All shipbuilders had specified the capability of their yards to produce cargo ships, cargo liners, tramps, tankers, colliers, coasters and naval ships. Significantly before Britain entered the Second World War on 3 September 1939, preparations had been in hand to put the shipping industry of Britain on a war footing. Approximately 4,000 ships on the British register were lost between 19, a considerable number being sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic. Total production numbered in the hundreds.Д®mpire ships were supplements to Britain's normal peacetime merchant fleet, swelling its wartime numbers to 12,000, then the largest merchant ship fleet in the world. New Empire ship construction represented an enormous undertaking that included classes of freighters, tankers, aircraft carriers, fast cargo liners, tank landing ships, Deep Sea Salvage and Rescue Tugs and several other categories.

Others were captured or seized from enemy powers and some were acquired by requisition or normal purchase or lease. New Empire ships were built for the MoWT or obtained from the United States to increase Britain's shipping capacity and offset losses to German U-boats, commerce raiders, bombing and other enemy actions in the tonnage war Germany was waging against Britain's sea transport around the globe. Most were used by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), which owned them and contracted their operation to various shipping companies of the British Merchant Navy.Д®mpire ships came from two main sources: new construction, and capture and seizure.

JSTOR ( December 2018) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)ДЄn Empire ship is a merchant ship that was given a name beginning with 'Empire' in the service of the Government of the United Kingdom during and after World War II.

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Empire of the hand ships