SS Manganese

The ship was built in 1925 by Norderwerft AG, Hamburg,[1] as yard number 605. She was completed in May 1925.[2]

The ship was 221 feet 0 inches (67.36 m) long, with a beam of 35 feet 1 inch (10.69 m) and a depth of 13 feet 0 inches (3.96 m). The ship was of 964 GRT, 471 NRT,[3]

The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 16+1⁄2 inches (42 cm), 25+3⁄5 inches (65 cm) and 43+1⁄2 inches (110 cm) diameter by 27+3⁄5 inches (70 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Dresdner Maschinenbau & Schiffs Uegibau AG, Dresden.[3] It could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h).[2]

Wiedau was built for the Bugsier Line, Hamburg.[1] The Code Letters RFLK were allocated.[3] In 1934, her code letters were changed to DHZV.[4]

In May 1945, Wiedau was seized by the Allies at Hamburg. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Contract.[1] Her port of registry was changed to London. The Code Letters GJDY and United Kingdom Official Number 180593 were allocated. She was placed under the management of G Gibson & Son Ltd.[5] Later that year, she was transferred to the Greek Government and was renamed Herakleion.[1]

In 1948, Herakleion was sold to the Lakoniki Steamship Navigation Co and was renamed Laconia. She was operated under the management of I Tsengas & Co, serving until 1954 when she was sold to the Hellenic Levant Line. In 1964, Laconia was sold to J Alexatos. In 1965, she was sold to the Sinai Manganese Co, Egypt and was renamed Manganese.[1] The ship was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 1993.[2]