Heiyo Maru

Heiyo Maru

Japanese Hellship of World War II

Heiyo Maru was a Japanese merchant transport involved in wartime shipping operations during the Pacific War and associated with POW transport voyages.

Key Facts

Key FactDetailsShip NameHeiyo MaruTypeCargo transportOperatorJapanese merchant marineRolePOW transportAreaWestern PacificFateWartime operations continued through late war

Historical Background

Requisitioned for wartime service, Heiyo Maru operated within Japan’s maritime logistics system.

This network carried troops, supplies, and prisoners between Japan and its occupied territories.

POW Transport Mission

Prisoners captured across the Pacific theater were transported aboard ships such as Heiyo Maru to labor camps supporting Japan’s war industries.

Conditions Aboard

Like other hellships, POWs endured:

• overcrowding

• lack of ventilation

• minimal rations

• disease and exhaustion