Norwegian Escape: Technology

Technology • The latest in new ship designs
£4.25 www.shipsmonthly.com
CAL MAC
JANUARY 2016
CAPTAINS IN
THE SPOTLIGHT
NORWEGIAN ESCAPE
SHIP OF THE MONTH
FAREWELL TO
Norwegian Cruise HSS STENA
Line’s biggest EXPLORER
ship ever
CRUISE JANUARY 2016 • Vol 51 £4.25
MEMORIES
Malta in the 1980s
Ice ships New developments German Navy Fast attack craft Classic cargo Liberty colliers
Frisian Island links • All ferries great and small

TM
welcome
Another new mega cruise ship
T
www.shipsmonthly.com
TM
Kelsey Media, Cudham Tithe Barn his month we feature the new
Berrys Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG
EDITORIAL Norwegian Escape as Ship of the
Editor • Nicholas Leach Month. Having spent a day on board
sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk
Art Editor • Mark Hyde the ship when she made her debut
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS at Southampton, I was pleased to
Roy Cressey • Gary Davies • Jack Gaston • Nick
Hall • William Mayes • Russell Plummer • Jim be able to see her at first hand. She had the
Shaw • Edwin Wilmshurst
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usual array of bars, restaurants and eateries,
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Production Supervisor • Amy Rutter
jogging track round the upper decks. The
01733 353365 or amy.rutter@kelseypb.co.uk cabins – or should that be staterooms? – were
Jackie Aubrey Jackie.aubrey@kelsey.co.uk
MANAGEMENT very nice, and everything was pretty much as I be leading the way, with onboard features such
Managing Director • Phil Weeden expected. There were some irritations, such as as the North Star proving very popular during
Chief Executive • Steve Wright
Chairman • Steve Annetts a lack of deck plans around the ship and in the cruises, as well as the Bionic Bar, even if this
Finance Director • Joyce Parker-Sarioglu
lifts, making it more difficult than it needed to seems to be something of a gimmick.
Creative Directors • Vicky Ophield & Emma Dublin
Retail Distribution Manager • Eleanor Brown be to find your way around the huge vessel. The focus on Norwegian Escape seems to
Audience Development Manager • Andy Cotton
Subs Marketing Manager • Dan Webb
But styling her as an Escape to ‘a new world be on dining and entertainment, with NCL’s
Brand Marketing Manager • Rebecca Gibson of freedom’ seems to be going a little far. And Freestyle cruising concept central to their
Events Manager • Kat Chappell
Events Marketing Manager • Sarah Jackson so I wondered what more the cruise industry marketing, and the ship seemed to be trying
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contents
Technology • The latest in new ship designs
£4.25 www.shipsmonthly.com Regulars 14 Naval
Expeditionary expansion by US Navy, Russia’s
long-range missile, and HMCS Athabaskan
CAL MAC
visits Portsmouth. Gary Davies
JANUARY 2016
CAPTAINS IN
THE SPOTLIGHT
16 Cargo
NORWEGIAN ESCAPE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Capesizers disposed of by Norden, shipping
FAREWELL TO company Delmas absorbed by CMA CGM, and
Norwegian Cruise HSS STENA
Line’s biggest EXPLORER
ship ever feeder container ship converted to LNG.
6 Waterfront
CRUISE JANUARY 2016 • Vol 51 £4.25 US ship lost off Bahamas, last of the HSS
MEMORIES ferries leaves Holyhead, Nedlloyd name to
Malta in the 1980s
Ice ships New developments German Navy Fast attack craft Classic cargo Liberty colliers
disappear, ACL to fly Red Ensign, and Cammell
Laird wins contract to build new Polar ship.
Frisian Island links • All ferries great and small 10 Ferry

COVER The new cruise ship Norwegian Escape
Brittany Ferries report growth, Condor 18 Newbuild
made her debut in Southampton at the end of Liberation report published, Council to give First ethane-powered gas carriers, China
October before crossing the Atlantic to start support at Weymouth, and new Clipper Incats building up its tanker fleet, Germany’s first
her cruising life in Miami. COMPANY PHOTO arrive on the Thames. Russell Plummer LNG vessel, and the largest all-electric ferry
being built for Denmark. Jim Shaw
12 Cruise
ALSO AVAILABLE Focus on expansion in China, Fleet expansion 41 Ships pictorial
DIGITALLY by P&O ‘down under’, and first ever newbuild Ships pictured around the world, including in
WWW.POCKETMAGS.COM
ship for Saga Cruises. William Mayes Rotterdam, Auckland, Poole and Piraeus.
Subscribe today See page 20 for more info

WWW.SHIPSMONTHLY.COM
Features 48 Belgium’s premier port 33 Ship of the Month

Antwerp, one of the busiest and biggest ports
in Europe, handles all kinds of ships, from
NORWEGIAN ESCAPE
Nicholas Leach goes on board NCL’s latest
chemical tankers to containers ships, and cruise cruise ship, the largest the company has
ships to coasters. Krispen Atkinson ever built, to see what she has to offer.
52 Maritime mosaic
Profile of the Italian Navy, Marina Militare, with a
look at its development and some of the ships
22 Frisian ferries that it operates. Patrick Boniface
The West Frisian Islands in the North Sea off the
Dutch coast are served by a great number and
54 Malta classic callers
Photos taken over a five-hour period on one
variety of different ferries. Matt Davies
day in May 2014 showing the large variety of
28 Liberty Colliers shipping using the Kiel Canal. Roy Cressey
Chartroom
A chance encounter at Birkenhead in 1961 led
to the unearthing of the story of the Liberty 62 Ships mail
colliers of the 1940s. Roy Fenton A selection of letters from readers.
38 German fast attack 64 Ports of call

Patrick Boniface profiles the German Navy’s Type Cruise ship calls around the UK in January.
143A fast attack craft, and looks at their origins Andrew and Donna Cooke
and development. Patrick Boniface
64 Mystery ship
44 Ice class Can you identify this month’s mystery ship?
Developments along the northern coast of 58 Cal Mac captains
Russia are continuing to generate demand for On board three very different Cal Mac ferries in 65 Ships library
ice-capable vessels. Jim Shaw the Outer Hebrides. Nicholas Leach Reviews and details of new maritime books.
The 194,849gt Mathilde Maersk, the latest Triple E ultra

large container ship, became the first of the Triple E
class to call at Southampton when she visited on 28
October 2015. She is the last of the 20 Trple E vessels
ordered by Maersk Line from Daewoo Shipbuilding &
Marine Engineering in 2011. MARITIME PHOTOGRAPHIC
JANUARY 2016 • Volume 51 • No.1

WATERFRONT
Veterans
going strong US ship lost off Bahamas
European Ferries
Croatian state-owned ferry operator
Jadrolinija continues to operate
three out of four škovacera class
landing craft ferries built by Titovo
Brodogradilište, Kraljevica for the
Company between 1969 and 1971.
The name literally translates as ‘dust
bin’ and reflects their ability to scoop
up loads over a wide bow, which
overhangs the keel to facilitate shallow
water berthing. The 48m craft can
accommodate 30 cars on open decks
and 200 passengers in rear saloons, The lost El Faro was one of two
which have been heavily refurbished. 1970s-built con-ro ships owned by
Lošinjanka (1969), Pelješcanka (1971), Sea Star Line and operated by TOTE
and Soltanka (1971) remain in service. Services between the US mainland
The fourth and unrefurbished vessel and the island of Puerto Rico. TOTE
Krcanka (1970) was retired in 2013. MD
vessel was en route from Jacksonville, The last recorded communication
SINKING Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico when from the vessel was an electronic
The US Navy ocean tug USNS Apache the captain radioed that a scuttle had alert sent by automated equipment
has been directed to the waters off blown open and that there was water at 0717 on 1 October 2015 at about
Crooked Island in the Bahamas to in hold number 3. He also indicated 20 miles from the edge of the eye of
search for the 31,515gt Con-Ro ship that the 737ft-long ship had lost the hurricane. The US-built cargo liner
El Faro, which was lost with all hands her main propulsion unit, and that had completed the American Bureau
Above The 43-year-old ferry Soltanka during hurricane Joaquin on October 1. engineers could not get it going, while of Shipping (ABS) class and statutory
departing Trogir for the islands of Built in 1975 at Pennsylvania’s Sun winds increased to 105 knots (121mph) surveys in February and her annual US
Drvenik Mali and Drvenik Veli. Matt Davies Shipbuilding, the American-flagged and seas rose to over 30ft. Coast Guard inspection in March. JS
Ramsgate back in business Secret ship sold for scrap

vehicle manufacturers and utilises
PORT NEWS the 8,191gt 1996-built car carrier
The ship Hughes
Glomar Explorer, built
Shipping is set to return to the Port Ivan to move 100,000 vehicles per to raise a sunken
of Ramsgate after a two-and-a-half year on contracted private sailings Soviet submarine
year break following the end of from Zeebrugge to Sheerness and from the Pacific in
Transeuropa Ferries’ service to Ostend Killingholme. For many years sailings the 1970s, has been
in April 2013, when the company went have operated from Calais, but sold for breaking.
bankrupt. The port, which is owned by in May 2015 GEFCO switched the
Thanet Borough Council, has signed continental terminal to Zeebrugge
a deal with PSA Peugeot Citroën’s citing efficiencies as being behind
logistics company GEFCO to move their decision to export French built
the UK terminal of their Zeebrugge- cars out of Belgium. The move left
Sheerness service to Ramsgate. the Calais T1 and T4 car terminals
GEFCO imports 500,000 vehicles without a customer and resulted in
into the UK annually for French the loss of 48 jobs. MD
The 853-car-capacity Ivan at Calais’s car terminal. K-129 in 1974. Carried out under the
She will be sailing from Zeebrugge to Ramsgate SECRET MINING SHIP code name ‘Project Azorian’, the
and Killingholme. Matt Davies Newer technologies and shrinking oil mission was only partially successful as
prices have condemned the former two-thirds of the submarine broke off
Hughes Glomar Explorer, a vessel during hoisting operations.
built by America’s Central Intelligence After languishing in lay-up for two
Agency (CIA) to raise a sunken Soviet decades, the vessel was converted
submarine in the Pacific during the into a drilling ship, capable of drilling
1970s, to the scrap heap. in waters over 7,500ft (2,300m) deep,
The 619ft (189m) by 116ft (35m) at Mobile, Alabama in 1997. She was
ship was completed by Pennsylvania’s then leased by the US government to
Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co Global Marine Drilling under the name
deceptively as a deep water mining GSF Explorer until sold to Switzerland’s
vessel for billionaire Howard Hughes in Transocean Inc in 2010 for $15 million.
1973, but embarked upon its mission Earlier this year she was sold for scrap
to raise the lost Soviet G-II submarine because of falling oil prices. JS
6 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

news
The former HSS Stena Explorer departs
BRIEF NEWS
WATERFRONT www.shipsmonthly.com • Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG • t > 01959 541444 • e > sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk
Holyhead under tow, destined for Turkey
on 1 November 2015. MARITIME PHOTOGRAPHIC NORTHERN LIGHTS • The 2016
Northern Lighthouse Board’s
calendar is now available. It has
some outstanding photographs
of lighthouses in Scotland and
the Isle of Man, and costs £10.50,
including UK postage, £12.50
for Europe or £15 for rest of
the world; cheques payable to
Northern Lighthouse Board,
and sent to The Information
Officer, NLB, 84 George Street,
Edinburgh EH2 3DA.
ST PETER LINE • Chinese
‘Concorde of the Seas’ departs company Maorui Capital is

reportedly set to acquire a 25
per cent stake in St Peter Line
After some initial weather delays the strongest part of the vessel. for €200 million. At present,
FAST FERRY in Anglesey, the vessel, which ha During her service with Stena St Peter Line provide Baltic
The last of Stena Line’s sbeen renamed One World Karadeniz, Line between 1996 and 2014, Stena connections from Stockholm
decommissioned HSS 1500 high speed was gently coaxed from her berth Explorer made almost 29,000 and Helsinki to Tallinn and St
catamarans has departed Holyhead at Holyhead, where she has been in crossings, carrying more than 15 Petersburg with Princess Maria
under tow for a new role in Turkey. lay-up since finishing her operational million passengers, three million cars (1981/34,093gt) and Princess
Such an ominous scenario usually service in September 2014, into the and over half a million freight units on Anastasia (1986/37,583gt),
means beaching and then scrapping, Bay on 1 November 2015. She was the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route. which both previously spent
but the former Stena Explorer’s new subsequently connected up stern- Her sister vessels, Stena Voyager and time on UK routes. The Chinese
owners say they intend to use her as first to the Dutch ocean-going tug Stena Discovery, were scrapped in investment is expected to
a static office block based in Istanbul. Bluster for the three-week voyage Sweden and Turkey in 2013 and 2015 spark considerable expansion
Whether this actually is the case to Turkey. The stern-first tow was respectively having served out of through to 2020, with six
remains to be seen. considered necessary as the stern is Stranraer and Harwich. GD vessels likely to be added. RP
JAPAN’S FIRST LNG TUG •
Tonnage ACL to fly Red Ensign

Japan’s NYK Group has taken
delivery of the country’s first
LNG-powered tugboat, the
record NEWBUILD
Italian shipowner Grimaldi has
but the company has been considering
a switch to the Red Ensign.
Emanuele Grimaldi, joint managing
37.2m by 10.2m Sakigake, from
compatriot builder Keihin
Dock Co Ltd. Powered by twin
SHIP CANAL confirmed that the first two new director of the Naples-headquartered Niigata 6L28AHX-DF engines,
The Panama Canal set a new tonnage vessels for its subsidiary Atlantic company, revealed his intention to the 272gt vessel is to be
record in its most recent fiscal year Container Line (ACL) will fly the Red flag the first pair of ACL ships in the employed by Wing Maritime
when 340.8 million Panama Canal Ensign. This is seen as a huge vote of UK at a reception at the Foreign and Service Corporation at the port
tons passed through the waterway, a confidence for the UK ship register. Commonwealth Office in London. of Yokohama, where LNG will
year-on-year increase of 4.3 per cent. The five new vessels, dubbed the G4 The size of the UK register has been be supplied by Tokyo Gas and
Container ships registered the highest class, were ordered in 2012 from the shrinking, but the government has delivered by tanker truck.
total tonnage, followed by dry bulk, Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua made a commitment to actively seek
liquid bulk and car carriers, with liquid Shipbuilding of Shanghai, with more tonnage. In terms of tonnage, PURE-GAS ENGINE • Rolls-Royce
bulk seeing the biggest increase. Seven construction started in late 2013. Once the French container line CMA CGM is and Spanish energy company Gas
new liner services were introduced to delivered, the new multipurpose ships the largest operator of vessels, with Natural Fenosa are to develop
the canal, helping to contribute to the will be the largest of their kind. ACL’s 40 vessels now flying the Red Ensign, and install a pure-gas Bergen
record, while the car carrier segment current vessels are flagged in Sweden, including its latest vessels. AM C26:33 L6 AG auxiliary engine
recorded an increase of 5.2 per cent on the Baleària-operated ferry
because of expanded vehicle exports ACL’s new cargo ship Atlantic Abel Matutes (2010/29,670gt,
from Mexico to the US East Coast. JS Star is to fly the Red Ensign. pictured). The agreement gives
Rolls-Royce its first contract for
a pure-gas engine installation
on a European-flagged
ferry operating outside of
Norwegian waters. JS
ABOVE Car carriers, such as Eukor’s

57,542gt Morning Celesta, helped
contribute to a new tonnage record at
the Panama Canal in 2015. PCA

WATERFRONT news
Cammell Laird
wins contract Nedlloyd name to disappear
The original company was and chartered container vessels

RESEARCH SHIP COMPANY NEWS formed in 1970 by the merger of with a combined capacity of around
Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead Nedlloyd, a historic name in the Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd, 428,000TEU. In April 2006 A. P. Møller
has beaten global competition to container industry for the last Koninklijke Java-China-Paketvaart- Mærsk completed its acquisition of
win the contract to build a new £200 40 years, could soon disappear. Lijnen, Scheepvaartmaatschappij, P&O Nedlloyd. After the acquisition
million polar research ship in what is a In September 2015 Maersk Line Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland, the majority of the P&O Nedlloyd
major boost to shipbuilding and jobs redelivered the 5,936TEU Nedlloyd and Vereenigde Nederlandsche. The vessels were given Maersk names.
in the North West. The new state-of- Barentsz back to its Greek owner’s company was named Nederlandsche The five Tasman vessels and seven
the-art £200 million research ship will Tecnomar Shipping, who then Scheepvaart Unie (NSU). In 1977 NSU Nedlloyd Asia/Hong Kong class
operate in Antarctica and the Arctic. renamed her Marco R. Barentsz, became Koninklijke Nedlloyd Groep vessels were all repainted Maersk
The Government announced on along with the four other Tasman NV, ‘Royal Nedlloyd Group’. blue, with Nedlloyd Barentsz the first
12 October 2012 that Cammell Laird class sister ships P&O Nedlloyd On 9 September 1996 Royal vessel to receive the new colours.
had been selected as the preferred Tasman, P&O Nedlloyd Drake, P&O Nedlloyd and the British shipping With the redelivery of Nedlloyd
bidder to build the polar research ship, Nedlloyd Mercator, P&O Nedlloyd company P&O Containers formed Barentsz this leaves just one vessel
which will be used for climate and Hudson, were all built during P&O Nedlloyd which, at its peak, had with the Nedlloyd name, the 1,055TEU
ocean research. The decision follows a 2000 and remain the largest a fleet of around 156 owned Nedlloyd De Liefde. AM
12-month competitive tender process. containerships built in Germany.
The shipyard is expected to start work
in autumn 2016, and the new contract
is expected to secure 400 jobs at
Cammell Laird. The new ship will be
able to operate for up to 60 days in sea
ice gathering data.
ABOVE An impression of the new Polar Seen in Southampton in Febuary 2007 just after receiving her Maersk Line livery, the container ship Nedlloyd
research vessel is expected to be ready Barentsz has just been return to her owners and renamed Marco R. ANDREW MCALPINE
for operation by 2019.
St Christopher to sail again Ancient steamer survey

Harland and Wolff at Belfast, and
FERRY REACTIVATED served Dover-Calais before moving to Built in Germany in 1913, then broken up and shipped to Lake
Red Star Ferries has bought former the Irish Sea as Stena Antrim. She then Tanganyika, the 100-year-old Liemba is thought to be the world’s
Moroccan-owned vessel Ibn Batouta ran between Newhaven and Dieppe for oldest operating passenger ferry. MARINE SERVICES CO LTD
(1991/ 12,711gt), originally Sealink’s P&O-Stena Line until 1998.
Dover-based St Christopher, to A major refurbishment is to take place
strengthen its joint Adriatic service at Bijela Adriatic Shipyard in Montenegro
with European Ferries linking Durres before the 1,300-pax/290-car vessel
and Vlore in Albania with Brindisi. joins a line-up including veteran Red Star
One of four former Comarit- 1 (1965/5,762gt, ex-Viking III). European
Comanav vessels sold at auction in Ferries use another one-time Northern
Spain last June, she came originally European vessel, European Voyager
from a series built for Sealink by (1974/9,089gt), built for Lion Ferry. RP
Ibn Batouta awaiting renovation after acquisition by Red Star Ferries.
SHIPS IN AFRICA The ships surveyed included the

elderly Liemba, built in 1913 as Graf
Nine ancient ships on African lakes that von Goetzen, as well as the motor
fall under the jurisdiction of Tanzania vessels Serengeti, Butiama, Songea,
have had marine surveys carried out Iringa, Maendeleo, Flying Horse and
to determine their seaworthiness Victoria. The 53-year-old Victoria is
after a number of accidents. The the biggest passenger ship operating
mandatory surveys were ordered on Africa’s Lake Victoria and can
by Tanzania’s Ministry of Transport carry 1,200 passengers and 200 tons
and covered all passenger vessels, of cargo. The surveys found that
particularly those 25 years old or older, most of the vessels are capable of
including several operating between operating for another five years after
Tanzania and the island of Zanzibar. some rehabilitation work. JS

