SS Empire Ballad Empire Ballad was a 6 , 640 ton cargo ship which was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd , Sunderland in 1941 for the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) . She was sold to Alexander Shipping Co Ltd in 1946 and renamed Bibury . In 1951 she was sold to Halcyon Lijn NV , Rotterdam , Netherlands and renamed Stad Maassluis . In 1962 she was sold to Compagnia Navigazione Jaguar , Panama and renamed Jaguar . In 1966 she was sold to Olamar SA , Panama and renamed Goldfield . In 1968 she was sold to Compagnia de Navigazione Sulemar , Panama and renamed Poseidon , serving until 1969 when she ran aground and was subsequently scrapped . History . " Empire Ballad " was built by Bartram & Sons Ltd , Sunderland as yard number 290 . She was launched on 17 December 1941 and completed on 13 March 1942 . She was initially operated under the management of Allan Black & Co Ltd . and then Capper , Alexander & Co . War service . " Empire Ballad " was a member of a number of convoys during the Second World War Convoy HX 254 sailed from New York on 27 August 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 12 September . " Empire Ballad " was carrying a general cargo and was bound for Hull . Convoy KMS 31 sailed from Liverpool on 27 October 1943 and arrived at Gibraltar on 19 November . " Empire Ballad " was carrying a toxic cargo and was bound for Italy . Convoy KMS 68 sailed from Liverpool on 3 November 1944 and dispersed at Gibraltar on 14 November . " Empire Ballad " was armed with one 4 " gun , two 3 " guns and eight machine guns as well as being fitted with smoke generating apparatus . " Empire Ballad " was carrying a cargo of stores , vehicles and matches bound for the Naples area Postwar . In 1946 , " Empire Ballad " was sold to the Alexander Shipping Co Ltd and renamed " Bibury " . She was operated under the management of Houlder Brothers Ltd and served with them for five years . In 1951 , " Bibury " was sold to Halcyon Lijn , Rotterdam and renamed " Stad Maassluis " after the town of Maassluis . She served with them until she was laid up in March 1958 at Rotterdam . In 1962 , " Stad Maassluis " was sold to Compagnia Navigazione Jaguar , Panama and renamed " Jaguar " . She was operated under the management of Palomba & Salvatori , Italy . She served with Cia . Nav . Jaguar for four years and was sold in 1966 to Olamar SA , Panama and renamed " Goldfield " , remaining under the management of Palomba & Salvatori . In 1968 , " Goldfield " was sold to Compagnia de Navigazione Sulemar , Panama and renamed " Poseidon " . She was operated under the management of V Coccoli , Italy . In September 1969 , " Poseidon " ran aground while on a voyage from Rouen , France to Alexandria , Egypt . She put into Naples , Italy . Her bottom was badly damaged and it was uneconomic to repair her . She arrived under tow on 21 November 1969 at Split , Yugoslavia where she was scrapped by Brodopas . Official number and code letters . Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers . " Empire Ballad " had the UK Official Number 169522 and used the Code Letters BCXB . " Stad Maassluis " used the Code Letters PHRL . When IMO numbers were introduced in the late 1960s , the number 5167815 was allocated to the ship It would have been carried by " Poseidon " .