RFA Empire Zona

Previous name:
Subsequent name:                 Resolve,  Georgios L Matsas

Official Number:                      169464

Class:                                        Miscellaneous Harbour Tug - IMPROVED STELLA Class

Pennant No:                             A309

Laid down:
Builder:                                      Fleming & Ferguson at Paisley
Launched:                                26 October 1945
Into Service:                              February 1946
Out of service:                          1974 Sold Commercially

Fate:                                           Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   There were a number of vessels which fell into the category of Miscellaneous Harbour Tugs which all belonged to different Classes and which were based at various Naval Bases for general duties

26 October 1945 Launched by Fleming & Ferguson Ltd, Paisley as Yard Nr 730 named EMPIRE ZONA for the MoWT

20 February 1946 completed and placed under management of Steel & Rennie Ltd, Glasgow 

March 1946 managers became Overseas Towage & salvage Co Ltd, London name unchanged

9 April 1949 Captain R Maclean appointed as Master

13 May 1949 transferred to the Director of Boom Defence, civilian manned under RFA conditions

15 February 1950 Mr G W Clark appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

3 March 1950 Mr A King appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

30 December 1957 transferred to Chatham to relieve EGERTON under PAS manning

25 June 1958 Renamed by Admiralty - Resolve

1964 owners became the Secretary of State for Defence

21 November 1969 transferred to Rosyth for a trial period as Basin Tug there

21 January 1971 towed from Rosyth to Chatham

October 1973 on the Disposal List at Chatham

25 January 1974 sold to Loucas Matsas, Piraeus 

29 June 1974 sailed Chatham in tow of tug ATLAS for Greece. Subsequently renamed  GEORGIOS  L. MATSAS

1987 owners restyled as Loucas Matsas & Sons Shipping Co Ltd, Piraeus

1988 broken up Greece