© Fotoflite, Nigel Thornton Collection

Steel motor vessel, built by Bruces Verkstad A/B, Landskrona , Sweden (Yard No. 20) and fitted out by Mekaniske Verksted, Trondheim, Norway (Yard No. 44) in 1991 as a passenger and roll-on roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry, for Stena Rederi Ab, Gotenborg. Launched October 6th, 1990.

D i m e n s i o n s / T e c h n i c a l  D a t a

Official Number - 821679

Registry - Dover, United Kingdom (1991 - 2001), St John’s NF (Canada) (2001)

IMO Number - 8917388

Length on deck - 157.28 m (overall), 142.0m (between perpendiculars)

Breadth of hull - 24.30 m (moulded)

Depth - 13.2m

Draught - 7.90 m (maximum)

Tonnage - 18,523 gross

5,556 net

4,598 deadweight

Engines - Two Sulzer Wartsila 8ZA 40S diesels

Power - 7,920 kW/10,767 bhp, 10,555kW/14,400 hp (owners info’ 2007)

Speed - 19.5 knots max

Capacity - 500 passengers , 480 cars or 100 commercial trailers

250 cars or 72 tractor trailers

Call Sign - MNMC5 (1991 - 2001), VOCJ (2001)

H i s t o r y / R e m a r k s

March 13^th 1990: Keel laid.

October 6^th 1990: Launched at Bruce Yard, Landskrona. The hull was towed to Fosen Makaniske Verksteder, Rissa for fitting out.

May 1^st 1991: Completed.

May 24^th 1991: Delivered to Stena Rederi Ab, Göteborg.

June 26^th 1991: Arrived at Dover for the first time.

© Fotoflite, Ray Goodfellow Collection

June 27^th 1991: Commenced service for Sealink Stena Line Ltd., Ashford between Dover - Calais.

1992 - March 1993: Commenced service as a freight only ferry between Dover - Dunkerque.

1993: Stena full takeover of Sealink U.K. Ltd for a sum believed to be in the region of £259 million. The fleets livery was changed to reflect the fact, becoming Stena Sealink.

March 14^th 1994: Introduced as a freight only ferry between Dover - Calais.

March 24^th 1995: Commenced taking passengers from this date.

September 19^th 1995: During bad storms grounded outside Calais.

© Robert Fournier

September 25^th 1995: Re-floated and towed to Dunkerque for inspection, followed by A&P yards in Newcastle for repairs, also repainted in Stena Line colours.

© Andreas Wörteler

October 24^th 1995: Returned to service between Dover - Calais.

December 31^st 1995 (Midnight): Stena Sealink Line adopted the trading name of Stena Line.

© Andreas Wörteler

August 16^th 1996: Final day in operation between Dover - Calais. Then to the A&P dockyard in Falmouth for alterations to her stern ramp.

September 17^th 1996: Commenced service between Dublin - Holyhead.

July 13^th 1998: Chartered for a trip between Cork - Roscoff in connection with the Tour De France

2000: Owner recorded as City Leasing (Teeside) Ltd

April 2000: Sold to Marine Atlantic, Canada for delivery in 2001.

April 8^th 2001: Final day in service between Dublin - Holyhead. Thereafter to refit in the A&P dockyard in Falmouth, England awaiting delivery to Marine Atlantic, Canada.

© Ferry Boy' @ The Dover Ferry Photo Forum

April 2001: Taken over by Marine Atlantic.

© Jarrod David

April 20^th 2001: Renamed LEIF ERICSON.

© Jarrod David

June 1^st 2001: Commenced service between North Sydney - Port Aux Basques/ Argentia.

© Jarrod David

October 26^th 2006: Collided with the quay in Port Aux Basques. The ferry's bow hit a concrete structure at the harbour's edge. Emergency power kicked in, but the crew was not able to restart the engines for several minutes. Taken out of service for repairs.

November 15^th 2006: Returned to service.

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions.

We would like to thank: Andreas Wörteler, Robert Fournier and Jarrod David, for there assistance in producing this feature.

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