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W W W. S H I P S O N F I L M . C O M
FERRY Russell Plummer
BRIEF NEWS
NUMBERS UP • The 2015 summer
Brittany Ferries report growth
‘Passage of the Straits’ taking Baie de Seine approaching
North African workers from Portsmouth. MARITIME PHOTOGRAPHIC
Spain for summer holidays,
and later returning them
from Morocco and Algeria,
saw numbers increase in both
directions. Southbound traffic
between Algeciras, Tarifa,
Malaga, Motril, Almeria and
Alicante, and the North African
ports of Tangier Med, Tangier
Ville, Al Hoceima and Nador in
Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, plus
Ghazaouet, Oran and Algiers in
Algeria between 15 June and 15 Baie de Seine added capacity from Brittany Ferries, now operating ten
August saw an increase of 8.74
ENGLISH CHANNEL Portsmouth to Spain and Le Havre, the French-flagged ships, also reported
per cent to 1,340,380 passengers. All Brittany Ferries routes saw growth vessel joining Étretat (2008/26,904gt) that freight, which represents 20 per
through the financial year 2014-15, with to expand the lower cost, no-frills cent of total company sales, grew by
NUMBERS DOWN • Nova Star passenger activity up 5.5 per cent on the ‘Economique’ brand successfully 21 per cent, the equivalent of 32,000
Cruises’ disappointing 2015 previous 12 months, this increase of more introduced in 2014. Services to ports in units. Because of this positive situation
season continued, with lower than 130,000 passengers bringing the total Normandy from Portsmouth and Poole and the current market outlook,
numbers for September than to the end of September to 2,568,000. also gained extra traffic as a result of Brittany Ferries say they will hire 400
the same month last year. The introduction of the former various spells of disruption affecting extra permanent staff through the
The Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to Sirena Seaways (2003/22,382gt) as services between Calais and Dover. financial year of 2015-2016.
Portland, Maine route carried
10,212 passengers, down
from 11,135 in 2014. Although
bookings from the United
New Clipper Incats arrive on Thames
States increased, a significant course to top 4.3 million passengers 2008 are designed to cope with
drop by Canadians sailing
RIVER THAMES by the end of 2015, with services from the unique Thames tidal conditions
from Yarmouth is blamed on a Thames Clippers’ new 150-seat Incats Putney in the west and Woolwich Arsenal through Central London, and will
decline in the value of the CAN$. arrived on 19 October 2015, with heavy- in the east to piers in Central London, be able to pass beneath the many
lift vessel Antje passing through Tower together with a River Bus Express service river bridges at all water levels. Along
ANNIVERSARY • It is 25 years Bridge at the end of a 15,000-nautical- to connect with events at the O2. with other fleet members, they have
since Jahre Line and Norway Line mile delivery journey from Hobart, Clipper’s first newbuildings since wheelchair access and also carry cycles.
were rebranded as Color Line. Tasmania before berthing alongside
Fred. Olsen ferry operations HMS Belfast in London’s Upper Pool.
were also acquired, and in 1998 After being named, Galaxy Clipper
Larvik Line joined the group. by Annamarie Phelps, vice chair of the
Color Line now plans to replace British Paralympic Association, and
veteran Sandefjord-Stromstad Neptune Clipper by rower Charlotte
route ferry Bohus (1971/9,149gt). Taylor, the craft were craned into the
Originally Prinsessan Desiree, water to bring the Thames Clippers
the vessel undertook Irish Sea fleet up to 15 catamarans.
charters for Sealink and B+I Line Starting in 1999 with one boat,
in the early 1980s. Thames Clippers carried a record 3.8
million passengers in 2014 and were on Galaxy Clipper on the river Thames for the first time, 19 October 2015.
FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NE
BAHAMA MAMA • The Balearia- TYCHO BRAHE • The double-ended KATEXPRESS 3 • Incat is to build a
owned 1,000-passenger/125- ferry delivered from Norway in 1991, large fast wave-piercing passenger
car former SF Alhucemas with space for 1,250 passengers and and vehicle ferry for Mols-Linien
(2009/20,238gt) returned to Spain 240 cars, was part of a Scandlines of Denmark. Due in late May 2017,
to run a new service to Morocco fleet that carried 2.6 million KatExpress 3, Incat hull 088, will
after proving too large for a passengers between Helsingor, carry 1,000 passengers and 430 cars
Caribbean run from Port Everglades Denmark and Helsingborg, Sweden and join 112m Incats KatExpress 1
SNAV ADRIATICO • Darren to Nassau. Her replacement on in the third quarter of 2015. (2009) and KatExpress 2 (2013) on
Holdaway saw the one-time the Bahamas link is Pina del Rio services from Aarhus and Ebeltoft
Koningin Beatrix (1986/31,190gt) (1982/3,454gt), the 74m Incat built as to Odden. Mols-Linien’s smallest
arriving in Mahon, Menorca Patricia Olivia for Swedish summer ferry, Max Mols, a 91m Incat built in
during a summer 2015 charter to Nynashamn-Visby service and 1998, is expected to be sold when
Acciona Trasmediterranea, filling winter work operating across the the new craft arrives from Incat’s
a gap left by the fire-damaged River Plate between Montevideo Hobart, Tasmania headquarters.
ro-pax Sorrento (20043/25,984gt). and Buenos Aires for Buquebus.

news
Condor Liberation arriving at St Peter Port, passing the small DFDS asked
to continue
cruise ship Le Boreal, in April 2015. TONY RIVE
DIEPPE ROUTE
Seine-Maritime Council decided that
three months is not long enough
to set up a new operating structure
for Transmanche Ferries, and has
therefore asked present Dieppe-
Newhaven route operator DFDS
Seaways to continue into 2016.
The ferries Côte d’Albâtre and
Seven Sisters, both 18,425gt and
Liberation report published

built in 2006, have to undergo major
refits and reclassification in 2016,
and this is thought to be a major
A team of naval architects travelled implement its recommendations.’ reason why SMPAT (Syndicat Mixte de
CHANNEL ISLANDS on the ship to analyse telemetry and The report also gives throws Promotion de l’Activité Transmanche)
Condor Ferries’ new 102m trimaran AIS data, carry out a review of statutory further light on Condor Liberation’s is not ready to take over.
received a clean bill of health in documentation and, in addition to occasional large roll motions, which With an extended Delegation
an independent report from naval hull inspection, visited all the berths have been a major cause of passenger of Public Service from the French
engineers and architects Houlder Ltd. that are used by the vessel. Condor complaints. Captain Collins added: regional authority, DFDS could
The exercise, jointly commissioned Ferries operations director Captain ‘While these do not affect the ship’s continue for nine months, or
by the States of Jersey and Guernsey, Fran Collins said: ‘This independent safety, we know they are disconcerting even into 2017, to allow sufficient
found the 1,165-passenger/254- verification of Condor Liberation’s to customers and will be doing all we time for SMPAT to consider long-
car Condor Liberation to be safe, safety, suitability and performance is can to minimise their likelihood,as well term costs. During 2015 the two
stable and extremely well-suited to obviously very welcome. We accept as improving communications on vessels completed 1,690 crossings,
operating in the Channel Islands. all of the report’s findings and will board when they do occur.’ compared to 1,410 crossings with a
one-ship service in 2014.
Council to give support Dun Laoghaire double blow

Proposals paving the way for High placed on the two-ship Holyhead-
FAST FERRY Speed Ferries include retention of
IRISH SEA Dublin Port route with Stena Superfast
New company High Speed Ferries is Weymouth’s restricted area, with staff Left without a ferry user since the X (2002/30/285gt) sailing since March
receiving support from Weymouth and kept on until 31 March 2016 while high speed link with Holyhead finished 2015 opposite the South Korea built
Portland Borough Council as it presses negotiations continue. The operator in September 2014, Dun Laoghaire Stena Adventurer (2003/43,532gt).
ahead with plans to launch a twice- says it expects to create around 90 jobs. Harbour now looks to have no chance Now Stena wants to bring in
daily passenger and vehicle service to Looking to lease a ship, High Speed of tempting Stena Line back as the contractors to remove Dun Laoghaire’s
Cherbourg starting in April 2016. Ferries, who first talked of operating operator seeks planning permission to East-West Walkway, Terminal Walkways
Weymouth has been without a ferry a Portland-Cherbourg service in remove berthing equipment used at St and the pier’s supporting steel and
link since March 2015, when Condor 2010, say they are in discussion with a Michael’s Pier by HSS catamaran Stena concrete structures. The Harbour
concentrated Channel Islands operations number of owners prior to the start Explorer (1996/19,638gt). Company’s plans to invest €18 million
on Poole, with the 91m Incats Condor of a three-year Weymouth contract, A planned 2014 Christmas period to provide a new berth to attract
Express (1997) and Condor Vitesse and estimate the service could carry service was cancelled, with Stena the largest cruise ships also faces
(1998) sold to Greek operator Seajets around 266,000 passengers and 91,000 Explorer remaining laid up in Holyhead considerable hostility, with more than
and replaced by Condor Liberation. cars each year. as all Central Corridor emphasis was 150 objections to date.
ES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . . FERRIES IN THE NEWS . . .
KRONPRINS FREDERIK • Scandlines ARAHURA • The New Zealand MANANNAN - The Isle of Man
are retaining the 1981-built former InterIslander ferry, built in 1983 Steam Packet Co’s fast craft
Great Belt train ferry on Gedser- in Denmark, passed to European finished 2015 sailings on 8
Rostock services to allow a smooth interests before resale to Indian November 2015, but instead of
transition as sisters Berlin and breakers, the 13,621gt vessel arriving going to the Alexandra Dock,
Copenhagen finally enter service. at Alang in October 2015. She was Liverpool, as in previous years,
It will also cater for increased withdrawn from the Cook Strait the 1998-built 96m wave-piercer is
CLYDE CLIPPER • The Coastal Cruising demand, with 2015 car numbers route on 30 July and replaced by the laying up in Douglas. The thinking
Association and PSPS Scottish ten per cent up on 2014 and freight former Stena Alegra as Kaiarahi. behind the decision is that the
Branch have a festive cruise from growing by five per cent. After 5,743gt Incat Manannan could be
Greenock Victoria Harbour to rebuilding at Fayard, Denmark, brought into service more quickly
Tighnabruaich on 28 December 2015. Berlin was due to enter service in should there be problems with ro-
Clyde Clipper, of the Clyde Marine December 2015 and Copenhagen pax Ben-My-Chree’s winter service
Services fleet, sails at 10.30. Email in early 2016. They will carry 1,300 to Heysham and Birkenhead.
dshires@blueyonder.co.uk for more. passengers and up to 460 cars. Manannan is due back on 17 March.

CRUISE William Mayes
BRIEF NEWS
Focus on expansion in China
P&O CRUISES • P&O Cruises has

added St Lucia as a departure
port for Britannia’s 2016/17
Caribbean cruise programme,
thus allowing seven-day
itineraries from Barbados to St
Lucia and vice versa.
AMERICAN CRUISE LINES • The
operator of US East Coast,
Alaska and the Mississippi,
Snake and Columbia rivers has
ordered its largest coastal
cruise ship to date from Costa Fortuna is just one of many ships expected to be heading
Chesapeake Shipbuilding in east in the next few years. WILLIAM MAYES
Maryland. The new ship will
carry 170 passengers and is programme that will include all of the Chinese President to London, Carnival
expected in January 2017.
CARNIVAL CORP usual Princess features, plus Princess Corporation and plc seem to have
The fourth ship in the Royal Princess Class, which will, as the company puts reached an agreement, in conjunction
CRYSTAL CRUISES • The latest series (P&O Cruises’ Britannia is the it, ‘enrich the travel experience’. with China State Shipbuilding
addition to the fleet, the third) will be named Majestic Princess Costa pioneered big ship cruising Corporation and China Investment
62-passenger Crystal Esprit and will become Princess Cruises’ for the Chinese, starting in 2006 with a Corporation, to set up a completely
(1989/3,341gt), will be named in first totally new ship for the Chinese single ship. The company now claims to new domestic Chinese cruise line.
the Seychelles on 20 December market. Princess Cruises have had have carried more than a million Chinese Away from Carnival, MSC will position
2015 by Lady Gaenor Meakes. the experience of operating Sapphire passengers and will have four ships in the recently lengthened MSC Lirica as
Princess seasonally in China for the the market in 2016, including the latest its first ship in China in May 2016, and
ROYAL CARIBBEAN • Splendour past two years, but the new ship will be addition Costa Fortuna. The company, NCL will adapt and rename Norwegian
of the Seas (1996/69,472gt) based in Shanghai year-round. becoming more ambitious, has recently Bliss, currently under construction at
suffered a minor engine Internal alterations are likely to completed its first world cruise for Papenburg, for China in 2017.
room fire on 22 October 2015 include enlarged casinos and enhanced Chinese passengers and will include a The Chinese cruise market has seen
while bound for the Greek top-end shopping opportunities, 46-day South Pacific cruise in 2016. a spectacular growth over the past few
port of Argostoli. Passengers both popular with Chinese In addition, parent company Carnival years, leading to current predictions
occupying cabins on the lower passengers. Majestic Princess will Corporation announced that both that passenger numbers will hit 4.5
deck were mustered, but the cater for 3,600 passengers, offering Carnival Cruise Lines and Aida Cruises million by 2020. If that is the case, there
fire was quickly extinguished. a range of oriental and western will be joining Princess and Costa in will be many more ships heading east
cuisine experiences, together with China in 2017, each with a single ship in the coming years, and undoubtedly
SAIMAA TRAVEL • The totally a comprehensive entertainment initially. Later, during the visit of the some we will never see in the west.
unsuccessful summer 2015
deployment in Denmark of
Brahe (1943/1,105gt), which was Artist’s impression of the
new ship for Saga. SAGA CRUISES
laid up for much of the time,
ended in October with the
ship’s return to Finland. The
ship’s certificates were not valid
for international voyages and
the domestic sailings offered
were not well supported.
CELEBRATION CRUISE LINE •
Bahamas Celebration (1981/
35,855gt) arrived at Alang for
scrapping on 14 October. In
October 2014 the ship hit a
submerged object off Freeport First ever newbuild ship for Saga
and was beyond economic repair. including an attractive funnel, the these 55,900-ton cruise ships for
SAGA colours reverting to those of the first delivery in 2021.
PORT NEWS • Scotland’s most After much speculation and Saga Ships, apparently in response to Saga will include around 80 cabins
northerly mainland commercial anticipation, Saga Shipping has finally passengers’ requests. for single occupancy in the all-balcony
port, Scrabster Harbour, has ordered a new ship. This will be the The 234m ship will be delivered design, and will continue to offer
enjoyed a good 2015 season. first purpose-built cruise ship for the in 2019 from the Meyer shipyard at single seating dining, and, it is to be
The harbour welcomed six company in the almost 20 years that Papenburg and will accommodate hoped, a full walk-around promenade
cruise ships this summer, it has been operating its own ships. almost 1,000 passengers. This is deck, something that is lacking on
bringing more than 3,200 Saga’s first ships, Saga Rose and Saga something of an increase over the both of the current ships, but which
passengers, including Amadea Ruby, appear to have influenced the current maximum of the company’s is very popular on Saga Rose and
which arrived on 8 September design of the new vessel, the artist’s largest ship, Saga Sapphire, which Saga Ruby, as well as a good forward
2015 from Reykjavik, Iceland. impressions of which present an takes a little over 700 passengers. viewing lounge. The ship will feature
elegant, almost traditional profile, There is an option for a second of both indoor and outdoor pools.

Fleet expansion by P&O ‘down under’ More of
Statendam was
the same
recently refitted
CELEBRITY CRUISES
to become Pacific
Eden. RICK FRENDT One of the features of the four
Millennium class has been their ocean
liner-themed restaurants, but that is all
about to change as the Tuscan Grille,
introduced on the Solstice class, is
extended across the mainstream fleet.
The refits are taking place at the
Grand Bahama Shipyard, with Celebrity
Infinity’s completed and that of
Celebrity Summit taking place in March
2016. Infinity has a SS United States-
themed extra tariff restaurant, while that
on Summit has an SS Normandie theme.
joined at the shipyard on 31 October in Australia from November 2016, There is no word currently on
P&O AUSTRALIA by her sister, Ryndam, which emerged replacing the slightly larger Volendam. the Ile de France restaurant on
On 23 October 2015 Holland on 12 November as Pacific Aria, and In May 2017 the P&O Australia Celebrity Constellation or the Olympic
America Line’s Statendam arrived at sailed directly to Sydney for the dual fleet will be expanded further restaurant on Celebrity Millennium,
Singapore’s Sembawang shipyard naming ceremony on 25 November. with the transfer of Dawn Princess but with the perceived need for
for her transformation into P&O Pacific Eden sailed from Singapore (1997/77,441gt) from Princess Cruises, standardisation, those, too, are likely
Australia’s Pacific Eden. Statendam on 3 November, making her way to bringing the fleet up to six ships. No to go before long. It has been said that
disembarked her final Holland America Sydney via Fremantle and Southern name has yet been announced for the displaced etched glass screens
passengers earlier in the day at the Australian ports. Holland America Dawn Princess, but she will become the from United States’ first class ballroom
Singapore Cruise Terminal. She was Line will have sistership Maasdam largest unit operating for the company. will be relocated within the ship, as will
the other memorabilia.
Leaving South America

Island Escape has cruised her last for
Thomson. RICK FRENDT
delivered as Nordic Empress. She

PULLMANTUR later became Empress of the Seas
A further sign of weakness in the and was transferred to Pullmantur in
Spanish-speaking South American 2008, becoming Empress.
cruise market is the decision to With a gross tonnage of 48,563,
move Empress from the Pullmantur she is much smaller than the
fleet and back into the Royal 73,937gt of the one-year-younger
Caribbean International fleet. She Monarch. Pullmantur has been
Escape at end of road will be replaced by Monarch, which

is currently operated by Pullmantur
year-round in the Caribbean. That
a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean
since 2006 and also operates the
sisters Horizon and Zenith under its
before being sold to Sundance Cruises, would give Pullmantur an extra 800 Croisieres de France brand.
THOMSON CRUISES who had her refitted and renamed beds in its European market, largely It will be interesting to see how
After a long and varied career, it appears Stardancer for operation on the west focussed on Spain. Empress of the Seas, as she is to be
that Island Escape has completed her coast of the USA. Empress was built in France in 1990 renamed, will be deployed in the
last cruise for Thomson, at the end of Royal Caribbean acquired her in 1990 for Admiral Cruises as Future Seas, future, but it may be no coincidence
October 2015. She does not currently and replaced the car deck space with but after that company was taken that she is just about the right size
feature in the 2016 schedules. cabins. She sailed for them as Viking over by Royal Caribbean the ship was for many of Cuba’s ports.
Built for DFDS in 1982 as Scandinavia, Serenade until 2002, when she transferred
the 40,711gt ship entered service for to Island Cruises, a joint venture with First Empress will return to Royal
Scandinavian World Voyages as a car Choice Travel of the UK, and was renamed Caribbean in 2016. PULLMANTUR
ferry sailing between New York and Island Escape. In 2009 she joined the
the Bahamas as part of a complicated Thomson fleet. Island Escape is a fairly
arrangement to transport cars and high-density ship and, at the age of 33,
passengers from the North East United may have limited future employment.
States to the sunshine of Florida. Thomson’s fifth ship in 2016 will be a
Passengers had to change to another totally different class of ship from Island
ship in the Bahamas due to limitations Escape. Thomson Discovery, currently
imposed by the Jones Act. Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the
As a result, the service was Seas, will join Thomson in the spring.
unsuccessful, so much so that During winter 2016-17 she will operate
the mighty DFDS was in financial Caribbean cruises from Barbados, while
difficulties for a while. Scandinavia Thomson Dream will continue to be
came to Europe in 1984 and operated based at Montego Bay and Thomson
briefly between Copenhagen and Oslo Celebration will move to Dubai.

NAVAL Gary Davies
Falling Leafs, incoming Tides

RFA Orangeleaf was
decommissioned on 30
September 2015. MARITIME
PHOTOGRAPHIC
for Operation Corporate – the carrier battle group. UK Ministry of Defence.

RFA Falklands War – in 1982 to transport The RFA’s four ‘Leafs’ were part of The RFA will receive the first of a
The last of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s aviation fuel from Ascension to the a cancelled order for John Hudson new class of four fleet replenishment
Leaf class support tankers has Falkland Islands. Two years later she Fuel and Shipping Ltd in 1975. The tankers in 2016. RFA Tidespring (A136)
been retired from service, with the was commissioned into service with company encountered financial was officially named at Okpo in South
decommissioning of RFA Orangeleaf the RFA and refitted with underway problems and were unable to take Korea on 7 October 2015. After the
at Birkenhead, where she had been replenishment equipment. She saw delivery. Nevertheless, construction ship is handed over, an RFA crew will
built 40 years earlier. action again in 1991, when she was of the single-hulled tankers was undertake a six-week delivery voyage
As MV Balder London, the STaT 32 involved in the first Gulf War, and in completed by Cammell Laird, and they via the Panama Canal to Falmouth for
products tanker was requisitioned 2004 she was deployed with a French were subsequently acquired by the the fit of military equipment.
Canadian crossroads Russia’s double blitz

The two-part exercise, NATO’s
CANADIAN NAVY biggest since 2002, took place in Italy, The Buyan-M class
HMCS Athabaskan, the flagship of Portugal and Spain over a five-week corvette Grad
Canada’s Atlantic fleet, required period during October and November. Sviyazhsk fires a
Kalibr missile.
an impromptu week-long visit to Primarily designed to test the NATO
Portsmouth for engine repairs during Response Force (NRF) in the event of a
October. The 43-year-old destroyer crisis, the timely manoeuvres were also
was sidelined earlier in the year with hull used to help set up the enhanced Very
cracks and various other engine issues. High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF)
Having pulled out from one major ahead of it becoming fully operational.
NATO exercise for an engine change by The VJTF is a response to emerging
a mobile team sent from Canada, the security challenges posed by Russia, as
ageing warship returned to sea to join well as the risks identified in both the
another, Exercise Trident Juncture. Middle East and North Africa.
are reported to have crashed in
RUSSIAN NAVY Iran, Russia’s measured display
HMCS Athabaskan is one of
60 ships taking part in the Russia has ably demonstrated its long- of strategic firepower from ships
biggest NATO exercise for range cruise missile capability for the displacing less than 1,000 tonnes
more than a decade. MARITIME first time, with strikes against targets has not only landed significant blows
PHOTOGRAPHIC in Syria. Between them, the Gepard against their intended targets but,
class frigate Dagestan and Buyan-M more significantly, produced an
class corvettes Uglich, Grad Sviyazhsk effective piece of propaganda for the
and Veliky Ustyug launched 26 Kalibr beleaguered Putin.
cruise missiles from the land-locked The Americans and their allies will
Caspian Sea. The missiles travelled not only be surprised by the reach of
almost 1,500km, passing through the Caspian Flotilla, but alarmed by
both Iranian and Iraqi air space, with the now-proven operational capability
pre-strike approval granted by both of the Russian equivalent of the US
countries, en route to their targets. Tomahawk, dubbed the ‘carrier killer’,
Although four of the missiles which is freely available for export.

news
The Expeditionary Base Mobile has a 52,000ft2 flight deck and accommodation for up to 250 personnel. NASSCO
BRIEF NEWS
EGYPTIAN NAVY • The French
government has agreed to
sell two Mistral assault ships,
which were originally ordered
by Russia, to its new best
customer. The price paid for
the helicopter carriers was not
revealed. France is thought
to have lost up to €250 million
on the ships, having already
refunded €950 million to
Moscow for the failed contract.
BRAZILIAN NAVY • The
Expeditionary expansion
Marinha do Brasil is down
to eight frigates following
the decommissioning of
Bosísio, after a total 33 years’
The new ship is intended to support reclassified to streamline the fleet with service with two navies, on
US NAVY a range of forward-based missions, more conformative names. As such, 29 September. The former
The General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard including Air Mine Counter Measures, the Mobile Landing Platforms are now HMS Brazen was one of four
in San Diego, California has started counter-piracy operations, maritime known as Expeditionary Transfer Docks Batch 1 Broadsword class ships
construction of a second Expeditionary security operations, humanitarian aid (ESD) and the Afloat Forward Staging transferred to Brazil between
Base Mobile Ship for the US Navy. The and disaster relief missions, and US Base (AFSB) are now Expeditionary Base 1995 and 1997. Like Dodsworth
vessel, to be named USNS Hershel W. Marine Corps crisis response. It will also Mobile (ESB). The E designation for (ex-HMS Brilliant) before her,
Williams (ESB 2), is similar to USNS Lewis B. provide operating and maintenance expeditionary vessels is also applied to Bosísio is to be scrapped.
Puller (ESB 1), developed from the Mobile facilities for MH-53, MH-60 helicopters the Austal-built Joint High Speed Vessel The first of class, Greenhalgh
Landing Platforms, USNS Montford Point and MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft. (JHSV), which will now be known as (ex-HMS Broadsword), and
(ESD 1) and USNS John Glenn (ESD 2). The ships were all recently Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF). Rademaker (ex-HMS Battleaxe)
remain operational.
US focus Finland’s corvette quest PAKISTANI NAVY • Pakistan

has finalised a deal for
on frigates FINNISH NAVY

Subject to parliamentary approval
the programme budget will be set
the procurement of eight
diesel-electric cruise missile
The Finnish Defence Ministry in the region of €1.2 billion, despite submarines with China. Details
US NAVY has authorised plans for the aggressive public spending cuts. The of the agreement remain
With the last of the navy’s Oliver procurement of new warships. The project planning phase is expected sketchy, but it is known that
Hazard Perry class frigates being so-called ‘Squadron 2020’ project to last until 2018 with construction construction of the vessels is
decommissioned in September aims to replace four Rauma class Fast at a Finnish shipyard anticipated to to be divided equally between
2015, the US Navy has effectively Attack Craft and two Hämeenmaa take place between 2019 and 2024. shipyards in both countries.
called time on the Littoral Combat class Minelayers with four multi- The project could yet involve The vessels are thought to be
Ship concept in favour of a purpose corvettes. other Nordic nations. The defence the S-20 export derivative of
traditional frigate design. The next With an ambitious requirement ministers of Sweden, Norway, the Type 039A/Type 041 Yuan
phase of the LCS programme will to provide anti-air, anti-submarine Finland, Denmark and Iceland have class submarine, equipped with
focus on improving the lethality and anti-shipping capabilities, even already agreed on closer co-operation air-independent propulsion.
and survivability of the existing in winter ice conditions, and also the in response to Russian aggression. The expansion of Pakistan’s
designs. Both hull variants are likely ability to contribute to international Finland, which borders Russia, and underwater capabilities is in
to be kept, although some features, missions, the new ships are likely to Sweden are not members of NATO, direct response to India’s move
such as the crane and stern mission be the largest ever to be built for but have also improved links with towards nuclear-powered subs.
bay doors, will be eliminated to the Finnish Navy. the transatlantic alliance.
save weight for other add-ons like IRISH NAVAL SERVICE • The
armour plating and missiles. latest government defence
To increase potency, the White Paper has confirmed the
upgraded vessels will feature an requirement for a minimum
over-the-horizon missile system, eight-ship fleet as Ireland looks
a SeaRAM anti-ship missile system to play an increasing role on
and a ship-launched Hellfire the international stage. The
missile system, all managed by current flagship, LÉ Eithne, is
the Lockheed Martin Combat to be replaced by a helicopter-
Management System Component capable multi-role vessel,
Based Total Ship System – 21st along with the Coastal Patrol
Century (COMBATSS-21). They will Vessels, LÉ Ciara and LÉ Orla.
also have a permanent torpedo The replacements are to be
An impression of how
decoy and variable depth sonar and equipped with counter-mine
Finland’s ‘Squadron 2020’
multi-function towed array. corvettes may look. and counter-IED capabilities.

CARGO
Capesizers
disposed of Looking sharp
BULKERS
Denmark’s D/S Norden, a major
operator of dry bulk tonnage, has
elected to leave the capesize sector of
the market because of the slowdown
in China. Although it controls a fleet
of nearly 250 ships, only three of
these are capesize: Nord Energy, Nord
Steel and Nord Power, all of about
180,000dwt, and now to be sold. The
company is also contemplating leaving
the post-Panamax market, where it
operates eight ships. Capesize bulk
Brightly painted, the 57,807dwt
carriers, which once earned $200,000 a bulk carrier Global Vega is one of a
day before the 2007-09 financial crisis, growing number of ships being built by
have only been earning about $9,000 Tsuneishi Heavy Industries in the Philippines,
per day in the current market. JS helping to make that country the world’s
fourth largest shipbuilder. THICI
Unfortunately, the 190m by 32.2m capability of building a vessel the

NEWBUILD vessel may have a difficult time size of Global Vega in about ten
A ship never looks as good as when retaining her glow, as she has been months. Now considered one of the
she is newly delivered, and such is placed in service transporting bulk largest yards in the Philippines, THICI
the case with 57,807dwt bulk carrier coal from Indonesia. has ten quays on its 147-hectare
Global Vega, built by the Tsuneishi However, her builder has a bright property and a building dock that can
ABOVE The 2004-built Nord Energy Heavy Industries (THICI) yard at Cebu, future, with over 60 booked orders accommodate bulk carriers of up to
is one of three capesize ships to be Philippines for Japan’s NYK Line. stretching into 2017, and with the 180,000dwt capacity. JS
disposed of by Norden. D/S NORDEN
Bulker in trouble again Converted to LNG

warnings from vessel traffic services.
CASUALTY Pilotage for a vessel of her size is
The Turkish-owned and -operated not compulsory and she had not
bulk carrier El Condor Pas was embarked a pilot for the passage.
transiting the Bosphorus northbound Initial attempts to refloat the
on 9 September 2015 when she vessel were unsuccessful, but she was
grounded near Umuryeri Point. The eventually freed on 11 September
177m 33,476dwt Panamanian-flagged and moved to the Istanbul anchorage.
bulker, built in Japan in 2000, was on On 30 July the same vessel suffered
passage from Odense, Denmark to engine failure while transiting the
the Black Sea port of Samsun with Kiel Canal and had to be towed to
29,000 tons of steel products when Kiel, where she was detained. The
she grounded, reportedly having left vessel had also been detained in
the marked channel despite several Southampton in September 2014. RC
ABOVE The 10,585gt German feeder ship Wes Amelia is to be converted to burn
LNG, with financing for the project to be provided by the German government. WR
Gas Engineering on the conversion, but

FEEDER BOXBOAT said that, due to the long delivery time
German shipowner Wessels Reederei of the needed LNG storage tanks, the
has been given funds to convert one retrofit will not begin until the fourth
of its feeder container ships, the 152m quarter of this year.
by 23m Wes Amelia (2011), to burn LNG, The 10,585gt Wes Amelia has 23
marking the first of what could be many sisterships, 16 of which are structurally
conversions in the company’s fleet. identical, which opens up considerable
The German firm will work together options for follow-up projects once
ABOVE The Turkish-operated bulk cargo vessel El Condor Pas (2000) ran aground with engine manufacturer MAN Diesel LNG becomes more readily available on
while transiting the Bosphorus on 9 September. SIMON SMITH & Turbo and gas specialist TGW Marine European shipping routes. JS

news
Ballast water
Delmas to disappear treatment
Delmas of France has operated a number of ships, BULKERS
such as the 30,453gt Nicolas Delmas, between
Europe and Africa, but is to be fully absorbed into Canada’s Fednav Limited is equipping
parent company CMA CGM. DELMAS its 12 bulk carriers under construction
by Japan’s Oshima shipyard with
a ballast water treatment system
developed by JFE Engineering
Corporation. The decision to use JFE’s
‘BallastAce’ system comes after the
Canadian company tested several
other systems on its operating bulk
carriers. The first JFE developed
system has been installed on the
34,000dwt Federal Biscay, which
entered service last month. JS
and North African ports until losing take delivery of new tonnage in the
COMPANY NEWS two thirds of its fleet during World 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s it began
One of the world’s oldest operating War I. It subsequently recovered, and acquiring a number of its competitors,
shipping companies, Le Havre-based expanded its services to West Africa in including the West African services of
Delmas Shipping, is scheduled to the 1920s, but again lost the majority Chargeurs Réunis and Elder Dempster,
disappear into the larger CMA CGM of its fleet in World War II. before being acquired itself by the
group later this year after having been After hostilities ended, and under Bolloré Group in 1991. Five years later it
purchased by CMA CGM in 2006. The the name Société Navale Delmas acquired the remaining liner activities ABOVE A ballast water treatment
firm was founded as Delmas Freres in Vieljeux, it continued operations with of Chargeurs Réunis, but was taken system is to be installed on bulk
1867 and operated between France second-hand Liberty ships until it could over by CMA CGM in 2006. carriers operated by Fednav. FEDNAV
Anthony Veder expands British vessel scrapped

carriers Castel dell’Ovo (2007) and
GAS TANKERS Castello di Gradara (2009) have
The Rotterdam-based Anthony Veder been commercially managed by
Group was established in 1937 as a Veder since early 2015 and they
ship owner and port agent. Since will be delivered to their owners
acquiring its first gas tanker in 1969, and renamed Coral Medusa and
the company has been involved in Coral Monactis respectively.
all kinds of gas shipping and now The 8,000 CBM ethylene carriers
operates a fleet of 30 gas tankers, Castel Nuovo (2009) and Castel
including five LNG-fuelled gas tankers. Sant’Elmo (2009) will follow after
The company is to modernise leaving the Lauritzen Kosan Pool,
its fleet by purchasing four gas and will be renamed Coral Pearl and
tankers from LGR di Navigazione Coral Patula. All four vessels will trade
SpA of Italy. The 4,000 CBM semi- in North West Europe as part of
pressurised fully refrigerated gas Veder’s pool of gas tankers. RC ABOVE The former Stephenson Clarke bulk carrier Dallington has gone for recycling
as Lena Koleva. She was beached at Aliaga on 29 September 2015. SIMON SMITH
Stephenson Clarke vessels in their fleet:

BULKER the smaller 11,990dwt Durrington
The former Stephenson Clarke bulker (1981), now trading as Batya, and the
Dallington (1975), which was a regular ex Storrington (1982), now Silvia, both
sight in British Ports in the 1970s and under the Bulgarian flag.
1980s, has gone for recycling at Aliaga, All three vessels were built at
where she arrived on 28 September Verolme, Heusden, Netherlands.
2015, being beached the next day. Stephenson Clarke was established
In April 2010 her ownership passed in 1730 and went into liquidation in
from Stephenson Clarke to VM 2012. In 2008 their vessels ranged
International Ltd of Varna, Bulgaria, in size from Ardent, of 1,180dwt, to
who have traded the 12,140dwt vessel Dallington, which, at 12,138dwt, had
ABOVE The gas carrier Castel dell’Ovo (2007) has been purchased by the
under the Comoros flag. The same the distinction of being the largest
Anthony Veder Group and will be renamed Coral Medusa. SIMON SMITH
company also have two other former vessel they operated. RC

NEWBUILD Jim Shaw
Keel laid for

LNG ConRo
First ethane-powered ship
CON-RO SHIPS
VT Halter Marine’s facility at
Pascagoula, Mississippi has laid the
keel for the second Commitment class
LNG-powered Con-Ro ship it is building
for Crowley Maritime Corporation,
with the first ship’s keel having been
laid in January 2015. Cargo capacity
will be approximately 2,400TEU,
with additional space for nearly 400
vehicles in an enclosed garage.
Both 219.5m by 32.2m ships have
been designed to maximise the
carriage of 53ft containers, which are
popular in the American market, and
will have a deadweight capacity of
26,500 tonnes on a draught of 10m.
To be named El Coquí and Taíno, they The world’s first ethane-powered ship, the 20,400dwt JS Ineos Insight, is carrying her
are scheduled for delivery during the shale gas message across the Atlantic. BUREAU VERITAS
second and fourth quarter of 2017
respectively and will replace Crowley’s
towed triple-deck barge fleet in the over 800,000 tonnes of ethane gas, plus modifications to the Wärtsilä
Puerto Rico trade.
GAS CARRIER stored at -90°C, each year from the 6L20 DF main engines that included
The first of a series of eight 27,500m3 US to Norway and Scotland. Although a lower compression ratio, different
capacity multi-gas Dragon class vessels originally designed to operate on turbocharger nozzles, and de-rating
being built by the Sino-Pacific yard LNG and diesel, using two 1,000m3 to cope with the lower knocking
in China for Denmark’s Evergas, the LNG storage tanks mounted on deck, resistance of ethane.
20,400dwt JS Ineos Insight, has entered an ability to burn ethane was added A second tanker, JS Ineos Ingenuity,
service as the world’s first ocean-going to allow the vessels to use a portion will enter service shortly carrying the
ethane-powered ship. of their cargo as fuel. This required message ‘Shale Gas For Chemicals’ on
ABOVE Crowley is to take delivery of its Once all eight tankers are extra engine room ventilation and her sides and a dragon representing
two LNG ConRo ships in 2017. CROWLEY operational, they will be transporting additional gas detection equipment, ‘King of Water’ on her LNG storage tanks.
Germany’s first LNG vessel

by the complexity of technology used
LNG FERRY in the construction of LNG-powered
Cuxhaven-based Reederei Cassen Eils vessels, and the time-consuming
is hoping to put Germany’s first LNG- approval procedures for some of the
fuelled vessel, Helgoland, into operation prototype equipment used on board
after shipbuilder Fassmer-Werft the vessel, particularly the LNG-
missed the original delivery deadline powered generator sets, as the main
by almost five months because of reasons for the delay. Once delivered,
technical issues. The 83m by 12.6m Helgoland will operate between
dual-fuel ferry, which has a capacity Cuxhaven and the island of Helgoland,
for 1,180 passengers, was originally its route taking it close to the Lower
scheduled for delivery in June. Saxon Wadden Sea national park,
Fassmer cited technical issues caused where it will operate primarily on LNG.
First LNG boxboats The new German ferry Helgoland is powered by two nine-
cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF medium-speed dual-fuel
engines, making her the first German-flagged
ABOVE TOTE Maritime’s LNG-powered marine vessel to operate on
CONTAINER SHIPS LNG as its primary fuel.
container ship Isla Bella receiving her
San Diego’s General Dynamics hatch covers while under construction
NASSCO shipyard at San Diego, at San Diego’s NASSCO shipyard. NASSCO
California launched the 3,100TEU
Perla Del Caribe in late August 2015, by 32.3m vessels, which are powered
the world’s second LNG-powered by dual-fuel MAN 8L70ME-C8.2-GI
container ship, following sistership engines to give a speed of 22 knots,
Isla Bella, which was launched in mid- will operate between Jacksonville,
April (see SM, Nov 2015) and is now Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico
being readied for service. Both 233m replacing ships El Faro and El Yunque.

news
China building up fleet Largest all-
electric ferry
Crude oil carriers are big ships, particularly when seen in ballast, like FERRY
China Merchants Energy Shipping’s new 333m by 60m New Harmony, a Denmark’s Søby Shipyard Ltd expects
320,391dwt vessel with a cargo capacity of 358,924m3, recently completed to complete the world’s largest all-
by China’s Guangzhou Longxue Shipbuilding. CHINA MERCHANTS
electric ferry for operation between
the island of Ærø and the mainland of
Denmark by June 2017. Being built as
part of Denmark’s Natura project, which
provides rural populations with green
transportation, the 50m vessel will
carry up to 25 cars and 147 passengers.
Finland’s electric drive train
specialist Visedo will provide the
electric system for the ferry, which
will incorporate a 4.2MW lithium-ion
battery bank provided by Switzerland’s
Leclanché. The ship will reduce CO2
emissions by 2,000 tons and NOx
emissions by 41,500 kg a year on her
route, while the electric propulsion
system will significantly reduce both
emitted noise levels and wake. Visedo
known China Merchants Group, Its fleet currently consists of 38 says the market for marine electric
TANKERS which traces its history back to the oil tankers of about ten million dwt vessels is expected to treble by 2023.
China has a very large merchant fleet China Merchants Steam Navigation total capacity, 13 bulk carriers of 1.56
and is building new ships rapidly. Company of 1872, CMES was jointly million dwt total capacity and six LNG
One of the country’s largest tanker established by China’s Sinopec, ships of 0.9 million total cubic metre
operators, China Merchants Energy Sinochem, COSCO and CNOOC groups capacity, or about 500,000 dwt.
Shipping Company (CMES), has been at the end of 2004 to own and Additionally, 20 more vessels are on
taking delivery of a number of large operate large ocean-going tankers, order and will be delivered before the
crude carriers from compatriot as well as bulk carriers and liquefied end of 2017 to give a fleet of over 55
shipyards. Affiliated with the well- natural gas ships. representing nearly 22 million dwt. ABOVE A new all-electric ferry that will
run to the island of Ærø. VISEDO
ABB orders cable layer Small ferries for Canada

problems during the vessel’s
FERRY transatlantic delivery voyage.
The second of two small ferries being Because of this, the propulsion
built by Damen Group’s yard in Galati, machinery installed in Legionnaire,
Romania for the Government of which was launched by Damen in
Newfoundland and Labrador has been July 2015 for delivery the following
launched under the name Legionnaire, month, will be thoroughly tested prior
but the first ferry of the series, the to handover. Both vessels have been
80.9m by 17.2m Veteran, has had built to Super A1 ice class standards
to be returned to the yard for the for operation in Eastern Canada
installation of a new MTU main engine and are capable of carrying 200
after the original diesel developed passengers and 65 vehicles.
ABOVE To be built to lay high-voltage cable, ABB’s new cable layer will be completed
by Norway’s Kleven yard for delivery in 2017. ABB
technologies, including a complete ABB

