The cargo vessel was launched on 17th. January 1961 by Howaldtswerke Hamburg A.G., Hamburg as STEINTOR for "Porta" Hamburger Reederei GmbH., Hamburg, and was delivered on 28th April 1961 to her owners. The ship was a tweendeck cargo ship with 5 cargo holds. She sailed under the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and had dual tonnage, open/closed shelterdeck (Lloyd's Register No: 5340089, GRT: 6133/9100, NRT: 3521/4515, DWT: 10'660/12'880, call sign: DAOZ). The cargo gear consisted of one 30 mt SWL (Safe Working Load) heavy lift derrick "Jumbo" on the foremast and the following derricks 4 x 10 mt SWL, 12 x 5 mt SWL.
In 1961 she was sold to Partenreederei "M.S. Steintor", Hamburg and the management changed to Visser & van Doornum, Hamburg.
In December 1971 the ship was sold to Byzantine Marine Enterprises Ltd., Limassol, and renamed YEMELOS. She sailed under Cyprus flag and was registered in the port of Famagusta (GRT: 9101, NRT: 5415, DWT: 12'677, official No. n/a, call sign: 5BXC).
On 02.11.1972 the vessel was purchased by Compagnie de Navigation Transocéanique Suisse S.A., Genève and the management was allocated to Keller Shipping Ltd., Basel. The ship was renamed DAVOS and registered under Swiss flag (GRT: 9101, NRT: 5415, DWT: 13'020, official No: 087, call sign: HBFR). She was taken over in the port of Constanta, Romania and after sailing to Savona in Italy, she commenced her regular service with Nautilus Line to West Africa.
On a voyage in July 1973 from Marseille to West Africa with general cargo, a fire was discovered in hold No. 3, when passing Las Palmas. The hold was subsequently flooded with CO2 and the fire was kept under control until the vessel reached her first discharge port Dakar.
On arrival in the port of Dakar the hatch No. 3 was opened to check the cargo and immediately the fire flared up again and eventually the fire spread to hold No. 2. The fire was finally extinguished, mainly due to the expert assistance of a salvage tug from Bugsier Reederei, Hamburg, which was on passage with a tow in the region of Cape Verde. Afterwards the DAVOS continued her voyage and was repaired on her return trip in the port of Valencia, where about 300 mt of steel was renewed (see also separate history from the vessel's chief engineer H.R. Fuchs).
On 09.01.1985 the DAVOS was sold to Navegadora Panoceanica S.A., Dubai. The vessel was renamed AVOS and was registered under the flag of St. Vincent & The Grenadines (official No. 2029, call sign: J8CC).
Sailing from Busan, South Korea, she arrived on 27.05.1985 in Yantai, China for demolition. She was sold to unknown breakers for a price believed to be 135.- USD per light weight ton.
It was published that her hull was used as a part of a jetty for a new harbour project in China. Maybe she was also sailing for some time in the Chinese coastal trade under a new Chinese name? Further information is much appreciated!