Cargo vessel · 1900–1900 · Cork, Ireland

SS Sente

Also known as Sento, Sante, Santo.

Christmas Day 1900. A Japanese crew, a Chinese cook, Scottish officers, and a steam-powered bucket dredger bound for Formosa. The SS Sente had been built at Greenock for the Japanese government at a cost of 20,000 pounds. Just three days out of port, a winter gale in St George's Channel gave her a fatal list to port.

Captain Jameson pointed the vessel for shelter at Cork, but she went down off Roches Point. The hull is barely recognisable at 28-30 metres, but all the heavy machinery remains -- massive drive gears, an upturned engine base with gearbox, dredger buckets, bevelled gears, and propeller shaft sections. The wreckage piles up at a high point rising 4 metres above the seabed. Featured in Divernet Wreck Tour No. 178.

Type
Cargo vesselJapanese
Year built
1900Greenock, Scotland (for the Japanese government)
Lost
December 25th, 1900Storm
Tonnage
217 GRTsteam
Length
39 m
Depth
28–30 m
Location
Cork, IrelandCeltic Sea

1 of 7 facts above is cited in Sources below.

Deeper than 88 of the 185 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.

History and LossLost December 25th, 1900 · Storm · Cork, Ireland.

Built for the Japanese government at a cost of 20,000 pounds for dredging service in Formosa. After brief trials in Greenock, she departed 22 December 1900 with a Japanese crew, a Chinese cook, and Scottish officers/engineers. Two days later in St George's Channel she got into difficulty in a typical south-westerly winter gale. By Christmas Day the vessel had developed a list to port.

Captain Jameson moved 16 crew to the ship's boats and pointed the Sente for shelter at Cork, but she sank off Roches Point.

Built 1900 by Greenock, Scotland (for the Japanese government); 0 years in service, also recorded as Sento and Sante and Santo. Lost December 25th, 1900, storm.

Condition of the WreckBroken, in 28–30 m.

Intactness

Little of her hull can still be recognised, yet her heavy machinery has all survived well enough to be pieced back together in the mind. At its highest point the heap of wreckage stands 4m clear of the surrounding seabed.

Among the parts that can be picked out are the upturned engine base and its gearbox, the huge gears that drove the dredging mechanism, solid sections of frame, and a bevelled gear together with a length of propeller shaft.

Notable Features

  • Massive dredger drive gears visible
  • Upturned engine base with gearbox — unique dual-drive for propeller and dredging equipment
  • Dredger buckets and machinery
  • Bevelled gear and propeller shaft section
  • Wreckage rises 4m above seabed at high point
  • Built for Japanese government for service in Formosa
  • Featured in Divernet Wreck Tour #178

Regulations and Restrictions

Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).

Additional Details12 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.

Nationality
Japanese
Flag
Japan
Builder
Greenock, Scotland (for the Japanese government)
Propulsion
Steam
Loss date
December 25th, 1900
Latitude
51.74° N
Longitude
8.17° W
Water body
Celtic Sea
War grave
No
Protected
No
Permit required
No
Condition
Broken

Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.

  • © Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

A further 1 field was derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.

Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SS Sente?

SS Sente is the wreck of a cargo vessel, off Cork, Ireland, at 30 metres. SS Sente was lost in a storm in 1900.

How deep is the SS Sente?

SS Sente lies at 28 to 30 metres, Off Roches Point, south-east of Cork Harbour.

How did the SS Sente sink?

SS Sente was lost in a storm on December 25th, 1900, off Cork, Ireland.

Is the SS Sente protected?

Yes. SS Sente is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).