The Kawasaki-type oiler (川崎型油槽船,, Kawasaki-gata Yusōsen) was a type of oiler from Japan, serving during the 1930s and World War II. They do not have an official class name.[1] Therefore, this article uses common class names. And, this type has some variants. This article handles them collectively.
Background
Iino Lines Fujisan Maru
The London Naval Treaty forced shrinkage of a budget to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). And it meant the cooling of the Japanese shipbuilding industry worlds. The Great Depression accelerated it more. 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 (battleship, aircraft carrier, cruiser, destroyer, submarine and torpedo boat) 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 (飯野海運,, Iino Lines) 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
This is the first production model of the Kawasaki-type tankers. Their success gave courage to other steamship companies.
Tatekawa Maru class
The second production model. They were built according to the same Tōa Maru class drawings. However, their details were different by the steamship company which they placed an order with (example: Nippon Maru removed one dry cargo hold). Narrow sense of the Kawasaki-type tanker was until the Kyūei Maru. Kyūei Maru was equipped for surplus stocks of the Argentina Maru machinery.
Nisshō Maru class
One of the variants of the Kawasaki-type tankers. Mitsubishi used many curves to reduce her air friction strength.
Kuroshio Maru class
One of the variants 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.
Akatsuki Maru class
One of the variants of the Kawasaki-type tankers. The Harima Zōsen used the Sulzer diesel.
Service
Characteristics
Photos
Iino Lines Tōa Maru
Iino Lines Kyokutō Maru
Iino Lines Tōhō Maru
Tōei Maru in February 1941
Shinkoku Maru in September 1941
Nippon Maru in June 1943
Kyokutō Maru and carrier Hiryū in May or June 1942
Kokuyō Maru and cruiser Tone on 17 June 1944
Footnotes
^Iino Lines called Tōa Maru class, Kawasaki Line called Tatekawa Maru class, Nittō Mining called Nichiei Maru class, and more...
^Kyokutō Maru renamed Kanji name 極東丸 to 旭東丸 on 5 July 1938.
^In the IJN official document, Ōyashima Maru appears once. However, their later official document used Kyokutō Maru.
^Akatsuki Maru was not registered to naval ship list.
^ a bShutei Kyokai Shuppanbu, p. 69
^Shutei Kyokai Shuppanbu, p. 86. Original book was described 644,590 cubic meters oil. Perhaps it is a misprint.
^Shutei Kyokai Shuppanbu, p. 86
Bibliography
Tashirō Iwashige, The visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine, "Dainippon Kaiga". Archived from the original on 7 December 2002. (Japan), May 2009
Monthly Armor Modelling special issue, "Navy Yard Vol.8 Tora! Tora! Tora!", Dainippon Kaiga (Japan), July 2008
Kunio Matsumoto, The Lives of the Japanese Tankers, "Seizando-Shoten". Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009. (Japan), January 1995
Shinshichirō Komamiya, The Wartime Convoy Histories, "Shuppan Kyōdōsha". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009. (Japan), October 1987
The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.53, "Japanese support vessels", "Ushio Shobō". (Japan), July 1981
60 Years of the Iino Lines, "Iino Lines". (Japan), June 1959