CABLE LAYER Integrated Automation System and
Switzerland’s ABB group has ordered three ABB Azipod propulsion units.
a 140m by 30m cable-laying vessel Together with an onboard DC
from Norway’s Kleven shipyard for grid and power distribution system,
delivery in 2017 that will be DP3 which will use a single DC circuit
(dynamic positioning) rated and will be for ship propulsion, the ship’s fuel
employed to lay high-voltage cable. consumption is expected to be cut by
The ship will be built to a 306 CLV 27 per cent compared to conventional
design furnished by Salt Ship Design AC systems, while three tunnel
of Stord, Norway and will incorporate thrusters supplied by Brunvoll will aid ABOVE Damen’s yard in Romania has launched the second of two ferries it is
building for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. DAMEN GROUP
a large number of ABB’s own marine manoeuvrability.

boats ordered
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Frisian ferries
The West Frisian Islands, a chain of islands
in the North Sea off the Dutch coast at the
edge of the Wadden Sea, are served by
a great number and variety of different
ferries, as Matt Davies explains.
FRIESLAND
BUILT 1989, Van der Giessen-
de Noord, Rotterdam
TONNAGE 3,573gt
DIMENSIONS 69m x 16m
ENGINES Two 1,750kW
SPEED 14 knots
CAPACITY 1,350 passengers,
122 cars
ROUTE Harlingen-Terschelling
OWNER Rederij Doeksen
T
he Frisian Islands, Ems Estuary, and the five ferries, slow-speed catamarans Ferry overview
which run from Dutch islands of Texel,Vlieland, and vessels with an open The island of Texel (pronounced
Texel in the west Terschelling, Ameland and vehicle deck located above their ‘Tessel’) is served from Den
along the North Schiermonnikoog. passenger accommodation in Helder by Texels Eigen
Sea coasts of The islands are separated order to raise their freeboard Stoomboot Onderneming
Netherlands and Germany from the mainland coast by and minimise the effect of wave (TESO), which was founded in
and Denmark, form a unique the Wadden Sea a shallow impact on the deck. 1907 and operates two double-
group and are extremely intertidal body of water With the exception of those deck double-ended vessels.
popular tourist destinations in consisting of mudflats, trenches which run to Texel, ferry Vlieland and Terschelling have
the summer. The East Frisian and wetlands. There are four routes are subsidised and highly been served by Rederij Doeksen
Island chain flanks the northern principal ferry operators, each seasonal. Although busy with from Harlingen since 1908,
Dutch coast and is made up of which has a long heritage tourists during the summer, and today three car ferries, a
of six islands: the German and operates different vessel the routes are relatively quiet freight ferry and two passenger
Island of Borkum, which lies types, including a number of during the winter with services catamarans work the route.
off the north east corner of interesting designs such as considerably reduced and Wagenborg Passagiersdiensten,
Holland at the mouth of the double-deck double-ended lifeline in nature. in existence since 1898,

EUROPEAN FERRIES
ABOVE TESO’s impressive 13,256gt Doktor Wagemaker

arriving at Den Helder after the 20-minute crossing
from the island of Texel. MATT DAVIES
operates four car ferries and owned EVT ran a single car island owners for €9 million,
a passenger catamaran to ferry between Harlingen and and the company’s vessel and ABOVE The 1989-built ferry Friesland
Ameland from Holwerd, and Terschelling, controversially crew transferred to Doeksen. (3,583gt) arriving at Terschelling. She
to Schiermonnikoog from in direct competition with undertakes three round trips daily
Lauwersoog. Doeksen’s subsidised service. TESO and Texel from Harlingen to the island and can
At the eastern corner of The company was set up by TESO operate two double- carry 120 cars and 1,350 passengers.
NICHOLAS LEACH
the Netherlands, the German islanders in 2008 in protest ended double-deck ferries on
company AG EMS has served at Doeksen’s fares and service the four kilometre 20-minute
the island of Borkum since levels and operated mainly journey between Den Helder
1843 and today operates at peak times, undercutting and Horntje on the island of can carry 1,750 passengers and
sailings from the Dutch port Doeksen considerably. Texel, crossing the turbulent 300 cars and operates hourly.
of Eemshaven, and across the However, following much legal Marsdiep tidal race. Principal Her introduction saw
Ems Estuary from Emden in wrangling and threats from vessel is the 13,256gt Doktor the 1991-built Schulpengat
Germany. Until April 2014 Doeksen, a compromise was Wagemaker, built in 2006 relegated to TESO’s secondary
a fi fth West Frisian operator reached which saw the Dutch by Damen Schelde Naval vessel and the older Molengat
existed; the independently- government buy EVT from its Shipbuilding,Vlissingen, which (1980) withdrawn. The

Zeesleepboot Holland Spathoek was operated by EVT
from 2012 to 2014, when she
was taken over by Doeksen. She
is seen departing Harlingen for
Terschelling. NICHOLAS LEACH
The preserved ship Holland was built for Doeksen in 1951 for a dual role
of tug and summer high season ferry, carrying 700 passengers. She
operated in both capacities until 1976, when she was withdrawn due to
falling demand for towage and assistance with the modernisation of
seafaring vessels. From 1976 to 1998 Holland was chartered to the Dutch
Government Water Agency, Rijkswaterstaat, as research vessel. When
she was finally withdrawn, her demolition was proposed and a public
campaign to save her was started. Acquired as a museum ship in 2000,
she was taken to the Den Helder Maritime Museum during the restoration
work. Now marketed as the Zeesleepboot Holland, she is based at
Harlingen and is operational again, undertaking regular excursions.
The secondary vessel operated by TESO is the 1991-built Schulpengat, pictured 8,311gt vessel can carry 1,750 an hour and a half. She was
on the crossing between Den Helder and Texel. NICHOLAS LEACH passengers and 242 cars and built by FBMA Marine, Cebu
operates at peak periods, in the Philippines in 2005
increasing sailing frequency to and can carry 59 cars and
half hourly. 1,200 passengers. Her stylish
A new ‘eco ferry’, named contemporary interior resulted
Texelstroom, is being built for in her winning the Shippax
TESO by LaNaval Shipyard, Outstanding Ferry Lounge
Bilbao for delivery in spring award of 2006. She replaced
2016 to replace Schulpengat. Oost Friesland, a close sister
The new 135m double-ended to Midsland and a former AG
double vehicle-deck vessel will EMS ferry which now operates
Doeksen’s open deck slow speed catamaran Noord Nederland maintains carry 1,750 passengers and in Iceland as Baldur.
freight sailings to Vlieland and Terschelling. MATT DAVIES 350 cars, or 34 trucks and 261 Friesland is more than 25
cars, and will operate principally years old, having been built
on CNG (compressed natural in 1989 for Rederij Doeksen
Oerd operated between gas) stored in tanks on her by Van der Giessen de Noord,
Holwerd and Ameland roof. Further power will be Krimpen aan de IJssel. Despite
for Wagenborg. Although
available from hybrid electric the proximity of Terschelling
identical to Sier, she was
rechargeable batteries and over to the mainland, the crossing
built eight years later.
700m² of solar panels, and the takes two hours due to the
NICHOLAS LEACH
vessel will also be able to operate circuitous route taken through
on conventional marine diesel. the shallow waters of the
Wadden Sea, which, at one
Rederij Doeksen point, involves vessels sailing in
Rederij Doeksen’s slow the direction of the coast.
speed catamaran Vlieland Midsland was built in 1974
crosses from Harlingen to her by Cassens Werft, Emden,
namesake island three times Germany and was originally
a day, making the crossing in Rheinland of AG EMs. She

EUROPEAN FERRIES
SPATHOEK
BUILT 1988, launched 22.4.88
TONNAGE 1,743gt
DIMENSIONS 67.84m x 12.82m x
1.95m
ENGINES Two 1,440kW MWM
SPEED 12.5 knots
CAPACITY 975 passengers,
55 cars
ROUTE Harlingen-Terschelling
OWNERS Wyker Dampfschiffs
Reederei (WDR)/
2011– EVT/ 2014–
Rederij Doeksen
EX NAMES Schleswig-Holstein
was lengthened in 1980 and lengthening the vessel by 20m

acquired by Rederij Doeksen
in 1994. Since delivery of
and conversion to carry 200
passengers, and will take place
Preserving Friesland of 1955
Vlieland, she has operated as this winter. In addition, a new
a relief vessel and provides €25 million LNG-powered
additional crossings on the 72m slow-speed catamaran able
Harlingen to Terschelling route to carry 900 passengers and
during the summer peak. She 72 cars is being ordered from
can carry 55 cars and 1,200 Damen Shipyards for delivery
passengers on two decks of early in 2018. Together, the
lounges, which are located two LNG vessels will mean
below her vehicle deck. Midsland can be withdrawn
The majority of freight and Friesland will be relegated
between Harlingen and to reserve vessel.
Terschelling and Vlieland is Doeksen’s 50m fast passenger
carried by Doeksen’s open-deck catamaran Tiger operates at
slow-speed freight catamaran 35 knots and can carry 415
Noord Nederland, which was passengers. She was built
built in 2002 by ASB, Harwood, by FBMA Marine, Cebu,
Friesland was built in 1955 for Rederij Doeksen and operated for the
New South Wales, Australia. Philippines as Jetstream but
This unusual vessel can carry entered service as Supercat company between Harlingen and Terschelling until 1988. The vessel, which
12 lorries and their drivers and, 2000, before being purchased could carry 1,000 passengers and 16 cars, was sold on for river use as a
in Harlingen, operates from a by Doeksen in 2008. She is the party cruise vessel in the Rotterdam and Dordrecht areas. In 1996 she was
dedicated freight terminal in principal craft on the Harlingen sold again, this time for day cruising on the Oosterschelde estuary. In 2002
the inner docks. to Terschelling passenger service, she was purchased by a charitable trust formed to acquire and preserve
Doeksen has been awarded which operates four times a her for summer tourist operation on the IJsselmeer between Enkhuizen
a €1.2 million grant towards day in each direction with a
and Medemblik, where she is pictured, in conjunction with the Hoorn to
a €3.5 million conversion crossing time of 45 minutes.
of Noord Nederland to The Norwegian-built Medemblik narrow gauge steam railway.
LNG. The project includes catamaran Koegelwieck is

Ostfriesland
Built 1985
TONNAGE 1,859gt
Dimensions 78.7m x 12.6m x
2.56m
Speed 15.5 knots
CAPACITY 1,200 passengers,
70 cars
ROUTE Borkum-Emden
OWNER AG Ems
Ostfriesland of AG Ems departing Borkum on a crossing to Emden. M. Davies
Doeksen’s relief passenger fast was purchased by the Dutch

craft, normally performing relief government for €9 million
service and operating additional and absorbed by Doeksen,
crossings between Harlingen and with islanders given a say in
Terschelling at peak times. The the running of ferry services
312-seat vessel was built in 1992 through a user committee.
for Doeksen and has been with Spathoek quickly had her
the Dutch company ever since. EVT markings painted out
In April 2014 Rederij but continued to operate
Doeksen took over operation of the EVT schedule under
EVT and their vessel Spathoek. the Doeksen banner until
EVT (Eigen Veerdienst September. Spathoek has now
Terschelling – Own Ferry been withdrawn and laid up
Service Terschelling) was set in Lauwersoog and is for sale,
up by islanders aggrieved due to concerns that her low
about the poor service levels freeboard and open vehicle
and high fares of Doeksen, deck design is unsuited to year-
ABOVE Doeksen’s 35-knot passenger catamaran Tiger arriving at Harlingen after
which is subsidised by the round Wadden Sea operation.
her 45-minute crossing from Terschelling. Nicholas Leach
state. Operations commenced
in 2008 with passenger vessel Wagenborg
Stortemelk. In 2012 the Wagenborg Passagiersdiensten’s
1988-built German car ferry link to the island of Ameland is
Schleswig-Holstein, previously in the hands of identical sister
owned by Wyker Dampfschiffs- vessels Sier and Oerd, which
Reederei, was introduced. operate from Holwerd. The
Spathoek usually operated vessels, which each carry 72 cars
just a single round trip a day on and 1,200 passengers in lounges
the Harlingen to Terschelling located below the vehicle deck at
route, with a double run in a speed of 10.5 knots, were built
the summer. The 67m ferry by Bijlsma Wartena, Wartena,
can carry 975 passengers and Holland. Sier was built in 1995
65 cars at a speed of 12.5 with Oerd not following until
knots. Following various 2003, eight years later.
legal wrangles over repeated Sailings to Ameland are
attempts to block berth access planned around a single vessel
in both ports and the Dutch operating a two-hourly service,
Government’s attempt to ban with a crossing time of 45
EVT from operating, a deal minutes, supported by a second ABOVE Rederij Doeksen’s slow-speed catamaran Vlieland heading away from
was reached whereby EVT vessel at peak and holiday times. Harlingen, bound for her namesake island. Matt Davies

EUROPEAN FERRIES
round trips on AG EMS’

Rederij Wadden Transport’s solitary vessel, longer route from Emden,
Terschelling Bank, berthed in Harlingen’s located upstream on the Ems
outer harbour, from where she operates estuary, to Borkum and has a
weekly freight sailings to the islands of crossing time of two hours 15
Terschelling and Vlieland. Matt Davies minutes. During the winter
of 2014 she underwent a
€13 million conversion and
lengthening to operate on
LNG in Bremerhaven. She
had a new 15m stern section
added, increasing her length
from 79m to 93m and car
capacity to 75 cars, with lifts
installed linking her four decks.
Nordlicht operates AG EMS
fast passenger sailings between
Emden and Borkum’, making
four crossings a day, with
an hour’s crossing time. At
weekends during the summer
she undertakes occasional
sailings from Eemshaven in 25
minutes as well. The 1989-built
craft can carry 272 passengers.
The former German ferry Midsland, originally Rheinland of AG Ems, departing

the river Ems, nine miles off Rederij Wadden
the Dutch coast. AG EMS Rederij Wadden Transport’s
Harlingen. MATT DAVIES
operates a further three car solitary vessel, Terschelling
ferries: Ostfriesland, sister Bank, was built in 1954 in
to Münsterland; Helgoland, Bremerhaven for operation
which undertakes relief duties from the port to Nordenham.
alongside a July and August She was acquired in 2001 and
service between Wilhelmshaven entered service a year later,
and Helgoland; and relief car replacing a coaster on freight
ferry Groningerland. sailings from Harlingen to
In addition, a passenger Vlieland and Terschelling. She
catamaran, Nordlicht, and a carries freight, heavy loads
passenger-only ferry Wappen and construction materials
Von Borkum are operated. and sails weekly on a Friday,
Münsterland can carry 1,200 undertaking additional sailings
passengers and 55 cars and as and when required. In 2011
Crossings to AG EMS generally operates the Dutch she was to be refurbished to
Schiermonnikoog are The 1986-built Münsterland is service, making three or four offer passenger sailings with
operated from Lauwersoog operated by German operator round trips a day, with a a capacity of 300, and in
by identical sister vessels AG EMS to the German crossing time of 50 minutes. 2012 a merger with EVT was
Rottum and Monnik. Both island of Borkum, which The 1,860gt Ostfriesland proposed, but both proposals
were built by Scheepswerf is situated at the mouth of normally operates two daily came to nothing.
Hoogezand, Hoogezand in
1985 and can carry 36 cars
The catamaran Nordlicht crossing between Emden and Borkum. Matt Davies
and 1,000 passengers at 11
knots and make the crossing
in 45 minutes. A two-hourly
frequency and single vessel
service normally operates,
supplemented by the second
vessel during the summer peak
to offer hourly departures.
Extra summer passenger
sailings are operated by a
Damen-built catamaran, the
30m 130-passenger capacity
37-knot Esonborg from 1999,
which provides a direct link
from the Esonstad holiday
resort. The one-hour passage
to the resort, located inland
on the Lauwersmeer Lake,
requires the craft to transit a
lock at Lauwersoog.

A chance encounter at Birkenhead in 1961 encouraged Roy Fenton to unearth the story of
The Liberty Colliers
I
n the quarter century engines were placed aft and it account of the type and which
ABOVE Seen in the Cape Cod Canal,
after World War II, had a unique set of cargo gear. has never been bettered.
Winding Gulf was an example of the
the Liberty ship One of my favourite books,
ageing Eastern Seaboard collier. The
became very familiar, Laurence Dunn’s ‘Ship Commercial crisis 1918-built steamer survived World War
increasingly under the Recognition’, gave a clue to the The design of the basic II but, replaced by a Liberty collier, she
Greek, Panama or Liberian identity of the Yugoslav Uskok: Liberty ship was a response was broken up at Philadelphia in 1948.
flags. But in April 1961 this she was one of the two dozen to the need for cargo ships Eric Johnson
ship enthusiast, then just a ‘Liberty colliers’. Years later, to be built quickly to serve
teenager, encountered a ship I found the full story of these the Allies in wartime. In
which clearly had the hull of ships in Mitchell and Sawyer’s contrast, the Liberty colliers engines, boilers and hull
a Liberty, but was otherwise ‘The Liberty Ship’, the book were constructed for purely components being built on a
very different. In particular, its which gave the first definitive commercial reasons. There was production-line basis. But there
concern in US shipping circles were also serious challenges
that the collier fleet which for the naval architects. The
moved coal from Hampton biggest of these was to adapt the
Roads to the ports of New ‘tween deck design of the basic
England had been hard hit Liberty to give the full depth
by war losses, and was also holds, without an intermediate
seriously ageing. deck, needed in the coal trade.
To avoid a potential crisis in Extra strengthening was needed,
coal shipments, the survivors especially of bulkheads. As the
of the 40 ships in the trade on colliers would spend half their
the outbreak of war needed time at sea in ballast, wing tanks
to be replaced urgently and were fitted to enhance ballasting
supplemented. Thus, early in arrangements. To expedite
1944, consideration was given loading, the water ballast had
to adapting the well-tried to be discharged quickly once
ABOVE The Liberty colliers did not retain their original names long, as they were Liberty design as a coal carrier. the colliers were close to the
quickly bought by coal and gas companies. Imboden Seam was purchased by the There were undoubted coal port, so extra-powerful
Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates as early as August 1946, but was not renamed advantages in using such a ballast pumps were needed.
Reading until the following year. WSS Ltd standardised design, with Another priority was the

CARGO CLASSICS
need to move the engines aft. These comprised 132 of the

Although many of the pre-war standard Liberties, 32 of the
colliers had their machinery type modified as tankers (for
amidships, this was not ideal. which the yard also undertook
The long shaft tunnel reduced design work), and the 24
the capacity of the aftermost Liberty colliers.
holds, and was itself vulnerable Delivery of the colliers began
to grab damage during with Jagger Seam, completed
unloading. But moving the in March 1945, with all 24
engines aft in a Liberty hull was delivered by the end of October
not that simple. 1945, whereupon the yard
Rather than the rectangular closed down. Machinery for all
box amidships, the space the Liberties was standardised,
available aft was more triangular and Delta took engines for the
in shape. The engine could be colliers from Joshua Hendy
placed here, but the boilers and Ironworks in California,
ABOVE A view from a Cape Cod Canal bridge of Thomas Tracy, built as Herrin Seam,
auxiliaries had to be on a higher from Filer and Stowell in
shows the steel hatch covers, two to each hold, and the kingposts which helped
deck; hence one of the design Milwaukee, and from the
raise them.
changes to the hull was the long General Machinery Company
poop deck aft. Accommodation in Ohio. Thus, engines were
for the navigating officers shipped to New Orleans from
remained in the bridge house long distances, an interesting
amidships, with engineers and logistical exercise.
other crew above the poop. The basic Liberties were
Accommodation was carefully mainly named after dead
sealed to help keep out coal dust citizens, who were undoubtedly
during loading and discharging. worthy but together made for
The standard Liberty’s cargo a rather dull set of names. The
gear was not needed in the colliers were treated differently,
Eastern Seaboard coal trade, being named after coal seams in
where loading and discharge was the USA.
by shoreside equipment. The
ABOVE Berwindvale showing how the steel hatch covers were raised against the masts were therefore eliminated, Carrying the coal
steel kingposts when loading or discharging. but pairs of steel kingposts For many years after the war,
were fitted to operate the steel the Liberty colliers did largely as
hatch covers. Pole masts were they were intended to go. Coal
provided to carry navigation mined in West Virginia was railed
lights and radio aerials. to tidewater at Hampton Roads,
and shipped north by the colliers
Constructing colliers to ports such as Boston for
The Delta Shipbuilding domestic use, and for generating
Company of New Orleans was electricity and gas. In this trade
given the job of designing and they were particularly successful.
building the colliers. Although They were quicker to load and
building of the company’s discharge than the previous
shipyard was authorised only generation of colliers, and, being
ABOVE Five colliers were converted to barges, including Arlington, which had her in 1941, it still managed an capable of 12 knots, were also
engines removed in 1962. Iain G. Lovie impressive output of ships. significantly faster. Being oil-
ABOVE A fine view of Malden in ballast condition. The letter M on her funnel stood for Mystic Steam Ship Company, one of the shipowning subsidiaries of Eastern Gas and Fuel.

