SS Antenor was the second of five ships to bear the name. She was built in 1896 by Workman, Clark and Company at Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was built for Alfred Holt and Company, who owned various shipping lines including the (NSMO) and Blue Funnel Line. SS Antenor had a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 5,570, was 422 feet long, had a beam of 49 feet 4 inches and a service speed of 10 knots. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, 4000 IHP. Her sister ships were , and . She was the last of the class and cost £62,796, £5 cheaper than her sister ship SS Patroclus.