 Stena Transporter in 2005, approaching Rotterdam | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | |
| Launched | 20 March 1978 |
| Identification | IMO number: 7528659 |
| Honours and awards | Falkland Islands 1982 |
| Fate | Broken up 2017 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 151.95 metres (498 ft 6 in) |
| Beam |
|
| Depth |
|
| Installed power | 2×Pielstick 12PC2-5V-400-Vdiesel engines, 11,475 kilowatts (15,388 hp) |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h) |
MSNordic Ferry was acar ferry built in South Korea asMerzario Espania in 1978 for theStena Container Line. She operated on Stena's Merzario Line and was renamedMerzario Hispania. Sold toEuropean Ferries in 1980 she wasjumboised and renamedNordic Ferry before sailing on theFelixstowe–Europoort route under theTownsend Thoresen brand. She wastaken up from trade by the British government in 1982 to carry troops and stores during theFalklands War, returning to commercial service later that year. She served on the Felixstowe–Zeebrugge routes after a 1986 refit, and was renamedPride of Flanders after the Townsend Thoresen rebranding toP&O European Ferries the following year. She was sold toStena Line in 2002 and renamedFlanders and thenStena Transporter. In 2009 she was sold toStrade Blu and renamedStrada Corsa, serving on theirLivorno toOlbia route in Italian waters. Sold toBaja Ferries in 2013 and renamedLa Paz Star she sailed to the Pacific and served on routes along the northern part of the Western Mexican coast. She was sold again toMedferry Shipping in 2016 and the following year returned to European waters. After a refit she served on theRhodes toSantorini route in Greek waters. She caught fire in June 2017 and, though saved, was afterwards scrapped in Turkey under the nameStar.
As built, the ship was 151.95 metres (498 ft 6 in) long, with a beam of 21.67 metres (71 ft 1 in) and a depth of 6.45 metres (21 ft 2 in). She was assessed at 5,539 GRT, 2,485 NRT, 8,672 DWT. She was powered by twoPielstick 12PC2-5V-400-Vdiesel engines rated at a total of 11,475 kilowatts (15,388 hp) giving a maximum speed of 17 knots (31 km/h). She had accommodation for 12 passengers.[1]
The ship was built in 1978 asMerzario Espania forStena Container Line's Merzario Line.[2][3][4] She was constructed byHyundai at theirUlsan, South Korea shipyard; herIMO number was 7528659.[3] She first sailed in August 1978 and was later renamedMerzario Hispania.[4][3] She was sold in 1980 toEuropean Ferries who renamed herNordic Ferry and operated her under theirTownsend Thoresen brand. From December 1980 to February 1981 she was in theHapag Lloyd Werft shipyards inBremerhaven, Germany, undergoingjumboisation to increase passenger capacity.[3] After rebuilding, she was assessed at 6,566 GRT, 3,284 NRT, 8,704 DWT.[1] She was afterwards employed on theFelixstowe–Europoort route.[5]
Nordic Ferry was in Europoort on 3 May 1982, preparing to sail for Felixstowe, when she was taken up from trade by the British government for service in the Falklands War. She sailed for the UK and from 4–9 May underwent an extensive refit for service as a troop and stores ship.[6][5] Two 15-square-metre (160 sq ft)helipads were installed on her top deck, made from 12-millimetre (0.47 in) thick steel. Landing aids and 102 helicopter tying-down points were also installed. Areplenishment at sea mast with a 6-inch (150 mm) fuel line was installed to hershelter deck, some of herbulwarks were removed and additional life rafts installed. Internally she was fitted with satellite communications with teleprinters, satellite navigation, additional galley equipment and areverse osmosis freshwater plant.[5] She displaced 6,455 tons and was capable of making 17knots (31 km/h; 20 mph).[7][2]
Together withsister shipBaltic Ferry andSealink'sSt Edmund she carried personnel and equipment of the5th Infantry Brigade and associated logistics support units.[7] Her main deck was loaded with stores and equipment, at the bow were 15 rows of pallets of ammunition, stacked three-high, followed by six pallet rows of rations, eight of other equipment, containers of refrigerated goods and, at the stern, military vehicles. Since the stern door was the only access, almost everything else had to be unloaded to reach the ammunition.[8]
