|ft|3|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|66|ft|9|in|m|2}} and a depth of {{convert|30|ft|7|in|m|2}}. She was propelled by a [[steam turbine]] which drove an electric motor and a single screw. The turbine was built by [[General Electric Company plc|General Electric Co Ltd]], [[Erith]]. She had a GRT of {{NRT|7,832,|link=off}} of 4,418,<ref name=Byng>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/44/44b1209.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> and a DWT of 9,175.<ref name=Clyde/>

==Career==
''Empire Byng'' was initially operated under the management of [[Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company|P & O Steam Navigation Co Ltd]]. Her port of registry was Greenock.<ref name=Byng/>

Shortly after the end of the [[Second World War]], ''Empire Byng'' was used to deliver a number of [[Tug, Inshore and Dock|MoWT tugs]]. ''TID 125'', ''TID 126'', ''TID 131'', ''TID 132'' and ''TID 133'' were all delivered from [[Bromborough Dock]] to [[Bombay]], [[India]]. ''Empire Byng'' departed on 22 May 1945 and arrived on 19 June.<ref name=TID>{{cite web|url=http://www.medwaymaritimetrust.org.uk/tidtugs/pages/tidlist7.html |title=Directory of TID Tugs 121 - 140 |publisher=Medway Maritime Trust |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref>

In 1946, management of ''Empire Byng'' was transferred to Dalhousie Steam & Motorshipping Co Ltd, [[London]].<ref name=Clyde>{{cite web|url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=16173 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306081125/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=16173 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=6 March 2012 |title=Launched 1944: EMPIRE BYNG |publisher=Clydesite |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> In 1946, ''Empire Byng'' was sold to Dalhousie Steam & Motorshipping and was renamed ''Peter Dal II''. She was operated under the management of Nomikos (London) Ltd. In 1954, ''Peter Dal II'' was sold to Novocastria Shipping Co Ltd, remaining under the management of Nomikos.<ref name=Ships/>

In 1955, ''Peter Dal II'' was sold to [[Ben Line Steamers Ltd]] and renamed ''Benwyvis''. She served with the [[Ben Line]] until 1963 when she was sold to Bacong Shipping SA, [[Panama]] and was renamed ''Southern Comet''. She was operated under the management of Southern Industrial Projects Inc, [[Manila]]. In 1968, ''Southern Comet'' was sold to the [[People's Bank and Trust Company]], [[Philippines]] and renamed ''Marites''. On 19 November 1970, ''Marites'' was driven aground in [[Manila Bay]] during [[Typhoon Patsy (1970)|Typhoon Patsy]]. She was refloated on 29 November, and laid up at South Harbour, Manila.<ref name=Ships/> In 1972, ''Marites'' was sold for scrap, arriving at [[Hong Kong]] on 8 February 1972.<ref name=Miramar/>

In 1984, ''Southern Comet'' was mentioned in an [[appeal]] case relating to repairs done by the Pioneer Iron Works, Manila, who had not been paid for such work. The appeal was denied.<ref name=Court>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1987/dec1987/gr_l_62441_1987.html |title=BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, as Successor to Peoples Bank and Trust Company, petitioner, VS. BENJAMIN PINEDA, doing business under the name and style of PIONEER IRON WORKS, respondent. |publisher=Lawphil |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref>

==Official Numbers and Code Letters==

Official Numbers were a forerunner to [[IMO ship identification number|IMO Numbers]]. ''Empire Byng'', ''Peter Dal II'' and ''Benwyvis'' had the United Kingdom [[Official Number]] 1695921.<ref name=Miramar/>

''Empire Byng'' used the [[Code Letters]] GFNY.<ref name=Byng/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20E/slides/Empire%20Byng-01.html Photo of ''Empire Byng'']

{{Empire ships}}
{{March 1941 shipwrecks}}
{{1970 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Empire Byng}}
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:Empire ships]]
[[Category:Ministry of War Transport ships]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Steamships of Panama]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Panama]]
[[Category:Steamships of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1970]]
[[Category:Dalhousie Steam and Motor Ship Company]]