The ship as Hessen
History
Germany
Name	Hessen
Owner	Norddeutscher Lloyd
Port of registry	Bremen
Builder	Joh. C. Tecklenborg, Geestemunde
Yard number	207
Launched	1905
Christened	2 September 1905
Completed	9 November 1905
Out of service	1914
Identification	code letters QJBP
Fate	Seized by Australia in World War I
Australia
Name	HMAT Bulla
Operator	Commonwealth Line
Acquired	1914
Out of service	1926
Identification	A45
Fate	Sold
Germany
Name	Weissesee
Operator	W. Schuchmann
Acquired	1926
Out of service	1943
Fate	Sunk by aircraft 25 July 1943
General characteristics
Class and type	Franken-class [de] cargo ship
Tonnage	5,099 GRT, 3,206 NRT
Length	409.3 ft (124.8 m)
Beam	52.7 ft (16.1 m)
Depth	27.9 ft (8.5 m)
Decks	2
Installed power	533 NHP; 3,000 ihp (2,200 kW)
Propulsion	1 × quadruple-expansion engine 1 × screw
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h)

HMAT Bulla was built as Hessen for the German Line Norddeutscher Lloyd in 1905.^[1] It was seized by Australian forces on September 3, 1914, when it sailed into Melbourne, being unaware of the outbreak of World War I.^[2] It was a troop transport in the First World War, and then transferred to the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers in 1918. It was sold in 1926 to W. Schuchmann, who renamed it Weissesee^[3]

Weissesee was bombed and sunk by aircraft at Hamburg, Germany, on 25 July 1943. The wreck was raised in 1949 and scrapped.^[4]