Clan Forbes was the name of a series of four ships (three steam ships and one motorized vessel) that were built or purchased by Clan Line Steamers Ltd from 1882 to 1985.
The Clan Line was founded as C. W. Cayzer & Company in Liverpool in 1877 by Charles Cayzer to operate passenger routes between Britain and Bombay, India, Captain William Irvine joined the company in 1878 and it was renamed Cayzer, Irvine & Company. In 1881, the company further expanded and was renamed the Clan Line Association of Steamers, basedin Glasgow, Scotland. By the 1930s, the company became the largest cargo shipping operation in the world.
The British government used or requisitioned a large number of the ships during the first and second world wars and became known as the “Scots Navy.” The overwhelming majority of the ships used the prefix “Clan” and they all flew the company red flag, with a rampant lion in the middle of a white diamond.
SS Clan Forbes (1882)
The first “Clan Forbes” was an iron screw steamship (S.S.) built in 1882 by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. The ship was 325 feet long and 38 feet wide with a total internal volume (measured by gross register tonnage or GRT) 2,441. In 1890, she put in for repairs in the Glasgow shipyard for an overhaul and the engineers determined that “the vessel’s machinery is in good and efficient working condition.” She was upgraded from a two-cylinder model to a 3-cylindar in 1892. In 1902, the ship was sold to Furness, Withy & Company Ltd. of London and reamed the S.S. London City. The ship was demolished in 1922.
SS Clan Forbes (1903)
The second was a steamship built in 1903 with a triple expansion engine single shaft screw with a speed of up to 11 knots and carried 3,946 GRT. While on hire from the British government to carry coal to Port Said, Egypt, the ship was sunk by a torpedo from the German submarine UB-105 (Wilhelm Marschall), 115 nautical miles from Alexandria, Egypt.
SS Clan Forbes (1938)
The third SS Clan Forbes was a British Cameron-class cargo steamship built in 1938 by the Greenock Dockyard Company on the River Clyde at Greenock in Renfrewshire for Clan Line Steamers Ltd. The SS Clan Forbes had 20 corrugated furnaces for heating five single-ended forced draught boilers that supplied superheated steam to a pair of three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines. On August 16, 1940, SS Clan Forbes was damaged by bombs in a Luftwaffe air raid while berthed at Port of Tilbury.
In November 1940, she was one of the three merchant ships that took part in Operation Collar, a convoy to supply Malta and Alexandria. She was accompanied by SS New Zealand Star and SS Clan Fraser. The convoy escort was commanded by Vice Admiral Lancelot Holland included the destroyer HMS Hotspur and the corvettes HMS Peony, Salvia, Gloxinia and Hyacinth. Italian forces attempted to intercept the ships which resulted in the Battle of Cape Spartivento. The SS Clan Forbes and SS Clan Fraser were able to continue to Malta. After the war, the ship continued in Clan Line service until 1959 until sold for scrap in 1959. MS Clan Forbes (1961)
The fourth was a motor ship (MS) built in 1961 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd at the Wallsend West Yard near Newcastle on Tyne. She was powered by a Sulzer type 6-cyliandar oil engine capable of 16 knots and had a capacity of 9,292 GRT. She was sold first to the King Line Ltd (Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd) of London; then to the Arya National Shipping Lines SA of Tehran when she was renamed the Arya Man; and finally to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines of Tehran and renamed Iran Hemmat. She was dismantled in 1985.
Ships of the Clan Line
