The class of four passenger/cargo-liners built at Walker by Vickers Armstrong (City of Port Elizabeth 1952 - City Of Exeter 1953 - City of York 1953 - City Of Durban 1954) were fine looking ships designed for Ellerman & Bucknall's services from London to South and East Africa. The only vessels built for the Ellerman Group in post war years with extensive accommodation they were the largest ships the group had built but were surpassed in length by some of their pure cargo vessels. Notable was the choice of Doxford diesel engines for the quartet especially for a company which had clung to steam machinery for so long.
In 1971 all four were sold to the Greek Karageorgis Group who planned that they would undergo a massive conversion to passenger and vehicle ferries.
City of Exeter entered service as MEDITERRANEAN SEA between Patras and Ancona in late 1972
In a more familiar role CITY OF EXETER is discharging cargo at Newcastle Quay on 2nd August 1962
