East Indian 1918 Ship Overview and History

The East Indian was a British passenger liner that played a significant role in history. It was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland.

The ship was launched on May 16, 1918, and was originally designed to be a luxurious ocean liner. It was 650 feet long and had a gross tonnage of 26,951 tons.

The East Indian was a massive vessel that could accommodate over 2,000 passengers. It was equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, including a swimming pool and a dog kennel.

The USSB bought Beikoku Maru, renamed her East Indian, and registered her at San Francisco with the US official number 216802 and code letters LMQC.

East Indian's code letters were later superseded by the call sign WGEI in 1934.

In the same year, East Indian's navigation equipment was upgraded with an echo sounding device and a gyrocompass.

The East Indian was a ship with a rich history, and understanding its technical details is fascinating. The ship was built in 1918 by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

It had a gross tonnage of 23,000 tons, which was impressive for its time. The ship was 625 feet long and 74 feet wide, making it a significant vessel.

The East Indian was powered by a triple-expansion steam engine, which was a common technology at the time. This engine produced 19,000 horsepower, allowing the ship to reach speeds of up to 18 knots.

The ship's cargo capacity was substantial, with a total of 12 cargo holds. This made it an ideal vessel for transporting large quantities of goods across the globe.

The East Indian was a ship built by a renowned Scottish shipbuilder, Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd., in Govan, Scotland.

Its impressive size is reflected in its displacement of 4,820 Gross tons.

The ship's beam measures 53.3 feet, a significant factor in its overall stability at sea.

With a draught of 22.9 feet, the East Indian was designed to navigate shallow waters with ease.

Powering the ship were two Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd Triple-expansion steam engines, producing a total of 6,400 Bhp.

The ship's propulsion system consisted of two propellers, allowing for efficient movement through the water.

The East Indian was capable of reaching a top speed of 16 knots, making it a relatively fast vessel for its time.

The East Indian, a ship with a storied past, was finally released from military service in 1946. She sailed from Sydney on February 13th of that year, bound for Bombay.

After a series of stops, including Fremantle and Colombo, the ship arrived at Bombay on March 17th. It was there that she was released from military service and returned to the British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.

The East Indian had a remarkable record during her time in the military, having admitted approximately 12,400 patients and attended to 30,767 out-patients.