Hokkai Maru (Japanese: 北海丸, meaning "North Sea") is the name of multiple ships operated by Japan, primarily during World War II. The name was borne by at least three distinct vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, as well as a modern tugboat.
1. Japanese Transport Ship Hokkai Maru (1933)
An 8,416 GRT Kinai Maru-class auxiliary transport of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
- Builder: Mitsubishi Zosen K.K., Nagasaki
- Laid down: 15 November 1931
- Launched: 3 September 1932
- Completed: 4 March 1933
- Original owner: Osaka Shosen K.K. (O.S.K. Lines), serving as a passenger-cargo liner on routes from Kobe to New York via the Panama Canal, and later to Europe.
- Requisitioned by IJN: 22 September 1941
- Dimensions: 138.7 m length, 18.5 m beam, 8,453 bhp, 18.5 knots
Service history:
- Participated in the Japanese invasion of British Borneo (Operation "B") in December 1941, carrying the No. 2 Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force. On 23 December 1941, she was heavily damaged by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XIV off Kuching and was grounded to avoid sinking.
- Removed from the Navy List on 15 February 1942, but later re-floated, repaired in Singapore (completed September 1943), and returned to transport duties.
- In August 1944, she was part of the ill-fated fast convoy HI-71, which was heavily attacked by American submarines, resulting in the loss of the escort carrier Taiyō and multiple transports.
- On 23 September 1944, she struck a mine 15 miles west of Sebuku Island and was beached. She was later re-floated and towed to Surabaya for repairs.
- In October 1945, she was seized by the Indonesian People's Revolutionary Front. On 12 November 1945, she was destroyed by fire.
2. Japanese Stores Ship Hokkai Maru (1934)
A 407 GRT auxiliary stores ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, originally built as a refrigerated deep-sea trawler.
- Builder: Mitsubishi Zosen K.K., Kobe
- Laid down: 12 September 1933
- Launched: 15 March 1934
- Completed: 15 May 1934
- Original owner: Nippon Suisan K.K. (fishing trawler)
- Dimensions: 45.6 m length, 7.4 m beam, 10 knots
Service history:
- Requisitioned by the IJN in October 1937, returned to owners, and re-requisitioned multiple times (1939, 1940).
- On 7 May 1942, she rescued 23 survivors from the auxiliary merchant cruiser Kinjosan Maru, which had been torpedoed and sunk by USS Greenling.
- On 22 November 1944, she was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Scabbardfish at coordinates 33°20′N 142°00′E.
- Struck from the Navy List on 10 January 1944.
3. Japanese Rescue Tug Hokkai Maru (1942)
A World War II-era rescue tug of the Imperial Japanese Navy. (Further detailed specifications are available in dedicated sources.)
4. Modern Tugboat Hokkai Maru
A currently active Japanese tugboat (IMO 8982668, MMSI 431101042, call sign JG5741) flagged in Japan, tracked via MarineTraffic.
References:
- Wikipedia: Japanese transport ship Hokkai Maru
- Wikipedia: Japanese stores ship Hokkai Maru (1934)
- Combinedfleet.com: Tabular Records of Movement
- MarineTraffic.com: HOKKAI MARU (IMO 8982668)
