Kawasaki-type oiler

The Kawasaki-type oiler was a type of oiler from 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 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 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 from the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation. In total 17 tankers were built with the same basic drawings, until 1943.
All sisters participated in 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.

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

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. Narrow sense of the Kawasaki-type tanker was until the Kyūei Maru. Kyūei Maru was equipped for 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 variants of the Kawasaki-type tankers. Mitsubishi used many curves to reduce her air friction strength.

Subsidy #	Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Owner
103	''Nisshō Maru	Mitsubishi, Yokohama Shipyard	10 August 1937	13 June 1938	29 November 1938	Shōwa Shipping

''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.

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 variants 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