page_title: MV Empire Star (1935)
section_title: Collision at Sydney
hierarchical_section_title: MV Empire Star (1935) / Second World War service / Collision at Sydney
caption_attribution_description: English: Union Steam Ship Co of NZ's 2,830 GRT cargo steamship Kairanga
context_page_description: MV Empire Star was a UK refrigerated cargo liner. She was built by Harland and Wolff in 1935 as one of Blue Star Line's Imperial Star-class ships, designed to ship frozen meat from Australia and New Zealand to the United Kingdom. She served in the Second World War and is distinguished for her role in the Evacuation of Singapore in February 1942. She was sunk by torpedo in October 1942 with the loss of 42 lives.
  She was the second of three Blue Star ships to be called Empire Star. The first Empire Star was a steamship that was built in 1919, renamed Tudor Star in 1935 and scrapped in 1950. The third Empire Star was a replacement Imperial Star-class ship that was built in 1946 and scrapped in 1971.
context_section_description: At 1107 hrs on 7 March 1940, Empire Star was arriving in Sydney Harbour when she collided almost head on with the Union Steam Ship Co's 2,830 GRT steamship Kairanga. The latter's bow was torn open for 53 feet (16 m) on her port side, her forward topmast was lost and one of her crew was killed. Kairanga saved herself by beaching on Goat Island, and returned to service after repairs lasting three months. Empire Star was also damaged but less seriously, and returned to service on 1 April.
caption: Kairanga, with which Empire Star collided in Sydney Harbour in 1940
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