Canadian Pacific SteamshipsGreyhound of the Pacific
Empress of Asia
Exciting News and an Open Invitation for Empress of Asia Visitors. The host of this website, along with a fellow Canadian researcher have embarked on an exciting new research effort to learn even more about the Empress of Asia, her crew, and passengers. Whether you are a first-time or longtime regular visitor to this website, we invite you to share any information you may have about the ship or people who sailed on her.
Historical Overview
The Empress of Asia, built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering at Govan Scotland, was launched in 1912 and completed during May of 1913. The EMPRESS OF ASIA was owned by Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd., and with the exception of assignments during both World Wars she spent her entire commercial life transporting cargo and passengers from the Orient to British Columbia, Canada.
During World War I the EMPRESS OF ASIA became an auxiliary cruiser and was deployed in Asia and the Middle East and later served as a troop carrier on the Atlantic.
Lost off Singapore, 1942
During World War II, the ship was converted to a troop carrier in January of 1941 and left Vancouver the following month for Liverpool. The EMPRESS OF ASIA carried troops from Halifax to Liverpool, supported the Allied campaign in North Africa through a visit to the Red Sea. The final voyage of the Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd. ship EMPRESS OF ASIA began on November 1941, when the ship sailed from Liverpool carrying troops and supplies and bound for Africa, Bombay and Singapore. While in the South Atlantic World War Two expanded to include Japan. On February 5th, 1942 while in convoy approaching Singapore the EMPRESS OF ASIA was lost by enemy action. Most of the Deck Crew and Engine Crew managed to escape the surrender of Singapore and were repatriated. Most of the Catering Crew served at the Singapore General Hospital after the loss of the EMPRESS OF ASIA and were interned as Prisoners of War.
Oceans of Fate
Peace and Peril Aboard the Steamship Empress of Asia
The remarkable story of how one ship, doomed by war, intersected lives and crossed into history.
Completed in 1913 for Canadian Pacific, the Empress of Asia plied the oceans for nearly thirty years. Built for peacetime travel, she saw wartime service as an armed merchant cruiser and troopship before Japanese dive bombers destroyed her off Singapore in 1942. As a luxurious passenger liner, she was the “Greyhound of the Pacific,” encountering enormous storms and smashing transpacific speed records.
Oceans of Fate is released and available at libraries and bookstores everywhere.
Empress of Asia Specifications
- Built by
- Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan, Scotland
- Completed
- May 1913
- Official number
- ON135226
- Port of registry
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Overall length
- 592 feet
- Width
- 68.2 feet
- Gross tonnage
- 16,909 tons
- Net tonnage
- 8,883 tons
- Service speed
- 19 knots
- Lost
- Sultan Shoal, February 5th 1942, by enemy action
Books and Flags
Harry Livingstone’s Forgotten Men
Dan Black’s book on Canadians and the Chinese Labour Corps shows how the Empress of Asia and her sister ship Empress of Russia were desperately needed to carry Chinese labour across the Pacific to the Western Front. More than 82,000 Chinese reached the Western Front this way.
Canadian Pacific Steamships flag
The house flag of Canadian Pacific Steamships, one of the two flags the Empress of Asia flew.
The Canadian “Red Ensign”
The Canadian “Red Ensign”, the other flag the Empress of Asia flew.
Sailings and Notables
Browse the arrivals and departures of the Empress of Asia year by year, with passenger information and notable voyages.
Contact Us
Anyone with historical accounts or information on the EMPRESS OF ASIA, please email us.
empressofasiaresearch@gmail.com
- Thank you for visiting! This page is sponsored by the Empress of Asia Research Group (E.A.R.G.).
- Nelson Oliver - Host
- Lisa Oliver - Researcher
- Graham McLean - Archival Researcher