Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!

(INGA prewar, later HOKUHI MARU)

IJN HOKUHI MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2015 Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall

E 1903:
Capelle, Netherlands. Laid down by A.Vuijk & Zonen a/d Ijssel for A/S D/S Inga (Meier) Kristiania, Oslo, Norway as a 943-tons cargo ship.
March 1904:
Launched and named INGA.
April 1904:
Completed and registered at Oslo, Norway.
March 1907:
Departs Hokianga, New Zealand.
November 1907:
Arrives at Sydney, Australia.
8 April 1910:
Departs Hokianga.
1910:
Arrives at Sydney.
May 1910:
Her owners are changed to Inga Steamship Company Pty. Ltd. and her registry port to Sydney. Ship number is changed to 125234. Her Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) and Net Registered Tonnage are respectively changed to 948-tons and 570-tons. (1)
INGA is chartered to RS Lamb & Co., Sydney that same month.
1910:
Placed on Newcastle, Australia ~ Auckland, New Zealand route.
October 1910:
Departs Merauke, Dutch New Guinea.
25 October 1910:
Arrives at Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Departs later.
E November 1910:
Arrives at Sydney.
1912:
Calls at Newcastle and Wanganui, New Zealand.
E July ~ December 1912:
Calls at Hokianga and Sydney.
May 1914:
Calls at Gisborne, New Zealand ~ Auckland ~ Kaipara, New Zealand and Aoroa, New Zealand.
30 May 1914:
Departs Aoroa and sails towards Sydney. Later that day, collides with an unidentified ship off Toka Toka coast and returns back to Aora.
June 1914:
Departs Aoroa again and arrives later at Auckland.
June ~ July 1914:
Under repair at Auckland.
E August ~ December 1914:
Calls at Newcastle and Suva, Fiji.
1915:
Calls at Nydia Bay and Greymouth, New Zealand.
1918:
Calls at Greymouth.
November 1918:
Runs aground in Wanganui River estuary.
1921:
Departs Newcastle and sails towards Wanganui.
29 April 1921:
Runs aground off Cape Egmont coast.
1 May 1921:
Arrives at Wellington, New Zealand.
24 May 1921:
Enters drydock for two weeks of provisional repairs.
E June 1921:
Departs Wellington and calls at Greymouth. Departs there and arrives at Sydney for permanent repairs.
11 July 1922:
Departs Sydney.
E July 1922:
Calls at Newcastle and Wanganui.
October 1925:
Calls at Sydney and Gisborne, New Zealand.
E November ~ December 1925:
Undergoes overhaul.
1927:
Calls at Newcastle ~ Wanganui ~ Greymouth and Sydney.
4 November 1927:
Her owners are changed to James Patrick & Company Ltd. Placed on the Sydney ~ Melbourne trade route.
December 1927:
Her owners are changed to W.R. Carpenter & Company Ltd. and her registry port to Wellington.
1928:
Her registry port is changed to Tulagi, Solomons.
April 1930:
Her owners are changed to Madrigal & Company Ltd. and her port of registry to Manila, Philippines. Ship number is changed to 181286 and INGA is renamed CETUS.
1932:
Call sign is changed to MDVH.
1934:
Call sign is changed to KZCS.
1937:
Her GRT and NRT are respectively changed to 943-tons and 520-tons. (1)
1941:
Her owners are restyled to Madrigal & Company Inc.
10 December 1941:
Scuttled off Philippines.
E January 1942:
Taken over by Japanese Forces.
15 January 1942:
At Appari, Philippines. Inspected by auxiliary gunboat KISO MARU.
11 February 1942:
Ship’s inspection due to be completed under instruction No. 8. Departs Appari.
12 February 1942:
Arrives at Mako, Pescadores. At 1600, various inspections due to be carried on ship under instruction No. 9.
13 February 1942:
At 1300, meeting is held in conference room.
February 1942:
Undergoes repairs at Mako Naval Yard.
1942:
Renamed HOKUHI MARU. Call sign is changed to JLER.
