SS Esso Appalachee Esso Appalachee was a tanker that was built in 1942 as Empire Dickens by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd , Haverton Hill - on - Tees , County Durham , United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) . In 1946 she was sold into merchant service and renamed " Esso Appalachee " , she served until 1960 when she was scrapped . Description . The ship was built in 1941 by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd , Haverton Hill - on - Tees . She was yard number 341 . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of and a draught of . She was assessed at 9 , 819 GRT , 5 , 790 NRT . Her DWT was 14 , 852 . She had capacity for of liquid cargo . The ship was propelled by a 674 nhp triple expansion steam engine , which had cylinders of , and diameter by stroke . The engine was built by Richardson Westgarth & Co Ltd , West Hartlepool . It drove a screw propeller and could propel the ship at . History . " Empire Dickens " was built for the MoWT . Her keel was laid on 21 April 1941 , She was launched on 14 February 1942 and completed in April . The Official Number 164853 and Code Letters BDSG were allocated . World War II . " Empire Dickens " departed from Middlesbrough on her maiden voyage on 14 April 1941 . She joined Convoy FN 681 , which had departed from Southend , Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil , Fife on 15 April . She then joined Convoy EN 72 , which departed two days later and arrived at Oban , Argyllshire on 19 April . From Oban , " Empire Dickens " joined Convoy ON 89 , which had departed from Liverpool , Lancashire on 23 April and arrived at New York , United States on 5 May . From New York , she sailed to the Hampton Roads , Virginia , departing on 17 May as a member of Convoy KS 501 , which arrived at Key West , Florida on 23 May . She then sailed to Pensacola , Florida , arriving two days later . " Empire Dickens " sailed from Pensacola on 27 May for Port Arthur , Texas , arriving the next day . She departed on 31 May for Key West , arriving there on 5 June . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy KN 108 , which departed from Key West on 8 June and arrived at New York on 15 June . She left the convoy at the Hampton Roads on 16 June , departing for New York on 21 June and arriving there the next day . She then sailed to Boston , Massachusetts , from where she departed on 27 June for Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada , arriving two days later . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy HX 197 , which departed from Halifax on 6 July and arrived at Liverpool on 17 July . She was carrying a cargo of petrol . She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough to join Convoy BB 199 , which arrived at Milford Haven , Pembrokeshire on 18 July . Her destination was Swansea , Glamorgan , where she arrived the next day . " Empire Dickens " departed from Swansea on 26 August for Milford Haven , from where she sailed on 27 August to join Convoy ON 125 , which departed from Liverpool on 28 August and arrived at New York on 12 September . She departed from New York on 20 September as a member of Convoy NG 307 , which arrived at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba on 27 September . She then joined Convoy GAT 9 , which departed that day and arrived at Trinidad on 3 October . " Empire Dickens " left the convoy at Curaçao , Netherlands Antilles , where she arrived on 30 September . She departed on 5 October , joining Convoy TAG 10 , which had departed from Trinidad on 3 October and arrived at Guantanamo Bay on 8 October . She departed on 10 October as a member of Convoy GN 11 , which arrived at New York on 16 October . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy HX 212 , which departed from New York on 18 October and arrived at Liverpool on 2 November . She was carrying petrol and bound for Avonmouth , Somerset , which was reached by detaching from the Convoy at the Belfast Lough on 1 November to join Convoy BB 232 . That convoy departed on 2 November and arrived at Milford Haven the next day . Avonmouth was reached on 5 November . " Empire Dickens " departed from Avonmouth on 22 November for Milford Haven , arriving the next day and departing the day after to join Convoy ON 149 , which departed from Liverpool on 26 November and arrived at New York on 12 December . She then joined Convoy NK 514 , which departed on 16 December and arrived at Key West on 21 December . She departed that day for Houston , Texas , arriving on 26 December . A return trip was made to Baytown before " Empire Dickens " departed on 1 January 1943 for New York , which was reached on 9 January via Key West and Jacksonville , Florida . She departed on 14 January as a member of Convoy