The 192.3 meter long and 22.91 meter wide passenger and mail ship Otranto had two funnels, two masts and two propellers and could reach a speed of 18 knots. The Otranto was launched on June 9, 1925, was completed in December 1925 and left Tilbury on January 9, 1926 on her maiden voyage to Brisbane . In August 1928 she collided with the Japanese steamship Kitano Maru , which was badly damaged. After the outbreak of war in 1939 it was used as a troop transport and in 1942 it was converted into a landing ship. As such, took Otranto on Africa Campaign and the Allied invasions of Sicily and Italy participate.
In 1948 and 1949, the ship was completely overhauled and provided with seats for 1412 passengers in the tourist class. On July 14, 1949, she resumed passenger traffic from London to Sydney and stayed on this route until she left for her last journey on February 13, 1957. On June 14, 1957, she arrived in Faslane-on-Clyde , where she was scrapped.