The SS Beljeanne was a substantial heavy-lift vessel constructed in 1946 by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, designated as yard number 95. She measured approximately 469 feet 10 inches (143.21 meters) in length, with a beam of 66 feet 1 inch (20.14 meters) and a depth of 26 feet 1 inch (7.95 meters). Her gross register tonnage was 7,843 GRT, complemented by a net tonnage of 4,472 NRT and a deadweight tonnage of 10,330 DWT, reflecting her capacity for heavy cargo loads. Initially launched on 14 August 1946 as Empire Ethelbert for the Ministry of Transport, her port of registry was Newcastle-upon-Tyne, although her designated port was Barrow-in-Furness. The vessel was equipped with two steam turbines manufactured by Metropolitan-Vickers, rated at 6,800 nhp, which enabled her to reach a cruising speed of 15 knots. She was powered by a steam turbine propulsion system, typical of post-war heavy-lift ships designed for robust cargo operations. In January 1947, she was completed and was renamed Beljeanne for the Norwegian company Belships Co Ltd, based in Oslo, with her management handled by Christen Smith & Co. Her call sign was LMCX, and she served primarily in heavy-lift and cargo roles under Norwegian management. Throughout her service life, the vessel underwent several ownership and name changes. In 1964, she was sold to Bacong Shipping Co SA of Panama City and renamed Southern Cross, later becoming Southern Hope in 1966, and finally Virginia Second in 1968 after being mortgaged to a Filipino bank. Managed by M M Shipping Lines Inc in Manila, she continued operations until 1969, when she was finally sent for scrapping in Japan, arriving in Aioi for dismantling. Her operational history reflects her significance as a versatile heavy-lift ship during her era, serving various commercial interests before her retirement.

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