Muroto-class collier

The Muroto-class colliers (室戸型給炭艦,, Muroto-gata Kyūtankan) were a class of collier of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving from roughly the end of World War I into World War II. Two vessels were built in 1918-19 under the Eight-four fleet plan.

Muroto in 1932
Class overview
Name	Muroto-class collier
Builders	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Operators	Imperial Japanese Navy
Built	1918 – 1919
In commission	1918 – 1944
Planned	2
Completed	2
Lost	2
General characteristics
Type	Collier
Displacement	8,215 long tons (8,347 t) standard 8,750 long tons (8,890 t) standing
Length	105.16 m (345 ft 0 in) Lpp
Beam	15.24 m (50 ft 0 in)
Draught	7.06 m (23 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	1 × three expansion stages reciprocating engine 2 × scotch boilers single shaft, 2,500 shp 1930 3 × Miyahara model water tube boilers
Speed	12.5 knots (14.4 mph; 23.2 km/h) 1930 14.0 knots (16.1 mph; 25.9 km/h)
Capacity	6,000 tons coal
Complement	124
Armament	1918 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 naval guns 1932 2 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA guns

Background

• In 1917, World War I was stagnant. The lengthy war led to an increase in shipping and a shortage of merchant ships.
• The IJN utilized steamship companies to perform coal transportation duties. However, this expedient was very costly. The IJN decided to build new colliers under the Eight-four fleet plan.
• Their design was ordinary, because the IJN did not impose any special requirements on them.

Service

• In the 1920s, they engaged in coal transportation duties.
• In February 1932, the Muroto was remodeled, becoming an auxiliary hospital ship. She was refitted as a supply ship in 1941.
• In World War II, the value of coal as fuel fell. The ships engaged in transporting goods and troops.

Ships in class

Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Muroto (室戸)	Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard	4 July 1918	23 October 1918	7 December 1918	Sunk by USS Sea Dog north of Amami Ōshima 29°10′N 129°44′E on 22 October 1944.
Noshima (野島)	Mitsubishi, Kōbe Shipyard	16 July 1918	3 February 1919	31 March 1919	Sunk during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea on 3 March 1943.

Bibliography

• Monthly Ships of the World, Special issue Vol. 47, "Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy", "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), March 1997
• The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No. 34, "Japanese Auxiliary vessels", "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), December 1979
• Series 100 year histories from Meiji Era, Vol. 180, Histories of Naval organizations #8, Author: Ministry of the Navy, original plot in January 1940, reprinted in October 1971
• IJN Nojima: Tabular Record of Movement, <http://www.combinedfleet.com/NojimaS_t.htm>
• IJN Muroto: Tabular Record of Movement, <http://www.combinedfleet.com/Muroto_t.htm>

Noshima in 1935