Ban
Extract from:-
COPY NO.111.
Ong regol Orig
18885/6/44
SECRET
(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S
12.
GOVERNMENT).
45
Ref.FE.80/3/5/2.
Ministry of Economic Warfare,
Enemy Branch,
Berkeley Square,
London, W.1.
FAR EASTERN WEEKLY INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY
No.60 for week ending 3.3.1944.
*
SHIPPING
(Unless otherwise stated all information is from other sources).
Shipbuilding (other than wooden ships) and Port Facilities.
1. (a) Two "Empire" ships only had been completed in Hongkong by
September 1943. These were the Gyoten Maru, launched before the Pacific War but not completed until December 1942 and the Gyoku Maru, launched in February-March 1943 and completed in August of that year. Another "Empire" ship is two-thirds ready but was not to be lauched until December 1943.
(b) At the outbreak of the Pacific war there were five general cargo "Empire" ships, all of 6,580 g.r.t, being constructed at Hongkong. From the above report the developments would appear to be:-
Empire Blossom.
#7
11
#1
11
Dragon.
Lantern. Pagoda. Wall.
Under construction 1941.
Launched 1941 = Gyoten Maru, completed December 1942. Under construction 1941.
Under construction 1941.
11
One of the remaining four, the Gy oku Maru, was, therefore, launched early in 1943 but only completed in August, whilst a second was only due for launching in December 1943. If this report is correct, the Japanese in two years do not appear to have succeeded in launching and completing all four ships, totalling 27,300 g.r.t.which suggests that any estimates for building other ships of 1,000 g.r.t. or over in Hongkong should not be high. It has always been considered that Hongkong was primarily being used as a repair base rather than as a shipbuilding centre for larger merchant ships. This would leave less labour available for shipbuilding, which may also be hampered through lack of materials.
2. (a) Apparently out of some five or six ships damaged in January
1942 which were taken to Hongkong, only one, the Kezei Maru (? g.r.t.) could be repaired there. Work on it by the Kowloon Dockyard was due for completion in December 1943, and even so, one engine could not be repaired locally. The Kenhu Maru (unidentified) and the Asosan Maru (8,811 g.r.t.) were both lying in harbour in September 1943 without engines, and cannot be repaired locally.
(b) The report suggests that Hongkong is not able at present to tackle successfully repairs to major damage on ship's engines. There is usually a large tonnage of shipping in Hongkong under and awaiting repair, and undoubtedly much minor repair work is carried out there successfully.
3. Air raid damage to dockyards in Hongkong last Autumn affected the
boiler shops of the Kowloon Yard seriously and the engine shops and foundry to a lesser extent.
/Salvage
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