February 3rd 2003: Final day operating between Liverpool - Dublin.
© Ian Collard
February 4th 2003: Chartered to M.O.D. (British Forces) for service in the war in Iraq. Sailed from Liverpool to Antwerp, Southampton then to Kuwait.
July 11th 2003: Returned to Marchwood for commercial service. Then to ARNO, Dunkerque for refit.
July 2003: Chartered to Norfolk Line. Commenced service between Dunkerque - Dover for one week relieving DAWN MERCHANT (away on refit).
© Ray Goodfellow (left) and © Nigel Thornton (right)
August 4th 2003 - August 30th 2003: Chartered to P&O Ferries. Commenced service between Rotterdam - Teesport.
© Rob de Visser
September 1st 2003: Commenced service between Belfast - Birkenhead
September 8th 2003: Service between Liverpool - Dublin.
© Trevor Kidd
November 2nd 2003: Had to be withdrawn for emergency dry docking following underwater damage caused by a wire round her propeller when leaving Birkenhead's Twelve Quays terminal. She entered Canada dry dock in Liverpool on 29th October.
© Trevor Kidd
November 10th 2003: Resumed service.
July 1st 2004: Announcement was made that Norfolkline
’s three Channel Ferries would be run by a newly-formed shipping group in a multi-million pound deal. Indo-China Ship Management (UK), which won the contract to operate and crew the ships.August 18th 2005: “NorseMerchant Ferries sells BRAVE MERCHANT and DAWN MERCHANT. With two new ro-pax ferries entering service this year on its Irish Sea routes, NorseMerchant Ferries announced that it has 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.”
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 was due to depart the Mersey on 28th December. The vessels' owners were seeking a new charter for the pair.
December 23rd 2005: R
etired to Brocklebank Dock for the Christmas holiday period. January 3rd 2006: “To be renamed BLANCA DEL MAR for her new career with Iscomar - the vessel is due to leave for Spain next week, being handed over on Monday or Tuesday. Operating the Barcelona - Palma route the ship will be in direct competition to Balearia's PAU CASALS (her sister DAWN MERCHANT”
January 10th 2006: Left operation with NorseMerchant Ferrries at Liverpool and sailed for Siros where she was expected on 16th January.
January 2006: Bare boat chartered to Iscomar, Spain. Registered to Brave Shipping, Liverpool
© Carlos Moreno
February 2006: In service Barcelona - Palma de Mallorca
June 19th 2008: Service between Barcelona - Ibiza
June 2008: Charter completed.
July 10th 2008: Anchored/laid-up off Gibraltar.
© Daniel Ferro
October 16th 2008: According to an announcement in the government's officials newspaper Latvijas Vestnesis, the cargo-passenger ferry "Blanca Del Mar", operated by the company AVE Logistics, will commence Liepaja-Travemünde route starting from November 4th this year, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
October 24th 2008: Sailed from Gibraltar.
October 26th 2008: “Media reports indicated her name would be AVE LEIPAJA and that she was being repainted in Brest. She would remain UK flag.”
November 11th 2008: Passed through the Dover Straits bound for Travemünde, Germany.
November 13th 2008: Arrived in Travemünde.
© Dirk Jankowsky
November 19th 2008: Commenced service Travemünde - Liepaja.
© Sebastian Ziehl
December 10th 2009: Laid up at Fredericia anchorage.
January 7th 2010: Left Fredericia for Gdansk.
January 9th 2010: Arrived in Gdansk and again laid up.
February 8th 2010: It's announced that the Ave Leipaja has been chartered to LD Lines to operate between Dover and Boulogne in place of the Norman Spirit.
1st March 2010: Ave Leipaja enters the Remontowa dry dock in Gdansk, Poland.
2nd March 2010: Renamed Norman Bridge.
11th March 2010: Departed Poland.
13th March 2010: Arrived in Boulogne.
© Andreas Wörteler
18th March 2010: Enters service between Dover and Boulogne.
© Ed Connell (Ships in the Port of Dover)
1st April 2010: Owing to an incident involving the `Norman Arrow' at Portsmouth the Norman Bridge is transferred to operate the Portsmouth - Le Havre service. Her place on the Dover- Bouolgne route is covered by the `Ostend Spirit'.
© Ray Goodfellow
2nd April 2010: Arrives in Portsmouth and takes up service to Le Havre.
Departing Portsmouth for Le Havre © Collaroy
5th April 2010: Returns to Boulogne to take up service to Dover.
30th April 2010: Owing to a technical problem with her port rudder the Norman Bridge proceeds to Cruise Terminal 1 to make repairs.
Dover Cruise Terminal One 30th April 2010 © Marconista
1st May 2010: Carries out sea trials off Dover which prove unsatisfactory and she proceeds to dry dock in Rotterdam for repairs.
9th May 2010: Returns to Dover to take up service to Boulogne.
14th May 2010: Returns to Rotterdam to receive further attention to her faulty rudder.
27th May 2010: Returns to Boulogne sporting full LD Lines livery and takes up service to Dover.
© Andreas Wörteler
16th August 2010: LD Lines announced that due to poor traffic figures the Norman Bridge is to be removed from the Dover-Boulogne route on the 30th August. She is to be used instead to inaugurate GLD Atlantiques (a joint venture between Louis Dreyfus and Grimaldi Lines) new `Motorway of the Seas' route across the Bay of Biscay from St Nazaire (France) to Gijon (Spain).
23rd August 2010: LD Lines announces the closure of the Dover-Boulogne passenger service. The last sailing will be on the 5th September 2010. The company are said to be considering running a freight only service to Boulogne but at this time no decision has been made.
Seen at Dover shortly before being withdrawn from service. © Ray Goodfellow
29th August 2010: Sustained significant hull damage and withdrawn from service. Proceeded to ARNO Dunkerque for repairs. The Norman Bridge is due to depart Dunkerque for St Nazaire on the 3rd September 2010.
2nd September 2010: It was announced that LD Lines are to withdraw all operations from Dover on the 5th September 2010. The suggested freight only service is deemed unfeasible.
6th September 2010: Departs Dunkerque and arrives in Dover to take on stores before departing for St Nazaire.
Technical Data
Vessel History