Ship – Year Built, Gross Register Tonnage (total internal volume)
SS Argyllshire - 1956, 9,299)
SS Ayrshire - 1956, 9,360
SS Clan Allen - 1942 - 7,043)
SS Clan Alpine - 1878, 2,112
SS Clan Alpine – 1899, 3,587
SS Clan Alpine – 1918, 5,485
SS Clan Alpine – 1942,
MV Clan Alpine – 1967, 8,713
SS Clan Angus – 1942, 7,030
SS Clan Brodie – 1940, 7,473
SS Clan Buchanan – 1882, 2,968
SS Clan Buchanan – 1907, 5,212
SS Clan Buchanan – 1937, 7,266
SS Clan Buchanan – 1941, 9,909
SS Clan Cameron – 1882, 2,448
SS Clan Cameron – 1900, 3,595
SS Clan Cameron – 1937, 7,243
SS Clan Campbell – 1882, 2,434
SS Clan Campbell – 1894, 2,615
SS Clan Campbell – 1914, 5,988
SS Clan Campbell – 1937, 7,255
SS Clan Campbell – 1943, 9,545
SS Clan Chattan – 1902, 3,938
SS Clan Chattan – 1937, 7,262
SS Clan Chattan - 1943, 9,585
SS Clan Chisholm – 1896, 2,647
SS Clan Chisholm – 1937, 7,256
SS Clan Chisholm – 1944, 9,581
SS Clan Colquhoun – 1899, 5,856
SS Clan Colquhoun – 1918, 7,912
SS Clan Cumming – 1899, 4,808
SS Clan Cumming – 1937, 7,264
SS Clan Cumming – 1946, 7,812
SS Clan Davidson – 1911, 5,058
SS Clan Davidson – 1943, 8,067
SS Clan Drummond – 1882, 2,922
SS Clan Farquhar – 1899, 5,858
SS Clan Farquhar – 1918, 8,006
MV Clan Farquharson – 1962, 9,292
SS Clan Ferguson – 1898, 4,808
SS Clan Ferguson – 1938, 7,347
MV Clan Fergusson – 1961, 9,242
MV Clan Finlay – 1962, 9,292
SS Clan Forbes – 1882, 2,461
SS Clan Forbes – 1903, 3,946
SS Clan Forbes – 1938, 7,529
MV Clan Forbes 1961 – 9,292
SS Clan Fraser – 1878, 2,092
SS Clan Fraser – 1900, 3,588
SS Clan Fraser – 1938, 7,529
MV Clan Fraser 1961 – 9,292, 1965
SS Clan Gordon – 1879, 2,091
SS Clan Gordon – 1900, 3,589
SS Clan Graham – 1882, 2,926
SS Clan Graham – 1907, 5,213
SS Clan Graham – 1912, 5,785
MV Clan Graham – 1962, 9,308
SS Clan Grant – 1883, 3,580
SS Clan Grant – 1902, 3,948
SS Clan Grant – 1912, 5,817
MV Clan Grant – 1962, 9,322
SS Clan Keith – 1914, 4,306
SS Clan Keith – 1942, 7,129
SS Clan Kennedy – 1907, 5,086
SS Clan Kennedy – 1942, 7,143
SS Clan Kenneth – 1909, 5,100
SS Clan Kenneth – 1942, 7,132
SS Clan Lamont – 1879, 2,091
SS Clan Lamont – 1900, 3,594
SS Clan Lamont – 1939, 7,673
SS Clan Leslie – 1902, 3,973
SS Clan Lindsay – 1896, 2,668
SS Clan Lindsay – 1902, 3,935
SS Clan Macalister – 1891, 2,265
SS Clan Macalister – 1903, 4,835
SS Clan Macalister – 1930, 6,787
SS Clan Macarthur – 1883, 3,984
SS Clan Macarthur – 1912, 7,382
SS Clan Macarthur – 1936, 10,528
SS Clan Macaulay – 1899, 2,834
SS Clan Macaulay – 1936, 10,492
SS Clan MacBean – 1917, 5,052
SS Clan MacBean – 1942, 7,129
SS Clan MacBeolan – 1912, 4,652
SS Clan Macbeth – 1913, 4,650
SS Clan Macbeth – 1942, 7,130
SS Clan Macbrayne – 1916, 4,818
SS Clan Macbrayne – 1942, 7,129
SS Clan Macbride – 1912, 4,886
SS Clan Macbride – 1942, 7,128
SS Clan Maccorquodale – 1913, 5,121
SS Clan Macdonald – 1882, 2,642
SS Clan Macdonald – 1897, 4,839
MV Clan Macdonald – 1928, 6,022
MV Clan Macdonald – 1939, 9,653
SS Clan MacDougall – 1904, 4,710
MV Clan MacDougall – 1929, 6,843
MV Clan MacDougall – 1943, 9,710
SS Clan Macduff – 1870, 2,319
SS Clan Macewen – 1912, 5,140
SS Clan Macfadyen – 1899, 2,816
SS Clan Macfadyen – 1923, 6,224
SS Clan Macfadyen – 1944
SS Clan Macfarlane – 1898, 4,823
SS Clan Macfarlane – 1922, 6,222
SS Clan Macfarlane – 1943, 7,176
SS Clan Macgillivray – 1911, 5,023
MV Clan Macgillivray – 1962, 9,039
MV Clan MacGowan – 1962, 9,039
SS Clan MacGregor – 1882, 3,003
SS Clan Macgregor – 1901, 4,511
MV Clan MacGregor – 1962, 9,039
SS Clan Macilwraith – 1924, 4,958
MV Clan Macilwraith – 1960, 7,419
SS Clan Macindoe – 1920, 4,635
MV Clan Macindoe – 1959, 7,395
SS Clan Macinnes – 1907, 3,755
SS Clan MacInnes – 1920, 4,672
MV Clan MacInnes – 1952, 6,559
SS Clan Macintosh – 1883, 4,053
SS Clan Macintosh – 1905, 4,774
