Kawasaki-type oiler
The Kawasaki-type oiler was a type of oiler of Japan, serving during the 1930s and World War II. They do not have an official class name. Therefore, this article uses common class names. And, this type has some variants. This article handles them collectively.
Background
- The London Naval Treaty forced shrinkage of a budget to the Imperial Japanese Navy. And it meant cooling of the Japanese shipbuilding industry worlds. The Great Depression more accelerated it. The IJN wanted to update their Notoro-class oilers and Ondo-class oilers, because these oilers were not able to chase the aircraft carrier.
- In 1929, the IJN decided their combat ship fuel only to heavy crude oil. And, the IJN was paid a grant to newly build large/high-speed tankers.
- In 1931, two marine transportation companies built the tankers which the IJN wanted. One was the 9,900 tons/17.5 knot Teiyō Maru, the other the 9,500 tons/18.8 knots Fujisan Maru.
- The IJN was satisfied by Fujisan Maru. The IJN recommended building of the improved Fujisan Maru class tanker.
Construction
- In 1932, the Iino Kaiun Kaisha ordered two tankers Tōa Maru and Kyokutō Maru to the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation. In total 17 tankers were built with the same basic drawings, until 1943.
- All sisters participated to World War II. However, they were not able to survive at all.
Ships in classes
''Tōa Maru'' class
- First production model of the Kawasaki-type tankers. Their success gave courage to other steamship companies.
| Subsidy # | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Owner |
| 13 | Tōa Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 24 April 1933 | 2 April 1934 | 23 June 1934 | Iino Lines |
| 18 | Ōyashima Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 25 November 1933 | 11 October 1934 | 15 December 1934 | Iino Lines |
''Tatekawa Maru'' class
- Second production model. They were built by the same as Tōa Maru class drawings. However, their details were different by steamship company which they placed an order for. Narrow sense of the Kawasaki-type tanker was until the Kyūei Maru. Kyūei Maru was equipped surplus stocks of the Argentina Maru machinery.
| Subsidy # | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Owner |
| Tatekawa Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 20 October 1934 | 20 April 1935 | 30 June 1935 | Kawasaki Line | |
| Nippon Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 18 October 1935 | 24 April 1936 | 30 June 1936 | Yamashita Line | |
| Japanese oiler Tōhō Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 1 May 1936 | 31 October 1936 | 24 December 1936 | Iino Lines | |
| 101 | Itsukushima Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 21 April 1937 | 4 September 1937 | 20 December 1937 | Nippon Suisan |
| 102 | Gen'yō Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 12 June 1937 | 30 December 1937 | 28 April 1938 | Asano Bussan |
| 104 | Nichiei Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 4 September 1937 | 15 April 1938 | 30 June 1938 | Nittō Mining |
| Tōei Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 15 April 1938 | 24 October 1938 | 21 February 1939 | Nittō Mining | |
| 106 | Kokuyō Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 17 June 1938 | 26 December 1938 | 16 May 1939 | Kokuyō Line |
| Ken'yō Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 29 June 1938 | 6 April 1939 | 28 October 1939 | Kokuyō Line | |
| 107 | Japanese oiler Shinkoku Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 25 October 1938 | 13 December 1939 | 28 February 1940 | Kōbe Pier |
| ''Kyūei Maru | Kawasaki, Kōbe Shipyard | 20 November 1942 | 3 June 1943 | 6 September 1943 | Nittō Mining |
''Nisshō Maru'' class
- One of the variant of the Kawasaki-type tankers. The Mitsubishi used many curves to reduce her air friction strength.
| Subsidy # | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Owner |
| 103 | ''Nisshō Maru | Misubishi, Yokohama Shipyard | 10 August 1937 | 13 June 1938 | 29 November 1938 | Shōwa Shipping |
''Kuroshio Maru'' class
- One of the variant of the Kawasaki-type tankers. Kuroshio Maru was equipped with a La-Mont boiler. Her design was used for the Type 1TL wartime standard ship.
| Subsidy # | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Owner |
| 105 | ''SS Kuroshio Maru | Harima Zōsen, Aioi Factory | 21 January 1938 | 8 December 1938 | 28 February 1939 | Chūgai Line |
''Akatsuki Maru'' class
- One of the variant of the Kawasaki-type tankers. The Harima Zōsen used the Sulzer diesel.
| Subsidy # | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Owner |
| 108 | Akatsuki Maru | Harima Zōsen, Aioi Factory | 21 June 1937 | 20 August 1938 | 31 October 1938 | Japan Line |
| Akebono Maru | Harima Zōsen, Aioi Factory | 25 January 1938 | 10 June 1939 | 15 August 1939 | Japan Line |