SS Donetz

The SS Donetz was a German cargo steamship built in 1906 by Joh. C. Tecklenborg in Geestemünde, Germany. She was owned by the Deutsch-Australische Dampfschiffs-Gesellschaft (German-Australian Steamship Company), commonly known as the Dampfschiffs-Gesellschaft "Kosmos," based in Hamburg. The Donetz primarily operated on trade routes between Germany and Australia, transporting cargo such as wool, metals, and general goods.

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Donetz, like many German merchant vessels, sought refuge in a neutral port to avoid capture by Allied warships. She ultimately sought shelter in Talcahuano, Chile. She remained interned in Chile throughout the war.

Following the end of World War I, the Donetz was seized by Chile as part of war reparations imposed on Germany. She was then transferred to France in 1920 as part of their share of reparations. The ship was renamed Mers el Kebir and placed under the management of the Compagnie des Chargeurs Réunis, a French shipping company. Under French ownership, she continued to operate as a cargo vessel until she was eventually scrapped in 1933.