Navigation Co Inc, A. H. Bull
ABOVE Photographic evidence that and Co, M. and J. Tracy Inc
the colliers did come to Europe: of New York, plus the Sprague
Reading on the New Waterway in Steamship Company and
July 1970, having recently discharged
Staples Coal Company, both of
a cargo of sulphur, which still stains
Boston, also had fleets.
her side. George Garwood/World Ship
Many remained under the
Society Ltd
United States flag for their
entire lives, although the first
fired, they needed smaller crews departures came in 1954. That
than the older coal burners. year Eastern Gas and Fuel
Initially owned by the Associates moved four of its
United States War Shipping fleet to an associate, Atlantic
Administration, the colliers Bulk Trading Corporation of
were sold during the 1940s Monrovia, and renamed them
to major collier operators. Brant, Gull, Osprey and Tern,
The biggest fleet belonged all flagged out to Liberia. ABOVE Gull was one of the first of the colliers to forsake the US flag, being
to Eastern Gas and Fuel registered in Liberia under the ownership of Atlantic Bulk Trading Corporation,
Associates, who operated them Collier casualties another subsidiary of Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates.
under their subsidiary Mystic Casualties among the colliers BELOW The Yugoslavian Uskok, the ship which sparked the author’s interest in the
Steam Ship Co Inc. Marine were remarkably few, at Liberty colliers when she visited Birkenhead Docks in April 1961. Michael D. J. Lennon

CARGO CLASSICS
LIBERTY COLLIERS least while they still had Andromeda and Algol.
their machinery. The only In addition to the two
Original name Later names Fate
significant one involved Yugoslavian ships which visited
Jagger Seam 1947: Boston B/u Taiwan 1968
Reading (formerly Imboden the Mersey, several US-owned
Sewanee Seam 1947: Newton Conv to barge 1963 Seam), which went ashore in examples are known to have
Herrin Seam 1946: Thomas Tracy, 1960: Marine B/u Taiwan 1967 Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts in come to Europe: Gull was
Leader; 1962: Canterbury Leader February 1957. Refloated but seen in Birkenhead during the
La Salle Seam 1947: Marine Trader B/u Spain 1968 with her back almost broken, early 1960s, and Reading was
Streator Seam 1947: Lexington Conv to barge 1963 she was dry-docked in New photographed on the New
Linton Seam 1948: Seaconnet; B/u Spain 1964 York and, after very extensive Waterway in 1970. There is
1963: Seacomet (Liberia). repairs, returned to service: an also photographic evidence
Redstone Seam 1946: Berwindvale; B/u Spain 1965 indication of how much her that Lexington visited the
1963: Point Vincente owners valued her. Thames in June 1950.
Jewell Seam 1948: Winchester B/u Japan 1967 However, two of the hulls
Merrimac Seam 1949: Marine Shipper B/u New Orleans 1970
became casualties after they Conclusion
were converted to barges. The Liberty design, which
Jellicoe Seam 1948: Charlestown (Liberia); B/u Germany 1967
Eastern 1, the former Streator was in many respects British,
1954: Brant (Liberia);
1961: Hajduk (Yugoslav)
Seam, broke away from her proved very adaptable.
tug in January 1969 and was Variants were constructed for
Bon Air Seam 1948: Penobscot; B/u Japan 1965
stranded on the coast of North specialised military uses, and
1962: Marine Coaster
Carolina. This sealed her fate, it also proved possible to fit
Glamorgan Seam 1948: Plymouth; B/u Taiwan 1968
and after refloating she was them out as tankers. But the
1963: Marine Merchant
scrapped in Spain. The only Liberty collier was the most
Sewell Seam 1947: Concord Conv to barge 1964
hull of the 24 built which significant variant, involving a
Beckley Seam 1947: Malden Conv to barge 1963 escaped the breakers was that complete rethink of the hull
Pocahontas Seam 1948: Medford; 1954: Osprey; B/u Yugoslavia 1972 of another barge conversion, arrangement, machinery spaces
1964: Andromeda (Bulgaria); Eastern 2 (ex-Sewanee Seam), and cargo gear, as well as a
1970: Slavianka (Bulgaria) which also broke away from her myriad of minor changes to suit
Eagle Seam 1947: Marine Transport B/u Taiwan 1971 tug in 1969, grounded near its intended trade. The type
Powellton Seam 1946: Evelyn B/u Japan 1963 Sandy Hook and broke up. was also unique in the overall
Chilton Seam 1963: Mae B/u Japan 1963 Liberty programme in that it
Banner Seam 1946: Michael Tracy B/u New Jersey 1962 Collier diaspora had a purely commercial role,
Roda Seam 1947: Mount Tamalpais; 1947: B/u Yugoslavia 1972 The author’s surprise at seeing and was not intended to help
Everett; 1954: Gull (Liberia); Uskok discharging grain to the Allies’ war effort.
1964: Algol (Bulgaria); a warehouse in Birkenhead In several respects, the
1970: Sakar (Bulgaria) was because these colliers colliers were actually superior to
Imboden Seam 1947: Reading B/u Spain 1972 had been largely unknown in the basic design, for instance in
Freeport Seam 1946: Edith B/u Japan 1963
European waters. But as they their greater capacity for water
aged, and the US domestic ballast. This made them more
Mingo Seam 1946: Mount Sunapee; 1947: B/u Yugoslavia 1967
coal trade declined, they seaworthy, and prompts the
Melrose; 1954: Tern (Liberia);
1961: Uskok (Yugoslavia)
began to trade more widely. thought that maybe the basic
Yugoslavia’s state shipping design had too little ballast
Pittsburg Seam 1947: Arlington Conv to barge 1962
enterprises had a particular capacity for safety. There were
Names and fates • The names are those carried under the US flag unless
appetite for them and, as well as various cases, both during the
noted otherwise. All were completed during 1945 by the Delta Shipbuilding
Uskok, had Hajduk. Bulgaria’s war and afterwards, of Liberties
Company of New Orleans, and are arranged here in yard number sequence,
state shipping company had becoming casualties through
which was not always the order in which they were completed.
ballasting problems.
A celebrated example was
that of Federal’s Leicester,
which needed to carry
additional, solid ballast for a
voyage from Tilbury to New
York in September 1948. When
she encountered a hurricane in
the Atlantic, her solid ballast
shifted, and she took a 70
degree list. Although, at just 24
ships, the sample is small, the
Liberty colliers sustained no
such casualties during their days
steaming the Eastern seaboard
or the North Atlantic.
Despite their rarity in
European waters – which
gave some excitement to one
teenage enthusiast during
their occasional appearances –
the Liberty colliers were an
interesting class of vessel which
ABOVE The Bulgarian Andromeda looking in smart condition. Michael D. J. Lennon deserve to be remembered.

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Norwegian Escape under construction at
Meyer Werft. COMPANY PHOTO
TM
Norwegian SHIP
OF THE
Escape MONTH
NCL’s new ship is the company’s largest
T
Nicholas Leach goes on board NCL’s latest he latest mega Tortola, British Virgin Islands;
cruise ship to and Nassau. She was named in
cruise ship to see what she has to offer. enter service is Miami by Armando Christian
Norwegian Cruise Perez, an American rapper, on
Line’s Norwegian 9 November 2015.
Escape, the first of the new Norwegian Escape has the
Breakaway-Plus class, which distinction of being the largest
entered service on 22 October ship in the NCL fleet of 14
2015 after being formally ships, with capacity for 4,200
handed over by Meyer Werft passengers and 1,742 crew
at Papenburg, after a building members, making her slightly
period of only 17 months, larger than Norwegian Epic,
and headed to Hamburg and which is in turn just bigger
then on to Southampton. than Norwegian Breakaway
She undertook a couple of and Getaway, the ships upon
short inaugural cruises before which she is based. Escape is the
a ten-day positioning voyage first ship in what is termed the
across the Atlantic to Miami, company’s new Breakaway-Plus
from where she will operate class and represents, according
seven-night Eastern Caribbean to NCL, ‘an evolution of the
ABOVE Norwegian Escape emerges from Meyer Werft GMBH shipyard in Germany with cruise destinations, including line’s history of providing
her distinctive hull design by marine wildlife artist Guy Harvey. COMPANY PHOTO St Thomas, US Virgin Islands; guests with the freedom

Norwegian
Escape
A standard balcony cabin. NCL logo mounted on Escape’s funnel. Part of the ropes course at the stern.
The Aqua Park is the largest such amenity at sea. The Kids’ Aqua Park features an enclosed slide. The Skyline Bar is one of many such venues on board.
and flexibility to enjoy their
ideal cruise holiday’. She is
164,600gt, measures 1,069ft
by 136ft and has 19 decks, with
78 per cent of the cabins facing
outside. She is slightly wider
than the Breakaway ships, with
an additional passenger deck to
boost capacity to 4,248.
As with the other ships in
NCL’s fleet, she has some
impressive artwork on her hull,
designed by marine wildlife artist
Guy Harvey. Spanning more
than 1,000ft in length from bow
to stern, the artwork features Norwegian Escape being
marine wildlife and is intended towed down the river Ems.
to ‘blend two underwater seas
together’. The design also
features Caribbean sealife,
including sting rays, sea turtles, Norwegain Escape at NORWEGIAN ESCAPE
whale sharks and a variety of Southampton’s Ocean SHIPYARD Meyer Werft HMbH,
tropical fish. Power comes Terminal on 28 October. Germany
from five MAN V48/60CR- BUILDING Steel cutting
type engines, giving a total of 20.3.2014, keel laying
76,800kW driving Azipods. 19.9.2014, entered
The accommodation is fairly service 23.10.2015
standard to the cruise industry, DIMENSIONS 1,069ft x 136ft x 27ft
with a mixture of staterooms TONNAGE 164,600gt
and more upmarket offerings, PASSENGERS 4,248, 19 decks
as well as a range of different CREW 1,742
options. These include 1,168
POWER 2 x MAN 14V48/60CR
balcony staterooms, 407
(2 x 16,800kW)
inside staterooms, 48 Family 3 x MAN 12V48/60CR
Oceanview staterooms that (3 x 14,400kW)
accommodate up to five guests,
PROPULSION Diesel-electric; two
82 Studios designed and priced
ABB Azipod XO units
for solo travellers, and rooms for
(2 × 20 MW)
multi-generational groups, spa
HOME PORT Miami
enthusiasts and others. There
are 47 wheelchair accessible CRUISES Seven-day Eastern
staterooms in various categories. Caribbean from
The most luxurious Miami; ports include
St Thomas, US Virgin
accommodation on Norwegian
Islands; Tortola,
Escape is The Haven by
British Virgin Islands;
Norwegian, which consists
and Nassau, Bahamas
of 25 two-bedroom family
‘Villas’, each with its own to UK cruisers. NCL claim to
three-story covered courtyard be offering the best food at sea,
and an expanded forward and the large range of dining
sundeck with a cantilevered options backs this up, although
whirlpool. This area is described perhaps more of the restaurants
as being a ‘ship-within-a-ship could be included in the
suite’ and has a price to match standard cruise price.
its exclusivity. It includes an Among the entertainment
outdoor dining space in the on offer are two Broadway
Haven’s private restaurant. musicals that headline the 900-
Dining options include Le seat Escape Theater. Nightlife
Bistro, Cagney’s, La Cucina, onboard includes Tobacco Road,
Bayamo, Pincho Tapas Bar Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
and a new food hall called restaurant and 5 O’Clock
Food Republic, developed by Somewhere Bar. The District
Miami-based The Pubbelly Brew House serves more than
Restaurant Group. A number 24 draught beers, while The
of the restaurants serve food Cellars offers ‘an array of wine
that is included in the normal experiences’. No drinks are
cruise fare, but plenty of the included in the cruise fare, and
speciality restaurants attract with service charges and tax they
extra charges, as well as a service can be very expensive extras.
charge in the region of 18 per The ship seems to have been
cent, which seems rather high designed to attract as wide a

SHIP OF THE MONTH
A rendering of Norwegain
Escape, Norwegian Breakaway
and Norwegian Getaway, NCL’s
three newest ship.
NCL fleet upgraded and expanded

T he introduction of Norwegian
Escape brings the NCL fleet up to
14 ships, with the company saying it
NCL currently has 29 embarkation
ports and 63 ports of call, and is
having the first ship, a sister to
offers unparalleled entertainment Escape, purpose built for the Chinese
and dining. Indeed, there are 28 dining market coming on stream in 2017.
options on Norwegian Escape. The company’s current fleet are also
NCL is financially strong at the being upgraded and refurbished, as
moment, and is growing its fleet, evidenced by the expensive recent
with three more ships to be built. refit of Norwegian Epic, which went
Its other brands, Regent Seven Seas to Damen Shiprepair Brest for a
Cruises and Oceania Cruises, are also scheduled refit and maintenance
expanding their luxury fleets. Seven programme in September. The vessel
Sea Explorer, the most luxurious ship remained in Brest’s largest dry dock
ever built, will appear in July 2016. until 18 October.
range of people as possible. Not

only are there cabins for solo
travellers, but there is a Splash What’s on board Norwegian Escape
Academy, where parents can
678 OCEAN PLACE • The three-deck- includes the largest Thermal Suite at sea, specific age groups, as well as a nursery
leave children during the day.
high Ocean Place is the centre of the as well as the first Snow Room, in which for cruisers two years and under.
Outside is the Aqua Park, Kids’
ship, and has a huge chandelier hanging powdery snow is created.
Aqua Park with an enclosed slide, FITNESS CENTRE • The state-of-the-art
in the middle. Many of the ship’s bars
spray cannons and an elevated THE SUPPER CLUB • One of the many fitness centre furnished with the latest
and restaurants lead off this area.
ropes course at the stern. entertainment venues offering an weight training and cardio equipment.
AQUA PARK • NCL have added more ‘unforgettable dinner and show’. FOOD REPUBLIC • A restaurant from
water features on Norwegian Escape, O’SHEEHAN’S • Another complimentary The Pubbelly Restaurant Group featuring
Norwegian Escape returning
with two water slides on the upper food outlet, offering American food in a global cuisine for sampling and sharing.
to Southampton from one of
decks, as well as various family features, ‘relaxed pub atmosphere’.
her inaugural cruises. MARITIME
PHOTOGRAPHIC
including the Kids Aqua Park. It is said to
be the largest water park at sea. TASTE AND SAVOR RESTAURANTS •
The included main dining room options
GARDEN CAFE • This is the main are divided into three venues: Taste,
complimentary indoor restaurant, which Savor and The Manhattan Room. The
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. first two are located on deck 6.
MANDARA SPA • Norwegian Escape has SPLASH ACADEMY • A youth centre

the largest spa of any in the NCL fleet. It that includes dedicated play spaces for
SPLASH ACADEMY • The ship’s TEPPANYAKI • A speciality restaurant OCEAN PLACE * The centre of the ship,
complimentary kids’ facilities. offering Japanese cuisine. spanning decks 6, 7 and 8.

German fast attack craft
Patrick Boniface profiles the German
Navy’s Type 143A fast attack craft, and
looks at their origins and development.
I
n December 1982 the craft was developed and built Germany continued developing ABOVE In early 2015 six of the Gepard
then Federal German with the unique demands of the fast attack craft, often selling class visited London’s Docklands;
Navy was eagerly area in mind. designs to foreign powers Frettchen is inboard, together with an
anticipating the delivery During both World Wars the who wished to operate a fleet unidentified sister outboard.
from the shipbuilders German Navy developed a vast of affordable naval vessels to
Lürssen Werft the first of ten array of torpedo and gunboat deny access of sea routes and PHM (Hydrofoil) programme.
new Type 143A fast attack designs that ultimately led to so called choke points, where In the early 1970s naval
craft. The craft, named Gepard, the development of the dreaded fast attack craft and mines (or a hydrofoils armed with missiles
was seen as something of a and lethal E boats of World combination of both) could be and guns were seen as an
change in direction for the War II. These craft were all used to great effect. answer to coastal patrol work in
German Bundesmarine. The designed to take into account That the Germans even built relatively shallow waters such as
coastal geography of West the relatively shallow waters the ten members of the class is the North Sea and Baltic.
Germany meant coastal (now of the North and Baltic Seas only because of the failure of While Italy and the United
known as littoral) warfare was a and pack a punch way beyond the USA, Italy and Germany States ultimately built their
constant consideration, and the their modest size. Post-war to jointly develop the NATO own unique programmes, the
The last of the Gepards to enter service was

Hyane, which was commissioned on 13 November
1984. She is seen entering Portsmouth Dockyard.

FOREIGN NAVY
Geier in the river Tamar, with her array of

weaponry, impressive on a vessel with a
displacement of only 398 long tons, clearly visible.
well used and proven type 143

TYPE 143A
fast attack craft.
DISPLACEMENT 398 long tons
The first of the Zobel class
DIMENSIONS 57.8m x 7.8m x 2.6m was ordered from shipbuilders
PROPULSION 4 shafts, with 4 Lurssen on 12 December 1961
diesel engines and was followed by a further
SPEED 40 knots nine ships: Wiesel, Dachs, Nerz,
COMPLEMENT 5 officers, 31 Gepard, Frettchen, Ozelot,
enlisted Hermelin, Puma and Hyane.
WEAPONS Various, but Each vessel as delivered was
includes: 1 armed with two 40mm Bofors
Otobreda 76mm guns, four 533mm torpedoes
rapid firing gun, 4x and four depth charges, along ABOVE Gepard, lead ship of the second batch of Type 143A fast attack craft and
MM38 Exocet anti with a mine-laying capability. seen here at Plymouth, was decommissioned from service on 12 December 2014.
ship missiles, 1 x All in all they had impressive
GDC 21 cell Rolling armament for vessels with a full
Air Frame Missile load displacement of just 390.6
(RAM) anti aircraft
tonnes and a complement of
missile system, 2
only 32 officers and men. Each
x MG50-1 machine
of the Zobels was powered by
guns and a mine
four Mercedes Benz MB518B
laying capability
diesel engines driving four
shafts. This arrangement gave
NATO project never got off the a top speed of 42 knots and
ground and German interest an unrefuelled range of 700
in hydrofoils thus evaporated; nautical miles at 35 knots.
instead the Bundesmarine After over two decades
went back to tried and tested of service, the Zobels were
technologies and designs: the gradually removed from service
ABOVE The distinctive dark grey paintwork of these German fast attack craft is
shown here to good effect, with Hermelin outboard of one of her sisterships.
Each of the Gepard class vessels is

home to a complement of 5 officers
and 31 enlisted men. Wiesel is seen here
approaching Devonport Dockyard.

