British Naval Forces in The Falklands War - Ships Taken Up From Trade

Ships Taken Up From Trade

The following Merchant Navy ships were requisitioned, as Ships Taken Up From Trade (STUFT).

Liners

• SS Canberra 44,807 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried personnel of the 3rd Commando Brigade to San Carlos on 21 May.
• RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. 67,140 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 3,200 men of the 5th Infantry Brigade. At South Georgia, the men of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and 1/7 Gurkha Rifles were transferred to Canberra, Norland and RFA Stromness on 27 May for transport to San Carlos.
• SS Uganda 16,907 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as hospital ship from 11 May.

Roll-on-Roll-off ferries

• Elk 5,463 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and two Bofors 40 mm guns to carry three Sea King helicopters, ammunition, and heavy vehicles including eight Bofors 40 mm guns, four FV101 Scorpion and four FV107 Scimitar light tanks - joined carrier battle group on 16 May
• Baltic Ferry 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried three Army helicopters, 105 troops, and 1,874 tons of stores and ammunition to Ajax Bay on 1 June
• Europic Ferry 4,190 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles, ammunition, fuel, and four Scout helicopters of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps to San Carlos on 21 May
• Nordic Ferry 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried troops, stores, and ammunition to Falklands on 29 May
• Norland 12,990 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 800 men of 2 Para to San Carlos on 21 May
• Rangatira 9,387 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon to carry 1,000 engineers with vehicles and equipment, but sailed after cease fire.
• St Edmund 8,987 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried troops and vehicles
• Tor Caledonia 5,056 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles and equipment; arrived 12 June

Container / Cargo ships

• Astronomer 27,867 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and carried thirteen helicopters; arrived after cease fire.
• Atlantic Conveyor 14,496 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried eight BAE Sea Harriers (809 Squadron - aircraft later transferred to the two carriers), six Hawker Siddeley Harriers, six Westland Wessex helicopters, and four CH-47 Chinook helicopters (18 Squadron RAF); arrived 19 May - hit 25 May by one or two Aérospatiale AM39 Exocet Air-to-Surface Anti-ship missile(s) launched from a Dassault Super Étendard (†12) - Fatal Damage: Sank in tow 28 May - 6 embarked Wessex HU.5 helicopters, 3 embarked Chinook HC.1 helicopters, 1 embarked Sea Lynx HAS.2, heavy equipment intended for airfield construction, and the bulk stock of tents intended for infantry shelter ashore were lost
• Atlantic Causeway 14,946 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried eight ASW Sea Kings and twenty Westland Wessex helicopters; arrived 27 May.
• Contender Bezant 11,445 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried nine Wasp helicopters and 4 Harriers; arrived after cease fire. - purchased as RFA Argus post-war

Freighters

• Avelona Star 9784 GRT (refrigerated) — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions; arrived after cease fire
• Geestport 7,730 GRT (refrigerated) — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions and stores; arrived 11 June
• Laertes 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried general supplies; arrived after cease fire
• Lycaon 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried ammunition and supplies; arrived 28 May
• Saxonia 8,547 GRT (refrigerated) — carried provisions; arrived 23 May
• Strathewe 12,598 GRT — carried supplies and landing craft; arrived after cease fire
• St. Helena 3,150 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as minesweeper support ship after the cease fire

Tankers

• Alvega 33,000 t (57,372 DWT) — used as base storage tanker at Ascension from mid-May
• Anco Charger 24,500 DWT — used as auxiliary support tanker from 24 April with capability to transport 42 different liquids at once
• Balder London 19,980 t (33,751 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 May
• British Avon 15,640 t (25,620 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April
• British Dart 15,650 t (28,488 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 22 April
• British Esk 15,643 t (25,905 DWT) — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as the first convoy escort oiler
• British Tamar 15,646 t (25,498 DWT) — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as convoy escort oiler from 13 April
• British Tay 15,650 t (25,650 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 April
• British Test 16,653 t (25,641 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 14 April
• British Trent 15,649 t (25,147 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 18 April
• British Wye 15,649 t (25,197 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April - hit by bomb from Lockheed C-130 Hercules - Minor Damage
• Eburna 19,763 t (31,374 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 26 April
• Fort Toronto 25,498 DWT — fresh water tanker from 19 April
• G.A.Walker 18,744 t (30,607 DWT) — used as auxiliary tanker from 10 June
• Scottish Eagle 33,000 t (54,490 DWT) — used as base storage tanker at South Georgia from 18 June and then moved to Falklands on 14 July

Tugs / Repair / Support Ships

• British Enterprise III 1,595 t — diving support ship
• Iris 3,873 GRT — cable ship equipped with helicopter pad and two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as despatch vessel from late May.
• Irishman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.
• Salvageman 1,598 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 7 May.(the most powerful tug on British registry with 11,000 brake horsepower and 170 ton bollard pull)
• Stena Inspector 5,814 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship after the cease fire. - purchased as RFA Diligence post-war
• Stena Seaspread 6,061 GRT — oilfield support ship equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship from 16 May.
• Wimpey Seahorse 1,599 GRT — oilfield supply vessel used as mooring tender and tug from 8 June.
• Yorkshireman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.