HX 223 , which arrived at Liverpool on 2 February . She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough on 1 February . " Empire Dickens " departed from Liverpool on 21 February as a member of Convoy ON 168 , which dispersed off Cape Cod , Massachusetts on 12 March . her destination was New York , which was reached on 17 March . Having loaded a cargo of petrol , she departed from New York on 25 March as a member of Convoy HX 231 , which arrived at Liverpool on 10 April . She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough on 10 April to join Convoy BB 278 , which arrived at Milford Haven the next day . Her destination was Swansea , which was reached via Avonmouth on 16 April . " Empire Dickens " departed from Swansea on 22 April for Milford Haven , from where she departed the next day to join Convoy ON 180 , which departed from Liverpool on 24 April and arrived at New York on 14 May . She detached from the convoy and put into the Belfast Lough with defects , arriving on 26 April and departing four days later to join Convoy ON 181 , which departed from Liverpool that day and arrived at New York on 18 May . Her destination was Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where she arrived that day . " Empire Dickens " sailed for New York on 29 May , arriving that day and departing two days later as a member of Convoy HX 242 , which arrived at Liverpool on 15 June . She was carrying a cargo of petrol bound for the Stanlow Refinery , Ellesmere Port , Cheshire . " Empire Dickens " made another return trip to New York , departing on 24 June as a member of Convoy ON 190 , which arrived on 8 July . She returned with Convoy HX 248 , which departed on 15 July and arrived at Liverpool on 29 July . " Empire Dickens " departed from Liverpool on 31 July as a member of Convoy ON 195 , which arrived at New York on 13 August . She returned with defects , arriving back at Liverpool the next day . Defects rectified , she joined Convoy ON 196 , which departed on 8 August and arrived at New York on 21 August . She was a member of Convoy HX 252 , which departed from New York on 2 September and arrived at Liverpool on 16 September . She was carrying a cargo of avgas which was destined for Thameshaven , Essex . " Empire Dickens " left the convoy at Loch Ewe on 15 September and reached Southend on 20 September via Convoy WN 480 to Methil and Convoy FS 1224 . " Empire Dickens " departed from Southend on 13 October as a member of Convoy FN 1151 , which arrived at Methil two days later . She then joine Convoy EN 295 , which departed on 16 October and arrived at Loch Ewe on 18 October . She then joined Convoy ON 207 , which had departed from Liverpool on 18 October and arrived at New York on 4 November . She departed from New York on 11 November for the Hampton Roads , arriving the next day . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy UGS 24 , which departed on 14 November and arrived at Port Said , Egypt on 12 December . Her destination was Bizerta , Algeria , which was reached on 6 December . She sailed on 13 December to join Convoy GUS 24 , which had departed from Port Said on 6 December and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 3 January 1944 . Her destination was New York , which was reached that day . " Empire Dickens " departed from New York for the Hampton Roads on 23 January . She then joined Convoy UGS 31 , which departed on 25 January and arrived at Port Said on 21 February . Her destination was Algiers , Algeria , which was reached on 13 February . She departed on 19 February to join Convoy KMS 41 , which had departed from Gibraltar on 17 February and arrived at Port Said on 27 February . She left the convoy at Augusta , Sicily , Italy on 23 February . She sailed two days later for Bari , arriving on 27 February . She departed on 6 March for Taranto , arriving the next day and leaving later that day to join Convoy HA 28A , which had departed from Bari on 7 March and arrived at Augusta on 9 March . She departed the next day to join Convoy GUS 33 , which had departed from Port Said on 5 March and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 4 April . " Empire Dickens " departed from New York on 30 April for the Hampton Roads in order to join Convoy UGS 41 , which departed on 3 May and arrived at Port Said on 30 May . Her destination was Casablanca , Morocco , which was reached on 20 May . She departed for Gibraltar three days later , arriving on 25 May . