The SS Azov was a cargo ship with a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 1,953, built in 1944 by Deutsche Werft in Hamburg, Germany. Originally named Deike Rickmers, she was constructed for Rickmers Line and measured approximately 281 feet 8 inches (85.85 meters) in length, with a beam of 44 feet 4 inches (13.51 meters) and a depth of 15 feet 9 inches (4.80 meters). The vessel featured a four-cylinder compound steam engine, built by Waggon und Maschinenbau in Görlitz, which consisted of two cylinders with a diameter of 16 9/16 inches (42.1 cm) and two cylinders of 35 7/16 inches (90.0 cm) diameter, each with a stroke of 35 7/16 inches (90.0 cm). This engine powered her propulsion, enabling her to undertake her various voyages. In May 1945, amid the closing days of World War II, Deike Rickmers was seized by the Allies at Kiel and transferred to the UK's Ministry of War Transport, receiving the name Empire Concord. She was managed by Dillwyn Steamship Co Ltd., registered in London, and allocated the code letters GFQB along with the official number 180720. Her service under the British flag included operating as a cargo vessel until 1946, when she was transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Azov. As Azov, the vessel continued her service for nearly three decades until 1973. Notably, following the Chinese Civil War, she became the first foreign ship to navigate up the Pearl River to Canton in 1950, marking a significant milestone in maritime history. In 1958, during repairs at Dalnyi, she was reconstructed to operate on liquid fuel and was converted into a cargo-passenger vessel under project "Dalsudoremstroy." Azov was assigned the IMO number 5032254 and remained in service until she was scrapped in 1973 at Kure, Japan. Her long operational history reflects her adaptability and importance within mid-20th-century maritime commerce, especially as a vessel that transitioned through different national flags and roles.

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