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M v Dawn Merchant / Europax Apia / Pau Casals | |||
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Steel twin-screw motor vessel built in 1998, by Astilleros Espanoles S.A. (AESA) Seville, Spain, (Yard No. 287) for Cenargo (owners of Norsemerchant Ferries plc) as a passenger roll-on roll-off commercial freight ferry. Launched in February 1998. D i m e n s i o n s / T e c h n i c a l D a t a Cost new - $65 million Registry - Bahamas , Isle of Man, United Kingdom MMSI Number - 232197000 IMO number - 9147291 Length on deck - 179.93 m (overall) Breadth of hull - 25.24 m (moulded) Draught - 6.50 m Tonnage - 22,152 gross 6,645 net 7,360 deadweight Engines - Four 9-cylinder Wartsila diesels Power - 23760 kW Speed - 22.5 knots Capacity - 195 passengers, 144 (13.5 m) commercial trailers Call Sign - MYIL6 Sister Ships: Brave Merchant/Blanca del Mar, Northern Merchant/Zurbaran, Midnight Merchant/El Greco, Murillo H i s t o r y / R e m a r k s February 1998: Launched.
Profile of the Dawn Merchant (DFP Archive) September 3rd 1998: Delivered to Cenargo International Ltd (Nassau, Bahamas). She was initially chartered to Und RoRo, Istanbul, Turkey and introduced into service between Istanbul - Trieste. 1999: Registered to V Ships (UK) Douglas, Isle of Man.
© Steven Brown January 7th 1999: Inaugural arrival at Liverpool. February 15th 1999: Introduced between Liverpool - Dublin. with Merchant Ferries. March 1st 1999: Also carried foot-passengers. April 2002: Operated under the banner of Norse Merchant Ferries from Liverpool - Dublin. September 2nd 2002: Was due to enter service at Dover, but there was a delay in replacing her on the Mersey-Dublin route. September 13th 2002: Left Liverpool. September 14th 2002: Arrived at Dover.
© Nigel Thornton September 15th 2002: Maiden voyage between Dover - Dunkerque (without modifications, paint or structural).
© Mark Leiper October 24th 2002: Lightly loaded and in apparently good weather, she collided with the breakwater at Dover and had to return, taking in water and in need of evacuation and repairs. Without the necessary stern modifications required to allow her to operate from anything other than Berth 1 at Dover, departures through the Eastern exit required a difficult manoeuvre. The ship’s starboard side struck the central breakwater causing a 15 metres gash above the water line. She went to Dunkirk for repairs, during which time she was repainted in Norfolkline livery, but no structural modifications were carried out. November 21st 2002: Returned to Dover.
© Nigel Thornton December 17th 2004: Damaged as she was leaving berth number 1 at Dover during bad weather. With 50 passengers, 9 cars and 19 freight vehicles on board, she hit the harbour wall resulting in a return to the berth where she discharged both passengers and cargo. December 18th 2004: Sailed to ARNO at Dunkerque for repairs. July 1st 2004: Announcement made that Norfolk line's three Channel Ferries would be run by a newly-formed shipping group in a multi-million pound deal. Indo-China Ship Management (UK) had won the contract to operate and crew the ships. August 18th 2005: Announcement that Norse Merchant Ferries was to sell BRAVE MERCHANT and DAWN MERCHANT. With two new ro-pax ferries entering service this year on its Irish Sea routes, Norse Merchant Ferries announced that it had sold two of its four Spanish-built ro-pax vessels, BRAVE MERCHANT (built 1999) and DAWN MERCHANT (built 1998), to a company nominated by New Paragon Investment Ltd, a Hong Kong based company advised by Epic Shipping Ltd. October 13th 2005: With the impending arrival of MAERSK DUNKERQUE, made her last sailing Dunkerque - Dover and sailed directly to Liverpool.
© Nigel Thornton and Stéphane Poulain October 15th 2005: Proceeded up river, before heading to Langton Lock and then into the former Norse Merchant Ferries Belfast berth at Brocklebank Dock. October 20th 2005:Departed from Brocklebank Dock. Her Norfolk Line fleet name had been painted out, and her funnels painted all back to obliterate the Maersk blue. On entering the Mersey she went to the Liverpool Bar. She then returned and sailed up river, going to Twelve Quays to take up DUBLIN VIKING's sailings.
© Steven Brown November 10th 2005: At this time showed as the EUROPAX APPIA in Brocklebank Dock November 12th 2005: Left Liverpool for the final. Destination Siros. December 12th 2005: The planned Italian charter for the BRAVE MERCHANT and DAWN MERCHANT fell through. The DAWN MERCHANT was in dry-dock in Siros whilst the BRAVE MERCHANT is due to depart the Mersey on December 28th. The vessels' owners are currently seeking a new charter for the pair. December 12th 2005: Registered to Daybreak Shipping, Ltd, England. Managed by Meridian Marine Management Ltd. UK January 2006: Announced that she would connect Barcelona with Palma. 2006: Chartered to Balearia and renamed PAU CASALS.
Pau Casals in the port of Palma de Mallorca. © Carlos Moreno 2006: Remains in service with Balearia
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| All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. | |||
| We would like to thank: Micke Asklander (Faktaomfartyg), Mark Leiper, Nigel Thornton, Ed Connell, Carlos Moreno and Steven Brown for there assistance in compiling this feature | |||
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