5 March 1942:
Repairs due to be taken over from 8 Mar ‘42 by Mako shipyard’s Hatsumoto Takashi under instruction No. 16.
9 March 1942:
Arrival of Mako shipyard’s personnel under instruction No. 18.
10 March 1942:
Mako shipyard’s personnel takes over repairs. Departs Mako Naval Yard and arrives at Kirun, Formosa (now Keelung, Taiwan) later that day.
28 April 1942:
Maintenance directive No. 5171 is issued.
14 May 1942:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Takao, Formosa (now Kaohsiung, Taiwan) later that day. Departs later for Mako.
1 June 1942:
Mako Guard District naval repair unit reports completion of repairs. Departs Mako.
2 June 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
5 June 1942:
Departs Kirun.
6 June 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
9 June 1942:
Departs Takao.
10 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
17 June 1942:
Departs Mako.
18 June 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
21 June 1942:
Departs Kirun.
22 June 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
4 July 1942:
Departs Mako.
5 July 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
8 July 1942:
Departs Takao.
9 July 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
22 July 1942:
Departs Kirun.
23 July 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
3 August 1942:
Departs Mako.
4 August 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
E 5 ~ 6 August 1942:
Loads 900-tons of coal, 50-tons of building materials and 262 empty drums.
7 August 1942:
Departs Kirun.
8 August 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
13 August 1942:
Departs Mako.
14 August 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
17 August 1942:
Departs Kirun.
18 August 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
23 August 1942:
Departs Mako.
24 August 1942:
Arrives at Taito, Formosa.
26 August 1942:
Departs Taito.
27 August 1942:
Arrives at Kirun. Departs later.
3 September 1942:
Departs Takao.
4 September 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
16 September 1942:
Departs Mako.
17 September 1942:
Arrives at Taito.
18 September 1942:
Departs Taito.
19 September 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
23 September 1942:
Departs Kirun.
24 September 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
27 September 1942:
Departs Takao.
28 September 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
14 October 1942:
At 1330, departs Mako in convoy No. 721 also consisting of IJA transport PACIFIC MARU and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer FUYO. The convoy splits into two parts after departing port. HOKUHI MARU is in the second part.
18 October 1942:
Arrives at Manila.
22 October 1942:
Departs Manila.
24 October 1942:
Arrives at Zhangdao, China.
27 October 1942:
Departs Zhangdao.
30 October 1942:
Arrives at Zamboanga, Mindanao. Departs later.
2 December 1942:
Departs Kirun.
3 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
5 December 1942:
Departs Takao.
6 December 1942:
Arrives at Taito.
8 December 1942:
Departs Taito.
9 December 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
11 December 1942:
Departs Kirun.
12 December 1942:
Arrives at Mako.
23 December 1942:
Departs Mako.
25 December 1942:
Arrives at Kirun.
28 December 1942:
Departs Kirun.
29 December 1942:
Arrives at Takao.
1 January 1943:
Registered in the IJN as an auxiliary transport attached to the Sasebo Naval District with Sasebo as homeport under Navy’s instruction No. 8. Assigned to Vice Admiral (Admiral posthumously) Takagi Takeo’s (39) Mako Guard District, transport unit.
4 January 1943:
Departs Takao.
5 January 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
8 January 1943:
Departs Kirun.
9 January 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
15 January 1943:
Assigned to Mako Guard District as an auxiliary transport (Otsu) category. [2]
1943:
Call sign is changed to JWSY.
20 January 1943:
Departs Mako.
21 January 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
24 January 1943:
Departs Kirun.
25 January 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
28 January 1943:
Departs Takao.
30 January 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
3 February 1943:
Departs Manila.
5 February 1943:
Arrives at Zamboanga.
11 February 1943:
Departs Zamboanga.
13 February 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
16 February 1943:
Departs Manila.
19 February 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
23 February 1943:
Departs Takao.
24 February 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
26 February 1943:
Departs Kirun.
27 February 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
March 1943:
Enters drydock for maintenance and repairs.
26 March 1943:
Departs Mako.
27 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
29 March 1943:
Departs Takao.
