ZATSUYOSEN!

HOKUYO MARU Class Auxiliary Transports

(HOKUYO MARU prewar)

This class consists of HOKUYO and HOKUSHO MARUs respectively completed in Jun ‘36 and Jun ’37 for Kita Nihon Kisen K.K. HOKUYO MARU was first requisitioned by the IJA, later by the IJN (as a general requisitioned transport) and was bombed and sunk at Truk during Operation “Hailstone” in Feb ’44. HOKUSHO MARU was requisitioned by the IJN in Oct ’41 and converted to an auxiliary transport. She was torpedoed and sunk off Nauru Island in Sep ’43.

Builder and Year Completed: Uraga. Uraga Dock K.K. shipyard, 1936-1937
Gross tonnage: 4,217-4,211-tons
Dimensions: 359.3' Lpp x 49.2' x 28.9'
Propulsion: One compound reciprocating triple expansion engine geared to a turbine, 1 shaft, 1,900 n.h.p.
Speed: 14 cruising, 16.5 max.
Armament: Unknown.