The Shōkai Maru-class high-powered tugboat (照海丸型強力曳船,, Shōkai Maru-gata kyōryoku eisen) was a class of gunboat of the Imperial Japanese Army, serving during World War II. The IJA official designation was high-powered tugboat, however, they did not have any towing facilities. They were actually gunboat and escort ships. Many records were lost after the Surrender of Japan.

Class overview
NameShōkai Maru class
BuildersŌsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory
Operators
Preceded byWajima Maru class
Succeeded byHokkai Maru class
Built?–1939
In commission1938–1951
Planned2
Completed2
Lost?
Retired1 (?)
General characteristics
TypeHigh-powered tugboat (gunboat)
Displacement175 long tons (178 t) gross [1]
Length41.2 m (135 ft 2 in) o/a [2][3]
Beam6.0 m (19 ft 8 in) [2][3]
Draft2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) [2]
Propulsion2 × diesels, 700 bhp [1][3]
Speed14 knots (16 mph; 26 km/h) [1][3]
Armamentunknown [4]

Ships in class

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Shōkai Maru (照海丸)

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  • 20 April 1938; completed at Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory.
  • Hereafter, her record was not left to documents.

Eikai Maru (映海丸)

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Monthly Ships of the World (1996), p. 33
  2. ^ a b c JMSA (1979), p. 299
  3. ^ a b c d e f Tatsuo Furukawa (2001), p. 142
  4. ^ 1 × tank gun turret (forecastle deck) and 1 × LMG (top of bridge) were confirmed by Shōkai Maru photograph, other armaments were unknown.
  5. ^ Shinshichirō Komamiya (1987), p. 279
  6. ^ Shinshichirō Komamiya (1987), p. 297
  7. ^ a b Monthly Ships of the World (2003), p. 44

Bibliography

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  • Monthly Ships of the World, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan)
    • No. 506, February 1996
    • No. 613, Special issue "All ships of Japan Coast Guard 1948–2003", July 2003
  • Shinshichirō Komamiya, The Wartime Convoy Histories, "Shuppan Kyōdōsha". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-12-15. (Japan), October 1987
  • Tatsuo Furukawa, Wake of train ferry 100-year (2nd issue), "Seizando-Shoten". Archived from the original on 2009-04-17. (Japan), June 2001, ISBN 4-425-92141-0
  • 100 year History of Hitachi Zōsen, Hitachi Zōsen Corporation, March 1985
  • Policy and Legal Affairs Division-Japan Maritime Safety Agency (JMSA), 30 year History of Japan Maritime Safety Agency, Japan Maritime Safety Agency, May 1979