"Empire Elgar" was equipped with derricks enabling her to unload the heavy war stores (locomotives, tanks and aircraft) from other ships that arrived with Convoy PQ 16. Amongst her cargo were tanks. Once she had discharged her cargo, "Empire Elgar" unloaded other ships' cargos into her hold, returned to the quayside and then put the transferred cargo ashore. She assisted in unloading the survivors of the ill-fated Convoy PQ 17. In September, "Empire Elgar" was ordered to Molotovosk. Five ships from a convoy ran aground on a sandbank and she was sent to unload their cargos in order to refloat the ships. "Empire Elgar" returned to Archangelsk to unload. She was then ordered to Murmansk to relieve . The voyage taking 24 hours due to the poor quality of the Russian coal. On arrival at Murmansk, it was discovered that the port had been under attack for the previous three days. Murmansk was under almost constant attack as the Germans had possession of airfields only away. In December, a convoy reached the Murmansk area. "Empire Elgar" sailed down the Dvina River to where a jetty served the naval base and airfield. She unloaded a cargo of aircraft from the American Liberty ship , returning to Murmansk on 29 December. Convoy JW 51B arrived at the Kola Inlet on 3 January 1943. "Empire Elgar" assisted in unloading the ships which reached Murmansk, although this was delayed by problems with her winches.