Summary

Built by William Denny & Brothers Dumbarton as the Yomah for the MV Yomah Co Ltd (P Henderson & Co., Glasgow).
Sold May 1927 to Australind S S Co Ltd., and renamed Ashburton
Sold 1937 to Skibs-AS La Plata (Alf Jakelln) renamed Tropic Star.
Sold 1947 to rederi AB Atlanta Helsinki renamed Anja. Scrapped 1961 Spain

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1926
Launched August 24th 1926.

On November 5th it was reported that the Commonwealth and Dominion Line had chartered the Yomah to load at New York with cargo for New Zealand. This would be the maiden voyage for the Yomah, with departure scheduled for November 24th. Noted Norfolk Dec 12th and Balboa Dec 25th.

1927
Arrived Auckland January 17th from New York.

At Wellington (Jan 27th), Lyttleton (Jan 31st), Dunedin, Hobart (Feb 3rd). Departed Risdon (Feb 13th) having loaded 1,000 tons of zinc and Melbourne (Mar 4th) with general cargo, noted Aden March 31st, for Avonmouth (Apr 6th), Dunkirk (Apr 22nd), Hull (Apr 23rd) and London, arriving April 30th.

During May(?) the Yomah was renamed the Ashburton after being sold to the Australind S S Co. Ltd.

Sailed New York for Sydney (Aug 5th), Fremantle (Aug 29th), Bunbury (Sep 1st).

1928
A strong storm in the vicinity of Lord Howe Island (420 miles north east of Sydney NSW) on or about July 26th struck the Ashburton with such force that a quantity of her deck cargo of timber was swept overboard. The Ashburton had departed Aberdeen (Washington) on June 28th with 4,300,000 feet of timber en-route to Melbourne. Estimated wind speeds of 80mph caused high seas to sweep over the deck, compromising the lashings. Attempts to secure the lashings was deemed too dangerous, with the ship hove-to for at least 24 hours.

1935
Passed westbound through the Panama Canal March 3rd, Halifax NS to Melbourne with general cargo.

1937
During March the Ashburton was sold to Norwegian buyers for a little under £70,000.

On October 3rd the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with coke from Baltimore, Md to Antofagasta, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On November 5th/6th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Charleston, SC whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On December 1st the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Charleston, SC to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On December 28th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Gulfport, Miss whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

1938
On January 18th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Tampa, Fla to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On March 10th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Baltimore, Md to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On April 9th/10th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates of soda from Tocopilla, Chile to Gulfport, Miss whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On May 5th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Mobile, Ala to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On June 2nd/3rd the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Savannah, Ga whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On June 21st the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Wilmington, Del to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On July 18th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Pensacola, Florida whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On August 3rd/4th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Gulfport, Miss to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On September 21st the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Savannah, Ga to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On October 16th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Wilmington NC whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On November 9th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Norfolk, Va to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On December 5th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates / salt cake from Tocopilla, Chile to Savannah, Ga whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On December 24th/25th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Savannah, Ga to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

1939
On January 18th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to New Orleans, La whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On February 8th/9th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Lake Charles, La to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On March 6th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Antofagasta, Chile to Charleston, SC whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On March 25th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Wilmington, NC to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On April 17th/18th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Charleston, SC whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On May 2nd the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Pensacola, Fla to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On May 27th/28th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Tocopilla, Chile to Charleston, SC whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On June 14th/15th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Charleston, SC to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

Between July 27th & 30th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from Savannah, Ga to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On October 16th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with pyrites from Britannia, BC to Claymont, Del. whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

1940
Between January 19th & 21st the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from New York to Tocopilla, Chile whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On February 20th/21st the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal with nitrates from Iquique, Chile to Lake Charles, La whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

On April 3rd/4th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst in ballast from New Orleans to Chilean ports whilst under hire by the Chile Nitrate Sales Corporation.

During the latter half of 1940 the Tropic Star had been operating independently in the Caribbean and along the eastern seaboard of the Atlantic.

Between August 23rd - 26th the Tropic Star negotiated the Panama Canal whilst transporting lumber from Vancouver BC to New York.

On October 1st the Tropic Star departed Halifax for Cape Town, and then on to Durban, arriving December 5th. The Tropic would then undergo repairs, remaining at Durban until February 1942.

1942
On February 12th the Tropic Star departed Durban for Beira servicing east African ports until reaching Cape Town on March 7th. The next day the Tropic Star headed for Boston via Ascension (March 22nd) & Trinidad (April 10th), arriving Boston on April 25th.

Whilst on the trip to Boston, on April 22nd about 600 miles due east of Virginia Beach, VA the Tropic Star came across two lifeboats containing 23 survivors from the recently sunk steamship Pipestone County. It is reported U-576 was in the area and may have attempted an unsuccessful torpedo attack on the Tropic Star two days later.

For most of the remainder of 1942 the Tropic Star operated in the Caribbean and along the eastern seaboard of the Atlantic.

On December 24th the Tropic Star departed Halifax for Belfast Lough, arriving January 4th 1943.

In 1942 the managing firm of Alf Jakelln A/S was bought by Fearnley & Eger together with Skibs-A/S Varild and Skibs-A/S La Plata (later united in Skibs-A/S Varild).

1943
Including the eastbound Atlantic crossing which commenced on December 24th 1942, the Tropic Star would complete four roundtrip Atlantic crossings in 1943. On arrival other ports would then be visited before commencing the next Atlantic crossing.

As the year closed the Tropic Star had departed Milford Haven on December 28th for New York City in convoy ONS 26.

1944
After a month on the eastcoast the Tropic Star would make a return crossing of the Atlantic, New York - Liverpool - New York, reaching New York in mid-April.

From mid-April to the end of September the Tropic Star could be found in the Caribbean and along the eastern seaboard, either sailing in convoys or independently.

An Atlantic crossing commenced on October 4th from Halifax to Liverpool, arriving October 21st and departing Liverpool for New York on November 13th. Sailings in December were between eastern seaboard ports.

1945
On January 1st the Tropic Star sailed from Halifax for Milford Haven, on arrival on January 18th local sailings commenced including several to the Seine estuary.

The Tropic Star departed Belfast Lough on February 28th for New York, arriving March 18th. Then followed activity in the Carribean and eastern seaboard, including a trip to Rio De Janeiro arriving July 16th and Santos July 30th. Almost a month later on August 26th the Tropic Star departed Santos for New York, arriving September 20th.

Throughout the career of the Tropic Star during World War Two the ship appears to have spent long periods stopped in a variety of ports. Whether this was due to loading/unloading issues or problems related to the operation of the ship is unclear.

On October 27th the Tropic Star departed New York for Baltimore, leaving there on October 30th and reaching Oslo on November 16th 1945.

1947
In 1947 the Tropic Star was sold to rederi AB Atlanta Helsinki for about £225,000 and renamed Anja.

Broken up at Valencia in 1961.

Basic Details

Built: William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton. Yard No.1171
Tonnage: 5,057 tons gross, 3,073 net tons, 8,455 DWT
Length: 401 feet
Breadth: 52 feet
Draught: 25 feet
Propulsion: one Denny-Sulzer 6S60 producing 2,000bhp at 110rpm
Screws: 1

Resources:
National Library of Australia : Trove website of archived Australian Newspapers (trove.nla.gov.au).
Panama Canal Record (Isthmian Canal Commission).
Sulzer: List of Motorships.

Page added October 29th 2022.
Last updated October 30th 2022.

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