SS Messina

Messina was a 2,192 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1937 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany. She was built for Robert Miles Sloman Jr, Hamburg. In 1940 she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. In 1945 she was seized as a war prize and passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Renamed Empire Cherwell, in 1947 she was transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Polus.. She served until the early 1960s, her name being removed from shipping registers in 1961.

Description
The ship was built by Neptun AG, Rostock. She was launched in 1937.

The ship was 303 ft long, with a beam of 43 ft and a depth of 16 ft. She had a GRT of 2,192 and a NRT of 1.,104.

The ship was propelled by a compound steam engine which had two cylinders of 16+3/4 in inches and two cylinders of 35+7/16 in diameter by 37+3/8 in stroke. The engine was built by Christiansen & Meyer, Harburg.

History
Messina was built for Robert Miles Sloman Jr, Hamburg Her port of registry was Hamburg and the Code Letters DJUT were allocated. In 1940, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. She was seized in May 1945 as a war prize at Travemünde. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Cherwell. The United Kingdom Official Number 180718 and the Code Letters GPSZ were allocated. Her port of registry was changed to London. Empire Cherwell operated under the management of F C Strick & Co Ltd.

In 1947, Empire Cherwell was transferred to the Soviet Union. Her port of registry was Leningrad. She was in service until the early 1960s, her name was removed from shipping registers in 1961.