ABOVE Nerz entered service with the German Navy on 5 July 1983 and continued in service until 31 March 2012.
ABOVE Frettchen entering Portsmouth Harbour; clearly visible in this photograph are the four MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles, and the 21-cell GDC Ram anti-aircraft
missile system towards the stern and the Otobreda 76mm gun forward.
as the later Gepards began to Airframe Missile) replacing driving fixed-pitch five-bladed Ansgar Bethge, the Inspector
enter service. Wiesel, Dachs, the second 76mm gun in the propellers. Accommodation of the Navy. On acceptance,
Gepard, Frettchen, Ozelot and Zobels. The Gepard class also for the crew of 34 was air- she and her sisters formed
Hyane were transferred to lost the torpedo tubes of the conditioned, with each cabin the 7th FPB Flotilla at Kiel in
Turkey between 1982 and 1984. earlier design, but was provided housing three to seven men. autumn 1984. The vessels have
Following the collapse of the with rails for launching mines. The S143A also introduced, for been altered and modernised
NATO PHM programme, due This latter addition was to add the first time on fast attack craft periodically, but remain
to immature technologies and flexibility to the class in order to in the Bundesmarine, hot and essentially much as they did
an alarming high unit cost of deny adversaries access to places cold water and showers for crew. when first commissioned.
around DM1.4 billion (1978 such as the Baltic Sea, where The surviving members
prices), the decision was taken cheap and numerous sea mines Orders for ten of the class serve with the
to order an improved version of could easily bottle up whole The Bundesmarine ordered 7.Schnellbootgeschwader (7th
the basic S143 design, known fleets of warships. ten craft, with the first, third, Fast Patrol Boat Squadron) and
as the S143A. In the years since Like the Zobels, the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh are based at Warnemünde. Of the
the delivery of Zobel and her Gepards’ hulls were of wooden Gepards (Puma, Nerz, Zobel, original class, four vessels have
sisters, technology and the construction. The building Frettchen, Dachs and Ozelot) been discarded. FGS Nerz and
attendant threats had moved on method consisted of four layers of being built by Lürssen at its FGS Dachs were decommissioned
considerably, and the new S143A resistant woods on a steel frame, Vegesack facility. The second, on 31 March 2012, FGS Gepard
design tried to address as many together with a superstructure ninth and tenth vessels followed on12 December 2014
of these as possible. made of composite materials (Hermelin, Wisel and Hyane) and six days later sistership FGS
The strike capability of the and aluminium to reduce were constructed by Kroger Ozelot was the last of the class
Zobels was retained, with four the magnetic signature when and Rendsburg. Each boat took to be taken out of service with
MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles working in minefields. between three and three and a the German Navy. In the 2020s
and a single 76mm Oto Melera For propulsion, four MTU half years to complete. a new class of corvette is being
gun positioned forward of the MA16V 956TB91 diesels On 25 September 1981 planned to take the place of
bridge and a single 24-cell provided a maximum speed of Gepard was launched by Ursula these small, fast and versatile
launcher for the RAM (Rolling 40 knots through two shafts, Bethge, wife of Vice-Admiral patrol craft.

Ships Pictorial
Have you an outstanding photo that would grace our gallery? Send your image to Ships Monthly for
inclusion in these pages, which showcase the best in ship photography around the world.
Two former English Channel ferry favourites together at Piraeus on 19 October 2015. On the left is the 1972-built Panagia Tinou (5,122gt), the former Hengist
and later Romilda, berthed next to Vitsentzos Kornaros (6,387gt), built in 1976 as Pride of Winchester. DARREN HOLDAWAY
The Netherlands-flagged general cargo ship Sampogracht (23,688dwt) arriving at Southampton, and heading for the Western Docks, from Newport, RI carrying a
cargo of yachts. She is operated by the Dutch company Spliethoff and was built by Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa, Szczecin, Poland. Ken Short

The frigate Winnipeg passing The preserved steamship Shieldhall The vehicle carrier Höegh
Greenhithe, heading down the river draws a crowd at Poole Quay on Transporter (57,757gt) departing
Thames after leaving the Royal Docks 21 August 2015. She is well known Auckland, New Zealand. The
on the evening of 19 September. The around south coast ports, operating 1999-built vessel measures 200m
Halifax class guided-missile frigate has out of Southampton, and is the by 32m, has a capacity of 6,500CEU
served in the Royal Canadian Navy largest working steamship in Britain. and a speed of 18 knots, and is one
since 1996. Laid down on 20 March The 1,972gt 82m vessel was launched of Höegh Autoliners’ fleet of Pure
1993 at Saint John Shipbuilding Co, in July 1955 and spent her working Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels
New Brunswick, she was launched on life as a ‘sludge boat’ on the Clyde, operating deepsea and shortsea
25 June 1994. KRISPEN ATKINSON working out of Glasgow. ANDREW COOKE routes. TREVOR COPPOCK/SEAPIXONLINE

Ships Pictorial
Holland America Lines’ cruise ship Rotterdam

passing the Hook of Holland as she departs
Rotterdam cruise terminal for Eidfjord on the
evening of 1 August 2015. Built in 1997, she
carries 1,668 passengers and is the sixth Holland
America vessel to bear the name. David Walker

Developments along
the northern coast of
Russia are continuing
to generate demand
for ice-capable vessels,
as Jim Shaw explains.
Ice
ships
D
RIGHT South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding evelopments
and Marine Engineering (DSME) is building along the
a large series of Arc 7 ice-class LNG carriers northern coast
for Russia’s Yamal LNG project that will of Russia are
be capable of operating in ambient continuing to
temperatures as low as minus 52 degrees generate demand for ice-
Celsius while breaking ice up to two capable vessels, with a series
metres thick in both forward and reverse of new icebreaking tugs, gas
directions using Wärtsilä propulsion
transporting tankers and
systems. Wärtsilä
heavylift module carriers being
BELOW Two icebreakers to be built by built for regional projects.
Russia’s Vyborg Shipyard to a design based For work in the Gulf of
on Aker Aker’s ARC 130A will be employed Ob, located south of the Kara
to escort and assist tankers in Russia’s Gulf Sea, Finland’s Aker Arctic and
of Ob by 2018. Aker Artic
Russia’s Vyborg Shipyard have
been jointly working on the
design of two new icebreakers,
both for employment within
Gazprom Neft’s Novy Port
project. The twin vessels will
be based on Aker’s ARC 130A
design, originally developed
for the Finnish Transport
Agency, and will utilise a similar
propulsion system, consisting of
three azimuth thrusters, two in
the stern and one in the bow,
but of stronger output to allow
the ships to break ice 2m thick
both ahead and astern.
Unlike the Finnish vessel,
which will be the world’s first

NEW TECHNOLOGY
Russia’s Sovcomflot and
two ships of the series, Velikiy
Ice class pipe layer
South Korea’s STX Offshore &
Shipbuilding worked together to Novgorod and Pskov, are already
develop the ‘Atlanticmax’ series working on long-term contracts
T
of 170,200m3 capacity ice-classed with Gazprom. he development of undersea has an ice-classed hull capable of
LNG carriers SCF Melampus and All the Atlanticmax LNG petroleum fields in the Arctic transiting through ice 0.8m thick.
SCF Mitre. SCF carriers have a cargo capacity of has generated demand for ice Pipe laying is accomplished with an
170,200m3 and are equipped capable pipelay vessels and such is 800-metric-ton Huisman multi-lay
with triple-fuel diesel electric the wide beam 178.27m by 46.0m system that is able to support both
power generation systems. They Lewek Constellation, which recently rigid and non-rigid pipelines, and a
have been built to ice class established an industry record 3,000-metric-ton capacity Huisman
‘Ice2’ standards and have been for pipelay operations in the Gulf offshore heavy lift crane.
designed to operate at very of Mexico by deploying 3.2km of In addition, two Schilling work
low temperatures and in harsh 16-inch diameter pipe in 7,368ft class remotely operated vehicles and
climatic conditions. (2,246m) of water at a tension of 632 a portable reel system are carried to
In the Sovcomflot fleet they metric tons, the highest tension yet reduce mobilisation time. Currently,
follow the South Korean-built experienced in the history of rigid the DP3-rated Lewek Constellation is
tanker SCF Baltica, which was reeled-lay operations. one of only two vessels in the world
the first heavy-tonnage vessel Built in Vietnam by a subsidiary in its class that has achieved the
to carry cargo on the Northern of owner EMAS AMC, which took highest environmental and comfort
Sea Route from the Atlantic over Aker Marine Contractors (AMC) notations, with all accommodation in
to the Pacific in 2010, and several years ago, the 48,786gt vessel single berth cabins.
the Suezmax tanker Vladimir
Tikhonov, also South Korean-
built, which opened up a new
route across the Arctic for
heavy-tonnage vessels passing
north of the Novosibirsk
Islands and now known as ‘The
Tikhonov Route’.
‘Oblique’ icebreaker
Recently completing Arctic ice
trials in the Kara Sea has been
Russia’s Baltika, the world’s
first ‘oblique’ icebreaker. As ABOVE Specifically designed for rigid reeled-lay operations, the pipe lay vessel
the first ship to be built with Lewek Constellation has been completed to ice class standards for possible
an asymmetric hull form, Arctic deployment. AMAS GROUP
LNG-fueled icebreaker (see

ABOVE Built with an asymmetric hull form, the new Russian
SM, Sept 2014), the Russian
icebreaker Baltika can open up a channel for vessels that
ships will use conventional fuel
are wider then her own beam of 20.5m by moving sideways
to achieve a combined 21.5MW
through the ice. AKER ARCTIC
output at the thrusters. They
will be classed by the Russian
Maritime Register of Shipping
and will measure 122m by 25m
with a design draught of 8m.
Aker Arctic has also entered
into a cooperation agreement
with South Korea’s Samsung
Heavy Industries covering the
design of six ice class tankers, for
the Novy Port project, which will
be used to transport oil from
the Gulf of Ob to Murmansk.
LNG carriers
Another South Korean builder,
STX Shipbuilding, has recently
completed the 94,700dwt LNG
tanker SCF Mitre for Russia’s
Sovcomflot for operation
under long-term charter to
Royal Dutch Shell. A sistership,
SCF Melampus, was delivered
earlier this year, with both
vessels being part of a series of
advanced design ‘Atlanticmax’
type LNG carriers developed
for Arctic deployment. The first

Baltika demonstrated that she
The first two ice-classed LNG carriers could break ice while operating
of the ‘Atlanticmax’ type, Velikiy ahead, astern or sideways, with
Novgorod and Pskov, are already the latter operation used to
working long-term contracts in the open up a channel for vessels
Arctic with Russia’s Gazprom. SCF that are wider then her own
beam of 20.5m.
On trials, it was found
that the 3,800gt vessel could
successfully break ice 1.2m thick
moving bow first, and could
make a 50m-wide channel in
ice 80cm thick when working
obliquely. Baltika’s propulsion
system is made up of three
Wärtsilä 9L26 engine/gensets
providing power to three
Steerprop azimuthing thrusters
to give a speed of 14 knots in
open water and three knots
while breaking ice 1m thick.
The new vessel was laid
down by Russia’s Yanmar yard
at Kaliningrad in 2012 and
completed by Finland’s Arctech
Helsinki Shiyard late last
A side view of the recently delivered year. Russia’s Federal Marine
Russian icebreaker Baltika discloses little and River Transport Agency
of her unique asymmetric hull form, (Rosmorrechflot) has been
which allows her to break ice while conducting the vessel’s ice trials
moving sideways. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard and its FBI Sea Rescue Service
will operate the €76 million
icebreaker out of St Petersburg.
‘Red Box’ transporters

Construction of a large LNG
production plant on Russia‘s
Yamal peninsula in the Arctic
has generated the need for two
28,500dwt Polar Class 3 heavy
module carrying vessels that
will be used to transport 264
modules with a total weight
of over 400,000 tons to the
site. To measure 206.6m by
43m, the twin ships are being
built by China’s Guangzhou
Shipyard International to a
design furnished by Finland’s
Deltamarin Ltd and Aker Arctic
Technology Inc.
When delivered early next
year, the ice-strengthened
vessels will be operated by
Hong Kong-based ZPCM-
Red Box Energy Services, a
partnership formed between
Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy
Industry Co Ltd (ZPMC)
and Zhenhua Logistics Group
(ZHLG) of China, and Red
Box Founders HK Limited
(RBF HK Ltd) of Hong Kong.
Both vessels will be capable of
breaking level ice up to 1.5m
thick at three knots and each
will have sterns that will be
completely flush and open to
ABOVE Twin ice class heavylift carriers being built by China’s Guangzhou Shipyard for Red Box Energy Services will be used to allow the loading and discharge
transport LNG plant modules from Europe to Russia’s Yamal Peninsula. Red Box of heavy modules.

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Belgium’s premier port
Krispen Atkinson describes the port of Antwerp, the ‘Grote Doorsteek’. This although petrochemicals are the
saw the development of the main focus, as Antwerp is the
one of the busiest and biggest in Europe, which Kanaal Docks, which took largest petrochemical cluster in
handles everything from chemical tankers to the port north towards the Europe. Within the complex
Dutch border. This developed are four refineries, operated
containers ships, and cruise ships to coasters. in 1967 with the opening of by Total, ExxonMobil,
the Zandvliet lock, which was Independent Belgium Refinery
L
the largest lock in the world, (IBR) and ATPC. Also
ying on the river today, but are used for museum measuring 500m (1,600ft) long operating chemical terminals
Scheldt, and just a and recreational purposes. by 57m (187ft) wide. within the port are BASF, Bayer
stone’s throw from After Belgium gained Berendrecht Lock was and Air Liquide, handling a
the border with independence from the commissioned in 1989, when, wide range of products. Ineos
the Netherlands, Netherlands in 1863, the built next to Zandvliet lock, Oxide recently commissioned
is Belgium’s premier port, port began to be developed, it became the world’s largest the largest ethylene terminal in
Antwerp. In 2014 the port and started taking on its lock. It was the same length as Europe as a hub for feedstocks.
ranked 11th in the world for modern form. With the the Zandvliet lock, but wider, All this activity means a
volume of freight handled, riverside berths rebuilt with a breadth of 68m (223ft), variety of tankers visit the
and was in the top five of and straightened, the Van enabling wider ships to gain port, delivering raw, crude
Europe’s busiest ports, Cauwelaert lock was completed access to Antwerp. It is not cargoes, as well as exporting
handling a wide range of in 1928. This lock is still in use unusual to see three or four refined cargoes. This is not just
commodities, making for an today, mainly for barge traffic. ships locking through together undertaken by seagoing ships,
interesting mixture of visiting The port’s largest expansion into the enclosed port. but inland shipping plays a key
ships in its environs. came after World War II, with Today, the port handles a role as well. The main entrance is
The port’s origins can be wide range of commodities, through the Scheldt-Rhine canal,
traced back to the 1200s as which leaves the port through
a transit point for passengers the Kanaal Docks to the North
travelling from England and and takes traffic into the main
parts of southern Holland, European inland canal network.
with the port being a centre In 2013 51 million tonnes of
for trade in wool, cloth and petroleum and chemical cargoes
wine in later years. In modern were carried through the port
times it was Napoleon who by inland shipping.
saw the potential of the port,
commissioning the building
of the Bonaparte and Willem
Docks. These docks still exist

PORT PROFILE
The German-operated tanker

London Star (2006/41,966gt)
is escorted from the locks to
the berth inside the port by
two of the Port Authority’s
tugs. ALL PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR
UNLESS STATED
ABOVE Preparing to sail from her berth, the Abou Merhi Lines’ vehicle carrier ABOVE Horn-Line’s specialist ro-ro refrigerated cargo ship Horncliff (1992/12,887gt)
Petra (1985) was built in Japan and operates to ports in the eastern Mediterranean. discharging fresh fruit for Del Monte.
ABOVE MSC Home Terminal in the Delwaide Dock is MSC’s north European hub, ABOVE Loaded with empty containers, Chiquita Scandinavia waits to sail from
with the 8,089TEU 2006-built container ship MSC Vittoria pictured loading there Antwerp in 2013 back to the Caribbean. Built in 1992 at Frederikshavn, Denmark,
for the Gulf and India. she now operates as Swedish Reefer for Seatrade.

ABOVE Heading for berths on the left bank, the British dredger Arco Dijk is chased ABOVE CMV’s flagship Magellan at Antwerp during a cruise call in June 2015. Cruise
by Maersk Line’s 4,405TEU Luna Maersk, inbound from South Africa. ships berth outside the docks on the riverside, close to the city centre.
ABOVE The cargo vessel Red Cedar loading a mixed cargo for Southern African ABOVE Entering the Berendrecht Locks, at the northern end of the port, is the
ports on MACS regular service from Europe. Built in 2001, the ship is well- 13,798TEU 366m-long container ship MSC Emanuela, one of the largest ships to
equipped, with two cranes capable of 100 tons lift, and two capable of 50 tons. pass into the port’s inner dock system. Antwerp Port Authority
The port is also home to Even though much of the on the left bank, within the With direct access to the
Antwerp Dry Docks. This yard refrigerated trade has shifted to Deurganck Dock, which will river Scheldt, it is the largest
has four dry docks, the largest containers over recent years, a give the terminal a capacity of tidal terminal in the port. This
measuring 312m by 50m. Ships handful of specialist reefers still over nine million TEU. dock saw its first ship in 2005,
are serviced within the docks, visit on regular services from and will be up to capacity once
or alongside. Caribbean, Central America Waasland: a new port MSC PSA European Terminal
Bulk cargoes are handled in and West Africa. With space running out inside fully moves from the enclosed
various parts of the port, with The largest ships, carrying the locks in Antwerp, a new port. More land has been set
no fewer than 12 dedicated ore and coal, are generally port was built on the opposite aside on the left bank, at the
bulk terminals, with cargoes handled at the Sea-Invest bank of the river, entered by Saeftinge development zone,
ranging from cement and terminal within the Delwaide a lock at Kallo, construction where a further 1,000 hectares
minerals to fertilisers and Dock, close to the Zandvliet of which started in 1979. of land has been added to the
china clay. Much of the bulk and Berendrect locks. This Development of this dock was Waasland complex, including
carrier traffic is handled in dock is also home to the MSC slow; however, by the 1990s plans for another tidal dock.
Amerika Dock and Albert Home Terminal. Operated by some traffic had moved across
Dock. This part of the port has MSC PSA European Terminal, the river to the Vrasene and River berths
recently undergone dredging a joint venture between Verrebroek Docks within the Lying either side of the
to allow Panamax-sized Singapore’s PSA and Terminal Waasland complex. approach to the Berendrecht
vessels to be handled, and Investment Ltd (TIL), the Today, mixtures of cargoes and Zandvliet locks are two
also accommodates breakbulk terminal was opened in June are handled here, including riverside terminals. Operated by
ships, including vessels on liner 2005 and is Mediterranean cars and ro-ro cargoes, forest PSA, the Noordzee and Europa
services across the Atlantic Shipping Company’s (MSC) products, refrigerated cargo and Terminals enable ships to be
and to Africa. Algerian-based hub for Northern Europe. petrochemicals. Another new served without having to lock
CNAN Nord operate a fleet of Many of their container ships development is the Deurganckdok into the docks, which reduces
multipurpose vessels which are can be seen berthed in the Lock, which will open in 2016 at ships’ turnaround by about four
often seen loading in this part dock, and it has handled the a cost of €340 million. This lock is hours. The Europa terminal,
of the port, on a service which latest generation of container the same size as the Berendrecht which opened in 1990, is
departs from the port three ships carrying in excess of Lock. However, it will be able equipped with a ro-ro ramp,
times a month. 13,000teu. With the increase to accommodate deeper ships, enabling the combination ro-ro
Reefers also use this area, in size of vessels, and following and so will become the largest containerships of ACL to be
with Antwerp priding itself the recent alliance with Maersk lock when commissioned. It has accommodated. The Noordzee
on being the ‘number one Line, it was decided to shift been built at the head of the terminal was completed in 1997.
banana port in the world’. the terminal to the tidal dock Deurganck Dock. The river berths adjacent to

PORT PROFILE
Antwerp Facts
Total Port area 13,057 hectares
Length of quays 157km
Number of locks 6
Number of docks 48
Port Authority 1,650
employees
Containers 8.97 million TEU
(2014)
Refineries 4
ships visiting 14,009 (2014)
No of inland 57,633 (2014)
ships visited
• Largest petrochemical hub in
Europe
• Largest sea-lock in the world
(Deurganckdok Lock)
LEFT In Maersk blue, MSC Everest

departs the port through the
Berendrecht Lock following dry-
docking, while the larger MSC
Daniela enters the Zandvliet Locks.
Antwerp Port Authority
of seeing the port, with 90- or

The majority of the port of 180-minute trips around the
Antwerp lies to the north of port available, outside the
the city on its right bank. The winter months.
extent of the new terminals While towage within the
on the left bank can clearly docks is handled by the Port
be seen. This is where the Authority’s tugs, commercial
largest lock in the world towage companies work the
will open in 2016. Courtesy of ship towage outside the docks
Antwerp Port Authority complex, on the river berths
and in the locks from the river.
Locally-based tug company
URS, which can be traced back
to 1870, is now part of the
Dutch Boskalis group, who
also own Smit Towage and
operate a fleet of tugs along
the Scheldt, has a collection of
Voith Schneider and stern-
drive tugs stationed at the
port. Hamburg-based Fairplay
Towage and Multratug, whose
offices are located further down
the Scheldt at the Dutch port
of Terneuzen, operate a cluster
of tugs at Antwerp under the
Antwerp Towage banner.
The port continues to
change, expand and adapt.
It has continued to develop
since Napoleon commissioned
the city are still in use today, steam tug Amical, dating back complex. Tugs, identified only the earliest docks, and today
although with only minor cargo to 1914, and the 1959-built by numbers, guide ships from handles the largest container
handling. They are generally inshore minesweeper the locks to the berths. ships in the world. Throughout
used for lay-by, with ships Oudenaarde, both of which sit The most recent tugs were this time it has embraced
either waiting for cargoes in the outside on the quayside. constructed in Spain by UNV. the changes to shipping. In
docks or having minor repairs The four tugs, known as the September 2015 another
completed. Visiting cruise ships The Port’s own fleet 40 series, of 430gt, were milestone was passed, with
berth next to the medieval Antwerp Port Authority completed in 2012. When out the bunkering of LNG fuel to
fortress of Het Steen, allowing operates its own fleet of of service, many of the port’s the tanker Sefarina, the first
passengers to disembark directly service craft, including tugs for fleet can be seen undergoing seagoing ship to receive the fuel
into the city. At this part of the shiphandling, dredgers, hopper maintenance at the Kattendijk within the port, and perhaps a
river is the Belgian National barges and floating cranes. Dock. From within this dock, sign of where the port sees the
Maritime Museum, home to This enables the port to be the Flandria boat trips operate. future of shipping.
many exhibits, including the self-sufficient within the port This is probably the best way • Thanks to Antwerp Port Authority.

