British merchant shipping losses in the Far East according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 5 January 1942

An item referred to British sources reporting the loss of 78 merchant ships with a total tonnage of 54,000 tons in the Far East since the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The losses were due to scutlling or enemy action:

At Shanghai, China 14 ship total tonnage around 19,000 tons

At sea between Shanghai and Hong Kong 8 ships total tonnage around 11,000 tons

At Hong Kong 51 ships total tonnage arond 19,000 tons

At Bangkok, Thailand 3 ships total tonnage around -5,000 tons.

Losses of British ships underway from Africa to China were unknown.

The J.I.C. commented that most of the ships lost were used in the Chinese coastal and river shipping.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 26 dated 5 January 1942