The SS Clan Allen was a cargo vessel with a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 7,043, built in 1942 by John Readhead & Sons Ltd in South Shields, County Durham, United Kingdom. Originally launched as Empire Forest, she measured approximately 430 feet 9 inches (131.29 meters) in length between perpendiculars and 446 feet 4 inches (136.04 meters) overall. Her beam was 56 feet 2 inches (17.12 meters), with a depth of 35 feet 2 inches (10.72 meters) and a draught of 26 feet 9 inches (8.15 meters). The vessel was powered by a triple expansion steam engine rated at 510 nhp, constructed by her builders, which drove a single screw propeller, enabling her to reach a speed of up to 11 knots. Constructed in 1942 and yard number 526, Empire Forest was completed in March of that year and registered under the UK Official Number 168653 with the code letters BDFF, with her port of registry at South Shields. She was operated under the management of Smith, Hogg & Co Ltd. Her service commenced with her maiden voyage on 22 March 1942, traveling through numerous convoy routes across the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and other strategic locations during World War II, carrying general cargo, stores, armoured fighting vehicles, cotton, explosives, and sardines. Her extensive wartime convoy participation included notable crossings from Europe to North America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, often in complex convoy formations. Post-war, she was sold in 1946 to Clan Line Steamers Ltd and renamed Clan Allan, with her home port moving to Glasgow. In 1958, she was sold to Bullard, King & Co Ltd and renamed Umtali, then reverted to Clan Allan in 1959 when reacquired by Clan Line. Later, in 1961, she was sold to Mullion & Co Ltd in Hong Kong and renamed Ardsirod. Her maritime career concluded when she was scrapped in 1966 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Throughout her service, SS Clan Allen exemplified the vital role of cargo ships in wartime logistics and post-war commercial trade, marking her as a significant vessel in mid-20th-century maritime history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.