Traffic on the Kiel canal is held back if
there is a large vessel due through. Such
tanker Superba approached the Leven was the case when the 37,949dwt oil/ch
shau Bridge. Operated by Supera Eco emical
built in China in 2014 and this was her Tanker Management of Athens, Greece, she
first visit to Kiel. Measuring 183m by was
for the canal, as she was in ballast, but 31m, she was within the maximum meas
on her loaded return journey from the urements
Canal and would have to take the longe Baltic she would be too deep-draughted
r route for the
ri t i
Ma Mosaicm e
A collection of readers’
own photographs
Shipping variety on the Kiel Canal • Over a five-hour period on one day in May 2014, Roy
Cressey was fortunate to see a great variety of ships using the Canal, which runs for almost
100km from Brunsbuttel to Kiel Holtenau, linking the North Sea to the Baltic. It was opened
on 20 June 1895 by Kaiser Wilhelm II, and has been widened at various times since then.
.
German Fleet Auxiliary Vessel Mosel (A512),
commissioned in 1993, is a type 404 Elbe class
replenishment vessel with a displacement of 3,586
tonnes. One of a class of six named after German
rivers, she was on her way to exercises in the
North Sea before visiting the Thames.

Wilson is now one of the best-known operators of short sea vessels of between 1,500 and READERS’
READERS’
ARCHIVE
ARCHIVE
8,500dwt around Europe, Baltic and the Mediterranean. They operate 110 vessels, of which
83 are owned. The Maltese-flagged Wilson Almeria (2010/2,451gt) is time-chartered by Wilson,
being owned by Bojen Reederei of Germany. Built in Komarno, Slovakia, the 3,586dwt vessel is
seen heading for the Baltic through the Canal’s tranquil waters.
LEFT The 3,718dwt general

cargo vessel Lady Anneke
(2012/2,544gt) passes
Suchsdorf on her way
from the Baltic to the UK
with a bulk cargo. She
was built by Groningen
Shipyard at Waterhuizen,
Netherlands and is
operated by Wijnne &
Barends of Delfzijl. She
is a frequent visitor to
Humber and Trent ports.
BELOW The paddle steamer Freya was built in 1905 by J. & K. Smit, Kinderdijk,
Netherlands for service out of Vlissingen as Westerschelde. She was sold to the
De Klok shipyard at Terneuzen in 1933, and in 1935 was used as a bunkering station
by Mr Zwaans of Oosterhout. In 1989, after she was bought by Mr Klemens Key,
restoration started at Zaandam, and a second-hand compound steam engine
from 1926 and a boiler from 1967 were installed. In 1990 she was in service as De
Nederlander operating charters around Rotterdam docks. Sold in December 1999
to Insel und Hallig Reederei Company, she now operates services on the Kiel Canal.
ABOVE Many container feeder vessels transit the canal, and the Liberian-flagged
E. R. Riga is a regular canal visitor, on routes linking ports such as Rotterdam and
Zeebrugge with St Petersburg. Built in China in 2010 as Leguan, the 14,236dwt
vessel took her current name in 2012 and is owned by E. R. Schiffahrt of Hamburg.

Malta’s On 30 September 2015 seven cruise ships visited
Malta, calling at Valetta, which has always been
a popular port for Mediterranean cruising. This
classic
trip down memory lane by Valletta-based ship
photographer Gaetano Spiteri recalls some
of the old-timers that visited the port two
decades ago and more.
callers
T
he port of Valletta, with the spectacular Grand
Malta’s capital, Harbour, which is surrounded
has always been a by fortified cities and bastions,
popular destination providing the visitor arriving by
for cruise ships in ship with amazing scenery.
the Mediterranean. The visit of Valletta Waterfront is the
seven cruise ships on one day gateway to the city, while
at the end of September 2015 the port, one of the busiest
shows it remains undiminished in the Med, welcomes more
in popularity from the post-war than half a million cruise
days of cruising, when famous passengers a year. Most cruise
liners converted for cruising ships now dock at Valletta
were regular callers. Cruise Port but, because Malta
Ships calling at Valletta offer is so popular, some visiting
their passengers history and ships have to berth at the new
sights in abundance, starting Senglea Boiler Wharf.
ABOVE Achille Lauro (1947, ex-Willem

One of the best-known of the classic cruise Ruys) at Valletta, Malta in the early
ships was Canberra, built in 1961 by Harland & 1990s. She sunk off Somalia after a
Wolff, and renowned for her role in the 1982 fire on board on 2 December 1994.
Falklands War. She was scrapped in Pakistan
in 1997 and is pictured leaving Grand Harbour,
Valletta in the late 1980s.

CRUISE SHIPS
ABOVE Baltica (16,531gt) was built

by Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1954 as
the fast cargo liner Port Melbourne.
She later became Therisos Express
(1972), Danae (1974 and 1992), Starlight
Princess (1992), Anar (1992), Starlight
Princess (1992), Baltica (1994) and
Princess Danae (1996), and is pictured
in Malta in 1995. In 2013 she became
Lisboa, owned by Portuscale Cruises,
but in 2015 went to Aliaga for breaking.
RIGHT Enrico Costa was built in 1951 as

Provence for French SGTM. Between
1962 and 1965 she was chartered to
Costa Line and in 1965 was sold to
Costa, being renamed Enrico C until
1987, when she became Enrico Costa.
She also carried the names Symphony,
Aegean Spirit and Ocean Glory 1, and is
pictured in the early 1990s at Valletta.
In 2001 she went to Alang for scrap.
ABOVE Fedor Shalyapin was built by John Brown & Company at Clydebank in 1954 as Cunard’s Ivernia. The 21,717grt liner was launched on 14 December 1954 for the
Liverpool to Canada service. On 1 July 1955 she left Greenock on her maiden voyage to Montreal, returning to homeport at Liverpool. In 1957 she was transferred to
Southampton and sailed both to New York and Canada. She was converted into the cruise ship Franconia prior to being sold in 1973 to the Black Sea Shipping Company,
who renamed her Fedor Shalyapin and used her for cruising in the Caribbean and in Europe until 2004, when she was sold to be broken up at Alang.

ABOVE Leonid Sobinov was built in 1954 as the British passenger liner Saxonia (21,637gt) by John Brown & Company at Clydebank, for Cunard’s Liverpool-Montreal service.
She was the first of four almost identical sisterships built by Browns between 1954 and 1957 for UK-Montreal service. In August 1973 she was bought by the Soviet
Union’s Black Sea Shipping Company and renamed Leonid Sobinov, as which she served until being laid up in 1995. She was scrapped in 1999 at Alang.
RIGHT Salamis Glory (10,392gt)

was built as Anna Nery in 1962
and enjoyed a varied career. After
1968 she was used for coastal
shipping, transatlantic crossings
and, during the summer, cruising.
In 1978 she was sold to Hellenic
Cruises and renamed Danaos,
becoming Constellation in 1982. In
1987 the company went bankrupt,
and the ship spent four years
out of service. In 1992 she was
sold and renamed Morning Star,
before another sale and another
renaming, becoming Regency
Spirit for Regency Cruises. This
lasted until 1995, when Regency
Cruises went bankrupt, and the
ship was seized while in Nice.
In 1996 she was sold to Salamis
Cruises and became Salamis Glory,
being rebuilt in 2000. In December
2009 Salamis Glory was sold for
scrapping and left for Alang.
ABOVE The unusual Radisson Diamond (20,295gt) was the largest ship with a ABOVE Orient Express was built in 1975 as the ferry Bore Star by Dubigeon-
SWATH design, and the only twin-hull cruise ship ever built. She was built by Normandie, France, one of three sisterships for Silja Line services. She became
Rauma Finnyards in 1991 and served as Radisson Diamond until 2005, becoming Silja Star in 1980 and has had a series of names since, visiting Valetta as Orient
Asia Star and, since 2012, China Star, operating as the first ship for the new Express in June 1990. She later service with the Academy of Maritime Education
cruise line China Cruises Company Limited. and Training in Chennai, India, but was broken up at Alang in 2013.

CRUISE SHIPS
ABOVE Vasco da Gama was built in 1961 in Belgium

as Infante Dom Henrique (23,306gt), then Portugal’s
largest liner. In her 42 years of service she had her
name changed twice, in 1988 to Vasco de Gama and
in 1991 to SeaWind Crown. In 2002 she was laid up in
Barcelona and in 2004 sailed to Alang for scrapping.
LEFT Serenade (12,460gt), pictured in 1990, was
built as Jean Mermoz in 1958 for Compagnie de
Navigation Fraissinet. She was rebuilt in 1969-70 as
Mermoz, and in 1993 was bought by Costa Cruises,
but retained her name even after Carnival bought
Costa in 1996. In 1999 Carnival sold Mermoz to Louis
Cruises and she became Serenade. In 2008 she was
renamed Serena and sailed to Alang for scrapping.
BELOW Vistafjord was built in 1973 by Swan Hunter
for Norwegian America Line. In 1983 she was sold
to Cunard and, in 1999, after a major refit, was
renamed Caronia. In 2004 she was sold to Saga
Cruises and became Saga Ruby, undergoing a
major refit in Malta in 2005. In 2014 she was sold
to a Singapore-registered company with a view
to converting her as a Floating Hotel in Burma. In
February 2014 left Gibraltar under the name Oasia.
She is pictured in her original Norwegian America
Line livery in the early 1980s.

Cal Mac captains
Nicholas Leach meets three captains on three very different Caledonian MacBrayne ferries
operating on lifeline services around the Outer Hebrides.
Loch Alainn • Barra–Eriskay
C
aptain Donald dedicated Sound of Barra ferry, ABOVE The 150-passenger
Rodgers has been replacing Loch Bhrusda on this Loch Alainn on the Sound
with Caledonian increasingly busy route. of Barra crossing.
MacBrayne since The ship continues to sail RIGHT Loch Alainn can
2002 and has in 50 to 60mph winds, which take up to 20 cars.
worked mainly on the short affect the ship depending on BELOW Master of Loch
route between Barra, the most their direction, and Captain Alainn, Donald Rodgers,
southerly of the islands that Rodgers says she rarely misses guides his vessel between
make up the Outer Hebrides, a crossing. He then explains Barra and Eriskay using
and Eriskay. He lives in Eriskay the working routine: ‘Four joysticks to control the
and worked on the council-run crew operate the vessel, and we Voith Schneider drives.
ferry linking Eriskay with South make our first crossing at 0700,
Uist before the causeway was completing five runs a day,
built. Before that he worked with a break in the afternoon.
as a fisherman, obtaining his We finish and tie up at about
seaman’s ticket then. 1930.’ He enjoys the work,
The small 396gt ferry Loch adding: ‘We have a good view
Alainn was built in 1997 and from the office up here [on the
entered service in July that bridge]. We see basking sharks,
year on the Colintraive to seals and dolphins all year.’
Rhubodach route. She was Loch Alainn has proved ideal
intended for the Fishnish- for the Sound of Barra, as she
Lochaline crossing, but is easily manoeuvrable, being
proved unsuitable for this driven by Voith Schneider
and was moved to Largs in propulsion units, which give her
1998, becoming the main a top speed of over nine knots,
Cumbrae vessel until 2007. though generally the crossing is
Since then she has been the undertaken at seven knots.

BRIDGE VISIT
Hebrides • Tarbert–Uig
T
he ferry Hebrides After working on the Clyde for
operates on the several years, he moved to the
‘Uig triangle’ (Uig- Western Isles and spent two years
Tarbert-Lochmaddy) relieving on various ships, until
and is the third in 2004 he moved to Hebridean
vessel of the name to serve the Isles, spending seven years as chief
Cal Mac fleet. Built by Ferguson officer on her. In August 2008 he
Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow in came to Hebrides, and has been
2000, she entered service in on her ever since. He explains the
2001, and her service speed of ship’s operations:
16.5 knots keeps the crossing ‘We usually cover the Uig
times to around 100 minutes and triangle, but we occasionally go to
allows three return trips a day. Arran and work out of Oban, then
She can carry 612 passengers and back up here after dry-docking.
90 cars, and has a mezzanine car In the winter we do the triangle,
deck for use during the extra- but in the summer we usually go
busy periods. back and forth to Uig and the
On the bridge, Captain Iain other ports. Summertime is very
Elliott oversees operations, busy, with the ship full of tourists
having spent 20 years with Cal mostly, although we carry much
Mac. He started his seafaring of the commercial traffic to the
career in 1974 with Harrison’s Uists, with a dozen lorries going
Clyde Ltd, working on deepsea to Lochmaddy every day. ABOVE Captain Iain Elliott on the bridge of Hebrides.
bulk carriers. After two years in ‘We start at 0530 and finish at
the coastal trade, he spent eight 2025 at Lochmaddy, but each day
years on supply and standby is different. The crew of 34 live
ships, mainly in the North Sea, on board, working a two weeks
but did not like it, and so left in on/two weeks off rota. The ship
1995. He recalls: ‘My last one mainly carries car traffic, with
was a pipe-laying barge out in few foot passengers, as the only
China. But from there I joined way without a car is by bus from
Cal Mac in 1995 on one of the Glasgow, which takes forever. We
the Clyde routes, working on usually carry 300 passengers but
ABOVE Hebrides’ builder’s plaque. ABOVE Sign on board Hebrides.
Pioneer as second officer.’ have the capacity for 600.’

Loch Portain • Berneray–Leverburgh
T
he service from ships, but says: ‘Cal Mac are
Berneray to great to work for – I have
Leverburgh across the best job in my home
the Sound of environment. I live in Port of
Harris started Ness at the north end of Lewis,
in 1996, using the then new and so am very familiar with
Loch Bhrusda, but it soon these waters.’
became apparent that a new The Sound of Harris crossing
vessel was required. Built by can be particularly challenging
McTay Marine on the Mersey, as there are 21 changes of
the new ferry was named course between Berneray and
Loch Portain on 23 April 2003 Leverburgh, and the ship
and undertook sea trials before does not operate in the dark
arriving in North Uist on or the fog because there are
1 June, and she has been on too many course changes.
the route ever since. In winter, when the weather ABOVE Captain John Angus Henderson at the controls of Loch Portain. He and
On the bridge is Captain can be very bad indeed, the other four crew start with a crossing from Berneray at 0715, with four
John Angus Henderson, who there are fewer crossings, and return crossings each day. The Schottel water-jet propulsion system is ideal
has been with Cal Mac for Captain Henderson says he for the shallow water navigated through on the route.
almost a decade and is in the is ‘constantly studying the BELOW The view from the bridge as Loch Portain approaches Leverburgh.
pool of masters travelling up weather forecast’. During
and down the network on the certain tidal conditions, the
different routes. He explains: odd sailing has to be postponed
‘On this route it is two weeks because there is not enough
on and two weeks off. I cover water when berthing.
holiday relief and sickness in Loch Portain, with space
the summer, and dry-docking for more than 30 cars, carries
and shifting ships during the twice as many vehicles as Loch
winter. On this route, we make Bhrusda did, as well as more
four crossings a day and three passengers. She has proved to
on a Sunday.’ be more stable in heavier seas
He was on the North Sea and also significantly quieter
before coming to Cal Mac, than her predecessor, and the
working for a number of route has proved far more
different companies on supply popular than predicted.