30 March 1943:
Arrives at Mako. Departs there later in the day.
31 March 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
1 April 1943:
Assigned to Mako Guard District as an auxiliary transport (Otsu) category under Mako Guard District secret instruction No. 6. [2].
5 April 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later that day.
9 April 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Takao later that same day.
14 April 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Mako later in the day.
25 April 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao later that day.
28 April 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later that same day.
2 May 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Takao later in the day.
9 May 1943:
Departs Takao for Manila in convoy No. 748 also consisting of auxiliary emergency oilers KOSHIN and SEIAN MARUs, auxiliary transport EIKO MARU No. 2 GO, and two unidentified merchant ships escorted by minesweeper W-21.
13 May 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
18 May 1943:
Departs Manila and arrives at Zamboanga later that day.
26 May 1943:
Departs Zamboanga and arrives at Manila later that same day.
30 May 1943:
Departs Manila.
2 June 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
15 June 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later in the day.
22 June 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Mako later that day.
25 June 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao later that same day.
28 June 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later in the day.
2 July 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Takao commercial port later that day.
6 July 1943:
Departs Takao commercial port.
9 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
11 July 1943:
Departs Manila and arrives at Cebu, Philippines later that day.
E 12 ~ 15 July 1943:
Loads 470-tons of coal and 177-tons of miscellaneous goods.
16 July 1943:
Departs Cebu and arrives at Sagay, Negros, Philippines later that same day.
20 July 1943:
Departs Sagay.
21 July 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
23 July 1943:
Departs Manila.
24 July 1943:
Arrives at Cebu. Replenishes 80-tons of coal and loads about 21-tons of wood. At 1650, departs Cebu in convoy also consisting of IJA transport TAIEI MARU escorted by patrol boat PB-103 (ex-USS FINCH).
26 July 1943:
At 1158, arrives at Manila.
28 July 1943:
Departs Manila in convoy No. 860 also consisting of IJA transport CLYDE MARU escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE.
31 July 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
5 August 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later that day.
9 August 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Mako later that same day.
14 August 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao naval base later in the day.
16 August 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later that day.
22 August 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Mako later that same day.
27 August 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao naval base later in the day.
1 September 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Mako later that day.
3 September 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Kirun later that same day.
6 September 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Mako later in the day.
10 September 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Kirun later that day.
15 September 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Mako later that same day.
23 September 1943:
Departs Mako and arrives at Takao naval base later in the day.
26 September 1943:
Departs Takao and arrives at Kirun later that day.
1 October 1943:
Departs Kirun and arrives at Takao commercial port later that same day.
10 October 1943:
At 0800, departs Takao in convoy with tug KEISHU MARU (ex British HENRY KESWICK).
12 October 1943:
Arrives at Manila.
20 October 1943:
Departs Manila.
23 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao naval base. Departs later.
25 October 1943:
At 1055, departs Manila for San Fernando escorted by patrol boat PB-103 (ex-USS FINCH).
26 October 1943:
At 2115, anchors off Vigan.
30 October 1943:
Arrives at Takao.
7 November 1943:
Departs Takao.
8 November 1943:
Arrives at Karenko (now Hualien), Formosa.
12 November 1943:
Departs Karenko and arrives at Takao later in the day.
14 November 1943:
Departs Takao.
15 November 1943:
Arrives at Karenko.
21 November 1943:
Departs Karenko and arrives at Takao later that day.
25 November 1943:
Departs Takao.
27 November 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
2 December 1943:
Departs Kirun.
3 December 1943:
Arrives at Mako.
14 December 1943:
Departs Mako.
15 December 1943:
Arrives at Kirun.
16 December 1943:
Departs Kirun.
17 December 1943:
Arrives at Karenko.
22 December 1943:
Departs Karenko and arrives at Takao later that same day.
26 December 1943:
Departs Takao.
27 December 1943:
Arrives at Karenko.
30 December 1943:
Departs Karenko and arrives at Takao later in the day.
4 January 1944:
Departs Takao naval base.
5 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao Shingang. Loads about 900M3 of wood.