MV Clan Macintosh – 1951, 6,556
SS Clan Macintyre – 1891, 2,515
SS Clan Macintyre – 1903, 4,807
MV Clan Macintyre – 1951, 6,556
SS Clan Maciver 1907 – 3,760
SS Clan Maciver 1921 – 4,606, 1951
MV Clan Maciver – 1958, 7,413
SS Clan Mackay – 1882, 2,171
SS Clan Mackay – 1894, 2,600
SS Clan Mackay – 1916, 5,040
SS Clan Mackay – 1913, 5,182
SS Clan Mackay – 1945, 7,389
SS Clan Mackellar – 1912, 6,382
SS Clan Mackellar – 1944, 7,051
SS Clan Mackendrick – 1943
SS Clan Mackenzie – 1882, 2,987
SS Clan Mackenzie – 1911, 5,018
SS Clan Mackenzie – 1917, 6,544
SS Clan Mackenzie – 1942, 7,025
SS Clan Mackinlay – 1918, 6,418
SS Clan Mackinlay – 1945, 7,392
SS Clan Mackinnon – 1891, 2,268
SS Clan Mackinnon – 1902, 4,788
SS Clan Mackinnon – 1945, 7,373
SS Clan Maclachlan – 1900, 4,729
SS Clan Maclachlan – 1946, 6,365
SS Clan Maclaren – 1899, 2,832
SS Clan Maclaren – 1946, 6,389
SS Clan Maclay – 1948, 6,389
SS Clan Maclean – 1870, 2,329
SS Clan Maclean – 1905, 4,676
MV Clan Maclean – 1947, 6,017
SS Clan Maclennan – 1947, 6,366
SS Clan Macleod – 1871, 2,290
SS Clan Macleod – 1891, 2,507
SS Clan Macleod – 1903, 4,796
MV Clan Macleod – 1948, 6,073
SS Clan Macmaster – 1917, 6,563
SS Clan Macmillan – 1901, 4,525
SS Clan Macmillan – 1918, 6,608
SS Clan Macnab – 1891, 2,266
SS Clan Macnab – 1904, 4,675
SS Clan Macnab – 1920, 6,114
MV Clan Macnab – 1961, 9,428
SS Clan Macnair – 1921, 6,094
MV Clan Macnair – 1962, 9,401
SS Clan Macnaughton – 1911, 4,985
SS Clan Macnaughton – 1921, 6,110
SS Clan Macneil – 1891, 2,421
SS Clan Macneil – 1903, 3,939
SS Clan Macneil – 1921, 6,111
SS Clan Macphee – 1911, 5,177
SS Clan Macpherson – 1883, 3,989
SS Clan Macpherson – 1905, 4,779
SS Clan Macpherson – 1929, 6,940
SS Clan Macquarrie – 1913, 5,060
SS Clan Macquarrie – 1942, 7,131
SS Clan Macqueen – 1942, 7,131
SS Clan Macrae – 1892, 2,510
SS Clan Macrae – 1911, 5,058
SS Clan Macrae – 1942, 9,209
SS Clan Mactaggart – 1920, 7,603
SS Clan Mactaggart – 1949, 8,035
SS Clan Mactavish – 1912, 5,816
SS Clan Mactavish – 1920, 7,619
SS Clan MacTavish – 1949, 8,035
SS Clan Macvey – 1918, 5,830
SS Clan MacVicar – 1918, 5,815
SS Clan Macwhirter – 1918, 7,062
SS Clan Macwilliam – 1918, 7,234
SS Clan Malcolm – 1916, 5,994
MV Clan Malcolm – 1957, 7,686
SS Clan Matheson – 1883, 3,917
SS Clan Matheson – 1905, 4,775
SS Clan Matheson – 1917, 5,960
SS Clan Matheson – 1919, 5,613
MV Clan Matheson – 1957, 7,585
SS Clan Menzies – 1896, 2,669
SS Clan Menzies – 1938, 7,556
MV Clan Menzies – 1958, 8,000
SS Clan Monroe – 1881, 2,197
SS Clan Monroe – 1897, 4,853
SS Clan Monroe – 1918, 5,919
SS Clan Morrison – 1918, 5,931
SS Clan Murdoch – 1919, 5,930
SS Clan Murdoch – 1946, 7,375
SS Clan Murray – 1881, 2,108
SS Clan Murray – 1897, 4,835
SS Clan Murray – 1918, 5,926
SS Clan Murray 1946 – 7,301
SS Clan Ogilvie – 1882, 2,425
SS Clan Ogilvy – 1896, 2,641
SS Clan Ogilvy – 1914, 5,802
MV Clan Ramsay – 1965, 10,542
SS Clan Ranald – 1878, 2,048
SS Clan Ranald – 1900, 3,596
SS Clan Ranald – 1917, 5,503
MV Clan Ranald – 1964, 10,541
SS Clan Robertson – 1897, 4,826
SS Clan Robertson – 1919, 7,976
SS Clan Robertson – 1954, 7,878
MV Clan Robertson – 1965, 10,541
SS Clan Ross – 1894, 2,604
SS Clan Ross – 1914, 5,897
SS Clan Ross – 1956, 7,698
MV Clan Ross – 1966, 10,542
SS Clan Shaw – 1896, 3,442
SS Clan Shaw – 1902, 3,943
SS Clan Shaw – 1950, 8,101
SS Clan Sinclair – 1882, 2,961
SS Clan Sinclair – 1907, 5,215
SS Clan Sinclair – 1950, 8,386
SS Clan Skene – 1918, 5,257
SS Clan Stewart – 1954, 8,163
SS Clan Stuart – 1879, 2,115
SS Clan Stuart – 1900, 3,594
SS Clan Stuart – 1916, 5,755
SS Clan Sutherland – 1896, 2,820
SS Clan Sutherland – 1950, 8,436
SS Clan Urquhart – 1899, 5,855
SS Clan Urquhart – 1911, 9,564
SS Clan Urquhart – 1943, 9,726
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