Nordic Ferry carried approximately half of the stores and many of the personnel of10 Field Workshop, a maintenance support unit.[8] The majority of their stores were never unloaded and remained on board for the duration of the war, the unit never being deployed in its main role and instead being used to guard Argentine prisoners of war.[8][9] WithNordic Ferry,Baltic Ferry andSt Edmund removed from service, capacity on the Harwich/Felixstowe to Holland routes was greatly reduced and Townsend Thoresen chartered two replacement vessels.[10]
Nordic Ferry sailed fromPortsmouth on 9 May and carried out replenishment at sea and helicopter landing trials inThe Solent.[11][12] She afterwards proceeded toFreetown, Sierra Leone, and sailed in company withBaltic Ferry.[2][11] The two vessels parted company on 29 May to proceed independently to the Falklands.[2] After unloading her stores she was escorted eastwards by the frigatePenelope.[13] On 8 July she picked up 85Royal Marines fromKing Edward Point, South Georgia, taking them onboard from atug backed up to her open stern ramp.[14]Nordic Ferry sailed for the UK on 29 July and upon her arrival was refitted for commercial use, returning to service at Felixstowe on 25 August.[6][2] In recognition of her service she was awarded thebattle honour "Falkland Islands 1982".[15]
_(8).JPG)
After the warNordic Ferry continued on the Felixstowe–Europoort route.[16] In 1985–86 she underwent a £5 million refit at theWilton-Fijenoord shipyard inSchiedam, the Netherlands, to fit her for combined passenger and freight use.[17][18][16] She had 27 additional cabins installed, bringing her passenger capacity up to 124.Nordic Ferry afterwards replaced MSSuper Viking on the Felixstowe–Zeebrugge route.[18][16] She was assessed at 18,732 GRT, 10,578 NRT, 8,704 DWT.[1] Townsend Thoresen was rebranded asP&O European Ferries in 1987.[19] On 4 February 1987,[1]Nordic Ferry collided with the vesselSan Salvador while travelling towards Felixstowe. The subsequent investigation found thatSan Salvador had proceeded at an unsafe speed of 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h; 7.5 mph) given she had an inoperableradar and visibility of only 50 feet (15 m) in poor weather. AlthoughNordic Ferry was proceeding faster, at 7–8 knots (13–15 km/h; 8.1–9.2 mph), her speed was ruled safe given she was fitted with two excellent radar sets, had a high level of manoeuvrability and an experienced crew.[20]Nordic Ferry was renamedPride of Flanders by 1993 and in November 1995 was refitted atHarland and Wolff in Belfast to maximise her freight capacity.[16][21][22] Following the refit, she was assessed at 16,776 GT, 8,704 DWT. Her beam and depth were now 23.50 metres (77 ft 1 in) and 7.27 metres (23 ft 10 in) respectively.[1]
Pride of Flanders was sold toStena Line in 2002 and her name shortened toFlanders, she was later renamedStena Transporter.[16] In June 2009 she was sold toStrade Blu and served on theirLivorno toOlbia, Sardinia route, being renamedStrada Corsa. She was sold again in October 2013 toBaja Ferries and was sailed to the Pacific to service theirLa Paz toTopolobampo andMazatlán routes in Mexico, during which time she was namedLa Paz Star.[16][4] Sold toMedferry Shipping in December 2016 she returned to Europe, traversing thePanama Canal in January 2017 and passingGibraltar in February.[16] RenamedMed Star, a major refit was carried out to her car decks and stern ramp.[16][4] She afterwards served on theRhodes toSantorini route in Greece under charter toBlue Star Ferries and sailing under the Cypriot flag.[3][16][23] Having loaded 33 vehicles at Rhodes on 15 June 2017 she suffered a fire in her engine room that spread to the accommodation block. Twenty of her passengers and crew were evacuated in a lifeboat and, after the remaining twelve crew managed to extinguish the fire,Med Star was towed to Rhodes.[16][24] She was transferred to the Spanopoulos repair yard inPerama but repairs proved uneconomic.[16] RenamedStar and sailing under the Sierra Leonean flag, she was beached atAliağa, Turkey, forbreaking on 8 December 2017.[3][16][4] At the time of scrapping her length was measured at 151 metres (495 ft).[3]
 Royal Navy |
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 Naval Auxiliary (RFA) | |
 Ships Taken Up From Trade |
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 Civilian Auxiliary (RMAS) | |
S - Sunk | |
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1987 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 2017 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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