The S/S VIRTU was built and engined by the Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Port Glasgow, Scotland at Castle Works with Yard No as 314 for the British & Irish Steam Packet Co. Limited (B+I) in 1915 for their Dublin-South of England Cargo and Passenger Service and named LADY WIMBORNE after Her Excellency The Lady Wimborne, wife of the Lord Lieutenant and Governor General of Ireland.
VIRTU was launched on 27th May 1915 with port of registry as London, flying a GBR flag. Her Official Number was 139074 and was built as steel screw steamer general cargo ship.
She was 260 ft long (79.24m) with breadth of 38.2 ft (11.63m) and Depth of 17 ft (5.18m) with passenger capacity of 70 Passengers.
Former Owners and Renaimings –
1936 British & Irish Steam Packet Co. (1936) Ltd. Dublin
1938 British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd and renamed GALWAY
1939 Coast Lines Ltd. Liverpool and renamed GALWAY COAST.
1945 Virtu Steamship Co. Ltd.- Anthony & Bainbridge Ltd., Liverpool and renamed VIRTU.
1947 Registered Malta
Her ending year was 1948 when she grounded at Raz Azzaz Lighthouse between Bardia and Tobruk on passage Port Said for Tobruk, Libya
Refloated 19/05/1948 towed to Tobruk and laid up as a total loss, broken up there in 11/1950.