The MV Pelikan was a German refrigerated cargo ship with a gross tonnage of 3,264 tons, constructed in 1934 by Bremer Vulkan Schiff- und Maschinenbau in Bremen. She was launched in that year and completed in January 1935, representing a significant example of refrigerated merchant vessels of her time. Owned initially by Afrikanische Frucht-Cie AG and managed by F Laeisz of Hamburg, Pelikan was designed for the transportation of perishable goods across long distances. In 1940, ownership of Pelikan was transferred to the German navy (Kriegsmarine), although Lloyd’s Register continued to list her as a merchant vessel, indicating her dual role during wartime. During the final stages of World War II, in May 1945, Pelikan was seized by the United Kingdom at Brunsbüttel and subsequently passed into the control of the Ministry of War Transport. She was renamed Empire Alde and managed initially by the Southern Railway, later by Kaye, Sons & Co. Following her wartime service, the vessel was sold in 1946 to Elders & Fyffes Ltd, at which point she reverted to her original name, Pelikan. A year later, in 1947, she was renamed Pacuare, continuing her commercial service until her decommissioning. Throughout her operational life, she was identified by the UK Official Number 181664 and used the code letters DJNP until 1945. Pelikan’s service concluded in 1959, when she was sent to Troon for scrapping, arriving there on 22 September 1959 or 1960. Her history reflects the complex wartime and postwar maritime operations involving German commercial vessels, including their seizure and repurposing by Allied nations. Her construction, ownership changes, and renaming history underscore her significance as a vessel that served both commercial and wartime roles during her 25-year lifespan.

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