MS Bantam (1938)

MS Bantam ,, was built by N.V. Machinefabriek & Scheepswerf van P. Smit Jr. of Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1939 for Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd. It was the second ship of the name, the other being SS Bantam (1930) of of Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij and sunk 28 March 1943, from this builder operating in the same region and during overlapping times.

MS Bantam  operated under charter by both the United States and the United Kingdom during World War II. It was used in trans-Atlantic convoys from and to New York City on a regular basis from April 1944 to April 1945. The ship was returned to the original owners in 1946.

After wartime service the ship was returned to Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd in 1946 and resumed cargo and passenger service in the Indies as the colony became Indonesia until sold in 1964. Under the Pacific Pearl Navigation Co. Ltd., Hong Kong the name was changed to Pacific Pearl. In 1969 the ship changed ownership to Marmando Compañia Naviera S.A., Panama with another change to Millstar (possibly Mill Star) until sold for scrapping in China in 1971.