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Write to Ships Mail, Ships Monthly, Kelsey Publishing, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berrys Hill, Cudham,
was transported back 56 years to when
Kent TN16 3AG, or email sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk. Please note that letters via email must enclose
I was 11 years of age.
sender’s full postal address. Contributions to Ships Monthly must be exclusive and must not
At that time I lived in Bridlington
be sent to other publications. The editor reserves the right to edit material. Kelsey Publishing reserves the
and my grandparents lived in
right to reuse any submission sent in any format.
Flamborough, where my grandfather,
father and many uncles were
fishermen working small cobles out
of North and South Landings, either
side of Flamborough Head. My spare
time was spent on the cliffs watching
colliers, coasters and large deep-sea
The Liberty ships freighters travelling on the North Sea.
Following Campbell McCutcheon’s I was fascinated by the numbers
article on Liberty Ships (SM, Sept of ships passing the headland every
2015), I enjoyed reading the letters day. As I got older, my grandfather
from both William Jory and David introduced me to the Coastguards,
Aris (SM, Ships Mail, Nov 2015). I am ABOVE Cyril Thompson of Sunderland shipbuilders J. L. Thompson & who let me spend hours with them as
Sons, seen
pleased that there is still enough here with a model of the Empire Liberty, headed the British Shipbuildin they worked six-hour shifts in a small
g Mission that
interest in the standard-built delivered the simplified plans of the Dorington Court to the United States. look-out building on the cliff tops.
merchant ships of World War II to Beside their normal watch-keeping
generate such articles and comment. 1941. In the United States, further duties, they would send regular
I write concerning some of the points simplification of the British plans led by a small class of British-built weather reports, keep an eye out for
raised in the letter from Mr Jory. to the delivery of the first Liberty Ship, Empire cargo vessels, referred to the safety of holiday-makers, and signal
In September 1940 it was Cyril Patrick Henry, just two months later. as the ‘Standard Fast Type’. The every ship that passed the headland
Thompson, of Sunderland shipbuilders Mr Jory refers to ‘the Liberty ships first of these ships was Empire using Morse code and a signal lamp.
J. L. Thompson & Sons, who led the and their British counterparts, the Chieftain, delivered in 1943, which The ships would reply with their name,
group known as The British Shipbuilding Victory Ships’. This is not correct. later became Royal Mail Line’s Loch destination and last port of call. This
Mission to the United States. Thompson Although there were 11 Canadian Ryan. There is, however, no direct information was then entered by the
presented to Admiral Emory Scott war-built Park type vessels that link between these British vessels Coastguard officer into a log book as
Land, Chairman of the United States were sometimes referred to as the and the US Maritime Commission’s a record in case a ship went missing
Maritime Commission, plans based on ‘Victory type’ within their building Victory ships. Delivered from before it reached the next Coastguard
Dorington Court, a vessel delivered programme, all carried the ‘Park’ the Portland yard of the Oregon station. In the case of a ship going
from the Thompson yard in 1939. suffix to their names and they were Shipbuilding Corp on 28 February south, it would be Spurn Point.
Simplified drawings from the Dorington built to the usual Park/Fort type 1944, the first Victory Ship, United Northbound ships would go through
Court plans were already being used by layout with a split superstructure, Victory, and all those that followed, the same procedure as they passed
J. L. Thompson for the construction of and were certainly not Victory Ships. were as American as the 4th of July. Whitby. I learned to use a 21-inch Aldis
early Empire ships, such as Empire Wind The design of the Victory ships I would suggest that the historical lamp during my school holidays.
and Empire Liberty. In those dark days, that Mr Jory refers to came from and most lovely photo supplied by Most of the ships were colliers
American industry was desperately the evolution of earlier US Maritime Mr Jory shows the young lady, who belonging to the many different
needed to help stem Britain’s ever- Commission designs, going back would one day become his wife, power companies or shipmanaging
increasing shipping losses. to the C1 type. In 1943, during the sitting in on the launch of a Liberty companies, such as Stephenson
From this British initiative came late stages of their design, it would rather than a Victory ship. Clarkes, Corry and Everards, fully laden
the 60 ships of the Ocean type, the be fair to say that the American Victor Young going south and in ballast going north.
first being Ocean Vanguard, delivered naval architects charged with the Wellington When in ballast, those Flat Irons made
at Richmond, California in October task were aware of and impressed New Zealand heavy going in rough weather, and
through the large naval binoculars I
Campania clarifications 1904. However, other sources say it a civilian ship-to-shore communication could see their screws thrashing about
Regarding the article on Campania occurred in 1900, which squares with system, which ties in with the 1905 as their sterns came out of the water.
(SM, Sept 2015), I have two questions the second-removed year of 1897. date I referred to in the article. I did not realise it at the time, but
(both relating to p.53): Campania Peter Dawes, Canada Both of the other ships referred to I was watching history in the making,
is cited as being the first ‘to have by Peter Dawes did, as he quite rightly as those ships and the men who sailed
wireless communications with coastal The author responded as follows: points out, have wireless technology in them have all ceased trading. The
stations around the world’. Does The easiest thing to clarify is that installed prior to this. It would be Coastguard look-out has also gone.
this mean other vessels, such as the collision with Embleton was on interesting to hear from other Patrick Major
Kaiser Wilhelm der Grösse (which had 21 July 1900. I am not an expert on readers who may be more qualified to Huddersfield
wireless installed in 1900), could only wireless technology, but there are comment on wireless matters.
communicate with other ships at this several sources that cite Campania as James Hendrie Antwerp dock names
point? And likewise for Beaver Line’s being the first to have ‘permanent Livingston, West Lothian The photo taken in the port of
Lake Champlain, cited by some sources wireless radio communications with Antwerp (SM, Oct), which shows MSC
as being the first to have permanent coastal stations’, which, as far as I can Thanks for the memory Lieselotte, incorrectly identifies the
wireless installed in 1901. ascertain, meant that any messages I was looking through some magazines location, which is not the Delwedok.
Regarding the collision with sent by her could be relayed to other when I spotted Ships Monthly, and The correct name of this dock is
Embleton, the article says it occurred stations across Europe and America. what really caught my eye was the Delwaide, so-called after a former
‘three years later’, the most recent Other sources state that in 1904 Coals from Newcastle article (SM, Oct mayor of Antwerp.
year cited (in the previous paragraph) Marconi entered into an agreement 2015). I immediately recognised the Frans Truyens
being 1901, meaning it happened in with Cunard Steamship Line to create accompanying photo of a Flat Iron and Belgium

Readers’ Pages
Mystery identified Co ANEK, two went to the Algerians

I enjoyed reading Alistair Deayton’s and were renamed Tassili and El
history of the former Japanese Djezair, and another was transferred
ferry Central No.3, later El Djezair within Japan. The image of El Djezair,
and finally Cleopatra 1, identified taken from a slide by Phil Cone in
as the September Mystery Ship. August 1988 at Marseilles, shows the
Unfortunately, the ship depicted in differences from the mystery ship.
the photograph was Shahd Cleopatra, In the period of rapid expansion of
which had a similar career, but was not Japanese ferry operations, the Nippon
Central No.3/El Djezair, as stated. Car Ferry Co and related Miyazaki Car
Previously named Hoggar, she was Ferry had their own series of six near-
built as the Japanese ferry Hibiscus identical sisters completed in 1971 for
and was operated by the short-lived their long-distance route between immediately added a bank of lifeboats Zeralda became Cleopatra Moon.
Central Ferry Company of Japan, Kawasaki and Hyuga (on Kyushu). They to the original design. I have also Neither ship seems to have operated
which had five ferries built for the carried around 1,000 passengers and seen photographs which suggest for long and both may well have
Kawasaki-Kobe route, of three slightly 110 cars or 40 trucks and were mostly that ENTMV subsequently added the been laid up in 2007. They were both
different designs, but all characterised named after flowering shrubs, such as new accommodation block, which anchored in Suez Roads during 2009
by twin side-by-side funnels. Hibiscus (5,958gt), built at Kobe. effectively extended the boat deck to and there are photographs on the
When the Central Company became Phenix, Bougainvillea and full length aft. internet of Shahd Cleopatra which
bankrupt, their ships were sold during Hibiscus were sold in the mid-1970s Hoggar followed El Djezair to suggest she was still there in 2011.
1972-73. Two became Candia and to become Tipaza, Zeralda and Cleopatra Navigation in 2006 and Roland Whaite
Rethimnon of the Cretan Maritime Hoggar respectively for CNAN, who became Shahd Cleopatra, while Chepstow
ABOVE A model of SMS Temes at the Museum of Military History in Vienna. It was from
this Danube monitor that Fregattenkapitän Friedrich Grund gave the order to open fire,
thus firing the first shots of World War I.
Venus captured Bodrog and Számos opened up with

In answer to the question from R. their 12cm-guns on the Serbian capital
Polwarth (SM, Oct 2015), I can confirm Belgrade, which was then situated on Seaham has seven – not five – a day
that Venus (1931) was captured by the the border with the Hungarian part of Seaham Harbour’s five-a-day is by no taken in 1998. During the limestone
Germans during World War II. The plan the Habsburg Empire. means ‘hitherto unknown’ (SM, Nov ‘season’, when large quantities of the
for her was that she could be used as The Serbians returned fire from a 2015), as the attached photographs cargo were exported from the port,
a mother ship for German submarines. fortification on an island fittingly called taken in 1998 show. One photograph it was common to see five or more
In April 1945 she was bombed during Great Island of War (Grosse Kriegsinsel). shows seven ships, comprising ships in port. Thank you for a most
a raid against Hamburg. She was sunk, Prof Rauchensteiner writes: ‘The Great one grab dredger and six coasters, informative magazine.
but was soon taken to Helsingør War was unleashed at the Great Island working cargo. The other photo Ronald Henderson
shipyard for repair. She was redelivered of War. . . But, unlike the small damage (above) shows five coasters, also Washington, Tyne & Wear
to Bergen Line in May 1948. these 12cm-shells did, the millions
Kurt Inge Haugstvedt more that were to follow them
Norway destroyed the Old Europe.’
Francis Wagner
Austrian Navy and WWI Luxembourg
With reference to your article on
the Austro-Hungarian navy (SM, Oct Cunarder lives lost
2015), I would like to add that the I was surprised to read that five
director of the Museum of Military passengers lost their lives on the
History in Vienna, Professor Manfried Campania in 1905 (SM, Sept), the result
Rauchensteiner, stated in his excellent of a large wave sweeping the ship.
book ‘World War One and the End of I was always under the impression
the Habsburg-Monarchy’, that three that Cunard had never lost a
monitors of the k.u.k.Danube-flotilla passenger in peacetime.
actually fired the opening shots of David Shore
World War I. He describes how, at 0220 Richmond, BC
on 29 July 1914, the monitors Temes, Canada

January ports of call Compiled by Donna and Andrew Cooke
Date Arr/dep Ship From/to Flag Operator GT Date Arr/dep Ship From/to Flag Operator GT
16 0630/1630 Ventura Canary Islands/Western Europe BA P&O 116,017
SOUTHAMPTON
18 0630/1630 Ventura Western Europe/Caribbean BA P&O 116,017
2 0630/1630 Aurora Caribbean BA P&O 76,152
19 0630/1630 Balmoral World cruise/ x BA Fred. Olsen 43,537
2 x/x Ventura Canary Islands BA P&O 116,017
3 0630/1630 Queen Victoria Zeebrugge/Northern Europe BA Cunard 90,049 BRISTOL (AVONMOUTH)
4 x/x Oceana Caribbean/ x BA P&O 77,499 5 1130/2200 Marco Polo x /La Coruna BA CMV 22,080
5 x/x Boudicca World cruise BA Fred. Oslen 28,551
TILBURY
5 x/x Balmoral Tenerife/ x BA Fred. Olsen 43,537
4 0700/1700 Boudicca Lisbon/ x BA Fred. Oslen 28,551
6 x/x Oriana USA/Caribbean BA P&O 69,840
5 1400/2000 Magellan Amsterdam BA CMV 46,052
6 x/x Queen Elizabeth Canary Islands/Hamburg BA Cunard 90,901
8 x/x Black Watch World cruise BA Fred. Olsen 28,613 LIVERPOOL
10 x/x Queen Elizabeth Hamburg/World Cruise BA Cunard 90,901 5 x/x Black Watch Madeira/ x BA Fred. Olsen 28,613
10 0630/1630 Queen Victoria Northern Europe/Hamburg BA Cunard 90,049 FLAG CODES BA Bermuda NOTES x details not known
10 x/x Queen Mary 2 New York/ x BA Cunard 148,528 NB The information in this table is given in good faith, but might change and Ships Monthly cannot be held
11 0630/1630 Arcadia Atlantic Islands & Brazil BA P&O 83,342 responsible for any changes to ship arrivals that may occur
This month’s mystery ship is ship it actually is, and provide survive her conflicts, and what post to Mystery Ship, Ships
a warship, which is flying the further information, such as year was her ultimate fate? Monthly, Kelsey Publishing,
Japanese flag and dates from of build and builder? What kind • Send answers, including a Cudham Tithe Barn, Berrys
the pre-1939 era. But can any of warship was she, and did she postal address, by email to Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG.
reader accurately identify which see any active service? Did she sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk, or by Emails preferred.
November’s mystery ship . . . remains a mystery
For the first time, no reader could anything about the photo, could of Cunard’s six A class vessels, red should be. As far as I know,
identify the mystery ships, and so they please contact Ships Monthly. these serving Montreal from the no other line operating on the
the paddlers featured in the photo So instead of an answer, there early 1920s to 1939. However, if this St Lawrence at this time sported
published in the November 2016 is another Mystery, and this from is a Cunarder, the funnel colours blue on their funnels. I wonder
issue, above left, remain unknown, a postcard sent in by Peter Dawes, should be the traditional red with if a mistake was made when the
as does the location. However, from Canada, who says: ‘I’m not black stripes and a black top, postcard was coloured. Perhaps
if any eagle-eyed reader can say certain, but I believe it shows one while this one has blue where the readers could identify the vessel?’

READERS’ PAGES
ships library
bookof
1,296 people lost their lives in less than
two minutes when the ship sank. This
themonth
included 27 women, the single worst
loss of female personnel in the history
of the British Empire.
Carrying 1,511 personnel from the
Army and the Royal and Merchant
Navies, Khedive Ismail was torpedoed
destinations, and major passenger/ by the Japanese submarine I-27 in the
Ferries 2016 vehicle ferries in other parts of Indian Ocean. Only 209 men and six
Compiled by Nick Northern Europe. This is the 28th women survived the tragic incident.
Widdows edition of the book, which first This book provides a detailed account
appeared in 1983 and is an essential of the sinking, with a history of the
Published by Ferry Publications, companion for ferry enthusiasts, ship herself, appendices listing all of
PO Box 33, Ramsey, Isle of Man containing over 180 photographs in its those on board at the time of the
IM99 4LP; tel 01624 898445, info@ 218 pages. English Channel in three years, and sinking, and a detailed account of the
lilypublications.co.uk, 224-page This edition includes a foreword the articles conclude with a review subsequent inquiries. EF
softback, price £18.50 plus postage. by Irish Ferries’ Managing Director of the 2013-14 ferry scene area by • Published by Shaun Tyas, and
Andrew Sheen, and has a major article area. available from the author at 24 Exeter
Compiled by Nick Widdows, this about the history of Irish Ferries and The bulk of the book is taken Road, Portishead, Bristol BS20 6YF, tel
annual publication lists every its perspective on the Central Corridor up with entries for individual ferry 01275 844229, 212 pages, price £24.
passenger/vehicle ferry in the route from Holyhead to Dublin, with companies, with information
United Kingdom and Ireland: ro-ro details of the ferries operated by the about the routes they operate as
freight vessels which operate company. Another feature article looks well as their fleets, and covers not
regular services between Britain and at Condor Liberation, which is the only Britain and Ireland but also
Ireland and to nearby Continental first new ferry to enter service on the Northern Europe and Scandinavia.
difference between camouflage and routes, apart from those to the Isle of
dazzle, and how the Admiralty adopted Man, growing from operating a small
the idea, albeit with some reluctance. fleet of 16 coastal ships to a position
This interesting and informative book, of dominance in the coastal trade.
with its unusual illustrations, looks at Coast Lines was eventually taken Post-war on the
a subject about which little has been over by P&O in 1971, by which time the Liners
written hitherto, and deserves a place fleet had declined from 110 passenger William H. Miller
on ship enthusiasts’ bookshelves. NL and cargo vessels in 1955 to just 25.
• Published by Coastal Shipping This book provides a history of the The period from the end of World War
Publications, 400 Nore Road, fleet’s development, and then a iisting II to the late 1960s marked a golden
Portishead, Bristol BS20 8EZ, bernard@ of the vessels that were operated, with era for the traditional port-to-port
coastalshipping.co.uk, tel 01275 potted histories and numerous photos class-divided passenger ship business,
846178, 76 pages, £9.95 plus £1 postage. of those ships. JM with the wealthy and adventurous
Dazzle-Painted Ships • Published by Amberley Publishing, seeking new experiences and migrants
of World War I The Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire wanting to leave Europe for new lives
Glyn L. Evans GL5 4EP, tel 01453 847800, www. and opportunities overseas.
amberley-books.com, 128 pages, 256 Atlantic crossings were popular, but
Against a background of the U-boat illustrations, price £19.99. there were also three- and four-class
menace, the famous artist Lieutenant ships to South America, fast mail ships
N. Wilkinson RNVR put his Dazzle Paint to South Africa, colonial passenger
Scheme to the Admiralty in April 1917. vessels to East Africa, and migrant
In this book, Glyn L. Evans explains the sailings to Sydney. This was an era
process that led to the introduction Coast Lines: Fleet List when long-distance travel was entirely
of Dazzle painting, how and by whom and History dependent on the ocean liners.
the ships were painted, and the Ian Collard This book describes the many
international reaction to them. passenger ship services of the era,
Dazzle paint schemes were applied Coast Lines was formed in 1913 from the Cunarders Queen Mary
to all kinds of vessels, from the liner from the merger of three Liverpool and Queen Elizabeth, Italian Line’s
Mauretania at just over 31,000grt to coaster companies and grew to be the Augustus, Union-Castle’s Bloemfontein
smaller liners, merchant ships and largest coaster company in the world, Castle, P&O’s Oronsay, and Shaw Savill’s
coasters at 500grt, all giving artists although it was largely based around Southern Cross, to lesser-known ships
the largest canvas of their careers the west coast until after World War such as Fyffes Line’s Golfito, Royal
upon which to work. All kinds of II. Through much of the period of Passage to Destiny Mail’s Amazon, Sitmar Line’s Fairsea,
impressive patterns of diamonds and its existence, coastal trading was in Brian James Crabb and NYK Line’s Hikawa Maru. NL
stripes were employed. decline, which made the group’s many • Published by Fonthill Media,
This small volume examines how takeovers easier to arrange. At its This book tells the story of the loss of Millview, Toadsmoor Road, Stroud
the idea of painting ships in a Dazzle peak, it dominated west coast trading, the troopship Khedive Ismail in convoy GL5 2TB, www.fonthillmedia.com,
scheme came about, explains the running most of the area’s ferry KR8 in February 1944. No fewer than 96 pages, price £18.99.

on sale
18 December 2015
To subscribe turn
to page 20
next issue US Navy frigates
A look at the Oliver
Hazard Perry class
frigates have been
at the forefront
of US Navy policy
SHANGHAI since the mid-1970s,

and only now, four
SHIPPING
decades since their
introduction, are they
disappearing from the
US Navy’s fleet.
A unique feature about classic freighters
seen in Shanghai in 1979 by internationally
renowned Swiss ship photographer
Markus Berger, with additional text by
Malcolm Cranfield.
DIGITAL ‘MARINE NEWS’ NOW IN FULL COLOUR

The World Ship Society’s monthly journal ‘Marine News’ has been the enthusiast’s best source of shipping news for 65 years. Now available in full colour to members
as a PDF delivered by e-mail, it is cheaper, delivered earlier and more up to date. Digital membership of World Ship Society costs just £20 per year and for that
annual subscription, you get all the other benefits of membership: branch activities, significant price reductions on other Society publications, photographic
offers as well as access to unrivalled information facilities. Get a trial digital copy of ‘Marine News’ by emailing your name and address to membershipsecretary@
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NEW DIGITAL FULL COLOUR SUPPLEMENT TO ‘MARINE NEWS’ DELIVERED AS A PDF BY E-MAIL EVERY MONTH WITH YOUR DIGITAL COPY OF ‘MARINE NEWS’
The new digital supplement to ‘Marine News’ has been introduced to allow publication of supplementary photographs, fleet Lists & long feature articles covering modern
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2014 digital supplement consists of 42 pages and contains: (a) an illustrated Fleet List and History of AMBROSE, DAVIES &
MATTHEWS Ltd of Swansea and (b) 45 supplementary photographs grouped under the title of the news section in which
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Technology • The latest in new ship designs

CRUISE JANUARY 2016 • Vol 51 £4.25

Frisian Island links • All ferries great and small

Another new mega cruise ship

Contributors this month

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 3

Frisian Island links • All ferries great and small 10 Ferry

Subscribe today See page 20 for more info

Features 48 Belgium’s premier port 33 Ship of the Month

38 German fast attack 64 Ports of call

The 194,849gt Mathilde Maersk, the latest Triple E ultra

JANUARY 2016 • Volume 51 • No.1

Ramsgate back in business Secret ship sold for scrap

6 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

‘Concorde of the Seas’ departs company Maorui Capital is

Tonnage ACL to fly Red Ensign

ABOVE Car carriers, such as Eukor’s

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 7

The original company was and chartered container vessels

St Christopher to sail again Ancient steamer survey

Ibn Batouta awaiting renovation after acquisition by Red Star Ferries.

SHIPS IN AFRICA The ships surveyed included the

8 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

EIGHT NEW TITLES OUT NOW

10 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

Liberation report published

Council to give support Dun Laoghaire double blow

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 11

P&O CRUISES • P&O Cruises has

12 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

Leaving South America

delivered as Nordic Empress. She

Escape at end of road will be replaced by Monarch, which

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 13

Falling Leafs, incoming Tides

for Operation Corporate – the carrier battle group. UK Ministry of Defence.

Canadian crossroads Russia’s double blitz

14 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

US focus Finland’s corvette quest PAKISTANI NAVY • Pakistan

on frigates FINNISH NAVY

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 15

Unfortunately, the 190m by 32.2m capability of building a vessel the

Bulker in trouble again Converted to LNG

Gas Engineering on the conversion, but

16 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

Anthony Veder expands British vessel scrapped

Stephenson Clarke vessels in their fleet:

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 17

Keel laid for

Germany’s first LNG vessel

18 • January 2016 • www.shipsmonthly.com

ABB orders cable layer Small ferries for Canada

technologies, including a complete ABB

www.shipsmonthly.com • January 2016 • 19

Ferry news ! ,()#-1+' )* &/1 0/$

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