9 January 1944:
Departs Takao Shingang.
11 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao naval base.
18 January 1944:
Departs Takao naval base and arrives at Takao commercial port later that day. Loads 200-tons of cement and 57-tons of fertilizer.
19 January 1944:
Departs Takao commercial port.
20 January 1944:
Arrives at Karenko. Loads about 14-tons of Paulownia logs and other wood.
24 January 1944:
Departs Karenko.
25 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao naval base.
27 January 1944:
Departs Takao naval base and arrives at Karenko later that same day.
30 January 1944:
Departs Karenko.
31 January 1944:
Arrives at Takao commercial port.
1 February 1944:
Departs Takao commercial port and arrives at Mako later that day.
2 February 1944:
Enters drydock for maintenance and repairs.
11 February 1944:
Departs Mako.
12 February 1944:
Arrives at Takao. Loads 1,000-tons of Takao charcoal. Departs later.
15 February 1944:
Departs Mako.
16 February 1944:
At 1600, arrives at Takao naval base.
26 February 1944:
Departs Takao naval base and arrives at Takao commercial port. Loads 300-tons of briquettes.
28 February 1944:
Departs Takao commercial port.
29 February 1944:
At 1200, arrives at Kirun. Loads 900-tons of Takao charcoal.
3 March 1944:
Departs Kirun.
4 March 1944:
Arrives at Takao commercial port.
21 March 1944:
Loads 600-tons of coal, 200-tons of briquettes and embarks 120 passengers. Departs Takao commercial port later that day.
25 March 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
28 March 1944:
Departs Manila.
30 March 1944:
Arrives at Cebu.
31 March 1944:
Departs Cebu and arrives at Sagay later that same day.
1 April 1944:
Loads about 20-tons of wood. Departs Sagay and arrives at Cebu later in the day.
2 April 1944:
Departs Cebu.
4 April 1944:
Arrives at Manila.
5 April 1944:
Loads ammunition. Departs Manila.
9 April 1944:
Arrives at Takao naval base.
15 April 1944:
Assigned to troop transport mission under Mako Guard District secret instruction No. 16. Departs later.
22 April 1944:
At 1445, departs Cebu in convoy M-17 also consisting of IJN requisitioned shared tanker (B/C-AO) JANBI MARU, IJN requisitioned shared transport (B/C-AK) BUGEN (ex-American KOLAMBUGAN) MARU, IJA transports SHOGEN MARU and NIKKO MARU No. 1 escorted by patrol boats PB-103 and PB-105 and auxiliary subchasers YATSUSHIRO MARU and KYO MARU No. 2.
24 April 1944:
At 1515, the convoy arrives at Manila. HOKUHI MARU is detached from the convoy.
4 May 1944:
Departs Manila. (possibly in MATA-19 convoy)
6 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao.
10 May 1944:
Loads ammunition. Departs Takao naval base
11 May 1944:
Arrives at Kirun. Loads 1,000-tons of Takao carbon blocks. Departs there later in the day.
13 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao commercial port. Departs later.
21 May 1944:
Departs Takao naval base.
22 May 1944:
Arrives at Takao commercial port with IJN requisitioned shared transport (B/C-AK) BUGEN (ex-American KOLAMBUGAN) MARU.
23 May 1944:
Loads 500-tons of alumina, 500-tons of heavy oil, ammunition and other sundries. Departs Takao commercial port.
24 May 1944:
Arrives at Karenko.
28 May 1944:
Departs Karenko.
29 May 1944:
Arrives at Kirun.
28 February 1945:
At 1815, departs Takao for Mako.
1 March 1945:
S of Mako. At 0300, USAAF 5th AF Consolidated B-24s “Liberators” attacks shipping in the area. HOKUHI MARU is bombed and hit aft causing heavy flooding. Personnel and confidential documents are transferred to Boat No. 210. The transport sinks at 23-35N, 119-35E with unknown casualties.
10 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy’s list under instruction No. 417.

Authors notes :
[1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by subtracting non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[2] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.
Gilbert Casse and Peter Cundall.

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