Empire Cougar departed Baltimore on 19 March and arrived at Halifax on 24 March. She was due to join Convoy SC 76, which departed Halifax on 24 March and arrived at Liverpool on 11 April. She joined Convoy SC 77, which departed Halifax on 30 March and arrived at Liverpool on 16 April. She was carrying steel and general cargo, bound for Manchester, Lancashire. Empire Cougar joined Convoy OS 27, which departed Liverpool on 2 May and arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 19 May. She then sailed to Kingston, Jamaica, arriving on 25 May.
