The SS Nichiryu Maru was a cargo ship with a gross register tonnage of 5,447 tons, built by the Asano Ship Building Company in Tsurumi in 1919. Originally named Rozan Maru, she was the third vessel of the Yoshida Maru No 1-class, a series of 25 standard cargo ships constructed by Asano Shipyard between 1918 and 1919. The ship's design aligned with the Type B classification of the period. In April 1929, the vessel was acquired by Karafuto Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha and was renamed Karafuto Maru two years later in 1931. Subsequently, on 22 November 1937, it was acquired by Nissan Kissen Kabushiki Kaisha and received the name Nichiryu Maru. The ship served as a commercial cargo vessel until the outbreak of World War II, when she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army for wartime service. During the war, the Nichiryu Maru played a role in transporting troops and supplies. On 6 January 1943, while convoying, she was hit by bombs from a Royal Australian Air Force PBY Catalina aircraft. The attack resulted in the sinking of the vessel at coordinates 06°30'S, 149°00'E. At the time, the ship was carrying two companies of the 3rd Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment, along with medical supplies intended for the garrison at Lae. Despite the loss of the ship, rescue efforts by destroyers saved 739 of the 1,100 troops on board. However, 361 soldiers perished along with all of the medical supplies from Okabe's unit. The SS Nichiryu Maru's history reflects the broader maritime and wartime significance of Japanese cargo ships during World War II, serving both commercial and military purposes until her sinking in 1943.

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