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy KMS 52 , which departed on 6 June and arrived at Port Said on 16 June . She left the convoy at Augusta , arriving on 12 June . A return trip to Naples was made via Convoy VN 46 and Convoy NV 47 , arriving back at Augusta on 22 June . She departed the next day to join Convoy MKS 53 , which had departed from Port Said on 18 June and arrived at Gibraltar on 29 June . She left the convoy at Algiers , where she arrived on 27 June . " Empire Dickens " departed on 2 July to join Convoy GUS 44 , which had departed from Port Said on 24 June and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 18 July . Her destination was New York , which was reached that day . " Empire Dickens " departed from New York on 1 August for the Hampton Roads , arriving on 3 August . She then joined Convoy UGS 50 , which departed that day and arrived at Port Said on 29 August . Her destination was Augusta , which was reached on 25 August . She sailed that day for Bari , arriving two days later and departing on 1 September 1944 for Brindisi , arriving the next day . She departed on 5 September to join Convoy HA 64A , which had departed from Bari that day and arrived at Augusta on 7 September . " Empire Dickens " arrived at Augusta on 6 September and joined Convoy GUS 51 , which had departed from Port Said on 2 September and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 28 September . She arrived at New York that day . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy HX314 , which departed from New York on 15 October and arrived at Liverpool on 29 October . She was carrying a cargo of avgas bound for Thameshaven . She arrived at Southend on 30 October . " Empire Dickens " was a member of Convoy ON 270 , which departed from Southend on 3 December and arrived at New York on 22 December . She returned to the United Kingdom with Convoy HX 331 , which departed on 8 January 1945 and arrived at Liverpool on 22 January . She was carrying a cargo of petrol , which was bound for Avonmouth , where she arrived on 22 January . " Empire Dickens " departed from Avonmouth on 31 January for Milford Haven , from where she sailed on 2 February to join Convoy ON 282 , which had departed from Liverpool the previous day and arrived at New York on 19 February . She returned with Convoy HX 342 , which departed on 4 March and arrived at Liverpool on 19 March . She was carrying a cargo of aircraft and petrol . She detached from the convoy and sailed to the Clyde , arriving on 20 March . " Empire Dickens " departed from the Clyde on 27 March to join Convoy ON 293 , which had departed from Southend that day and arrived at New York on 15 April . Carrying a cargo of petrol , she returned with Convoy HX 354 , which departed on 3 May and arrived at Liverpool on 18 May . She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough that day . Post - war . " Empire Dickens " departed from the Belfast Lough on 22 May to join Convoy ON 304 , which had departed from Southend on 21 May and arrived at New York on 5 June . She departed three days later for London . She departed from London on 21 June for Aruba , Netherlands Antilles , from where she departed on 17 July for Cristóbal , Panama Canal Zone . She sailed from Cristóbal on 23 July for Aruba , arriving three days later . She departed from Aruba on 28 July for Gibraltar , from where she departed on 12 August for Naples , arriving on 16 August . " Empire Dickens " departed from Naples on 19 August for Port Said , where she arrived four days later . She then sailed to Suez , from where she departed on 24 August for Abadan , Iran , arriving on 4 September and departing three days later for Melbourne , Australia , where she arrived on 6 October . She departed on 10 October for Abadan , arriving on 5 November . " Empire Dickens " departed on 8 November for Suez , arriving on 19 November and then sailing to Port Said , from where she departed on 21 November for Augusta , which was reached on 24 November . She sailed four days later for Livorno via Genoa , arriving on 3 December . " Empire Dickens " departed from Livorno on 6 December for Port Said , arriving on 11 December and then sailing to Suez , from where she departed on 12 December for Abadan , which was reached on 23 December . In 1946 , " Empire Dickens " was sold to the Anglo - American Oil Co Ltd , London . She was renamed " Esso Appalachee " and placed under the management of the Esso Transportation Co Ltd . In 1951 , she was sold to Esso Petroleum Co Ltd , London . In April 1952 , " Esso Appalachee " was being towed by the tugs and " Flying Petrel " at Bowling , West Dunbartonshire when she fouled her tow and then collided with " Flying Buzzard " , hitting her amidships and sinking her . " Flying Buzzard " was salvaged in May and repaired , returning to service in October . On 6 January 1956 , " Esso Appalachee " was in collision with the jetty at Immingham , Lincolnshire , cutting it in two and leaving a gap . She served until 1960 , arriving on 2 August at Faslane , Argyllshire for scrapping by Shipbuilding Industries Ltd .