The Maldive Transport was originally built as the 4,907 GRT. Cargo Ship S.S. Dunelmia, the second of three ships with that name, at William Gray and Company (Yard No. 1253), Hartlepool, UK, for Metcalfe Shipping Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool, UK. She was launched 12 March 1952 and completed the following June with a length of 130.9 meters and beam of 17.2 meters. Propulsion was provided by a triple-expansion steam engine and single shaft for a speed of 11 knots. The ship’s boilers were mounted in a “Boilers-On-Deck” configuration. The Dunelmia was one of the last ships in Britain to be built with this configuration.
In 1969, the Dunelmia was sold and renamed the Maldive Transport (buyers unknown).
On 29 April 1972, the ship caught fire at position 25.40N/35.35E, and then was subsequently beached 5 nautical miles south of Safaga.
Miramar Single Ship Reports for 5094812
http://iancoombe.tripod.com/id37.html
http://portcities.hartlepool.gov.uk/server.php?show=conMediaFile.153
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My new husband and I had lunch with the captain and crew aboard the Dunelmia just off Bandar Abbas in January 1972 which is not a date or time I’m likely to forget as we were married at Caxton Hall, Westminster on the 19th of that month and were having a ‘working’ honeymoon. The Iranians kindly entertained me as much as possible and that lunch was one example. As we were taken out to the Dunelmia by a tiny naval vessel, crackling over the radio turned out to be the Iraqis warning us that if we didn’t get back into Iranian waters pronto, they would fire a shot across our bows. How did the Dunelmia manage to catch fire and be back carrying cargo in such a short time? Different ship?