 Pride of Hampshire departing from Portsmouth | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Aalborg Værft AS[4][5] |
| Launched | 7 June 1974[2][3] |
| Out of service | 2010[2] |
| Identification | IMO number: 7358286[5] |
| Fate | Scrapped early 2010[5] |
| General characteristics (Original) | |
| Tonnage | 6,387 |
| Length | 128.71 m |
| Beam | 19.81 m |
| Draught | 4.53 m |
| Propulsion | Två Werkspoor 8TM410, En 9TM410 diesel |
| Speed | 18 knots |
| Capacity |
|
| General characteristics (Extended) | |
| Tonnage | 14,760Gross tons[2][3] |
| Length | 143.66 m[3] |
| Beam | 23.47 m[3] |
| Draught | 5.05 m |
| Propulsion | Två Werkspoor 8TM410, En 9TM410 diesel |
| Speed | 18 knots |
| Capacity |
|
MSOujda was a roll-on/roll offferry built asViking Venturer by Aalborg Værft AS[4] in 1974 forTownsend Thoresen.
Viking Venturer was initially put into service on the route fromSouthampton toLe Havre then latterlyPortsmouth toCherbourg. She was sold toP&O European Ferries and renamedPride of Hampshire. With the takeover of Townsend Thoresen by P&O, and the sinking of theHerald of Free Enterprise in 1987, P&O wanted to drop the Townsend Thoresen name and the ship names associated with the company. She was repainted from her Townsend Thoresen orange and white livery to the new P&O blue and white, the TT logo on her funnel replaced by the P&O house flag.[6] Townsend Thoresen becameP&O European Ferries and in 1989Viking Venturer becamePride of Hampshire. She continued to sail under that name until 2002.She was transferred to the Portsmouth-Cherbourg route in 1994 as a result of larger vesselsPride of Le Havre &Pride of Portsmouth being chartered for theLe Havre route.
In 1986, the ship was taken to Bremerhaven for "jumboisation", which added an extradeck to the ship, making it appear comparatively top heavy.
She was sold in 2002 after 27 years service on theEnglish Channel. At the time she, was the eldest cross-channel ferry sailing from the United Kingdom.[citation needed]
Her new owner,El Salam Maritime, renamed her thePride of Al Salam 2[1] then latterlyOujda[1] sailing between Sète and Nador in her final days with aPanama flag.[2]
She was sold for demolition in India in 2010.[5]
Viking Venturer was one of four sister ships[1] ordered by Townsend Thoresen.
The other three were:
