© Andreas Wörteler Incat 81 m Aluminium catamaran built in 1997 by Incat (International Catamarans) Australia Pty. Ltd, Hobart, Australia (Yard No. 041) for Del Bene S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina (Registered in Bahamas with home port Nassau) as a car and passenger ferry. Launched August 24th, 1996.
 Technical Data
Registry - Luxembourg (1997 - 2000), Bahamas (2000 - 2003), Italy (2003 - ), Spain (2007 - ) MMSI Number - 309713000 IMO Number - 9135884 Length - 81.15m Breadth - 26.00m Draught - 3.15m Tonnage - 4,305 gross 200 deadweight Engines - Four 16-cyl, Ruston V16 RK270 Mk 2 Turbo diesels each producing 7000 bhp @ 930 RPM. Power - 22,000 kW / 28,000 bhp. Speed - 37 knots (service), 44 (max) Capacity - 654 passengers, 155 cars Call Sign - C6OI3(2000 - 2006), IBQC (2006), ECMI (2007)
History August 24th 1996: Launched. September 1996: Delivered to Del Bene S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina (Registered in Bahamas with home port Nassau). October 1996: Sold to Holyman Ltd, Sydney, Australia. Renamed HOLYMAN EXPRESS. November 1996: Left Australia for Europe. December 4th 1996 - December 8th 1996: Tidied up in Ostend. February 18th 1997: Registered to Holyman Sally (Luxembourg) S.A., Luxembourg. Renamed HOLYMAN DIAMANT.
 
© Andreas Wörteler
March 1st 1997: Commenced service between Ostend - Ramsgate. March 9th 1997: Collided with SALLY STAR in Ramsgate harbour and damaged her bows. March 15th 1997: Returned to service after repair. March 1998: Registered to Hoverspeed Holyman Ltd., Luxembourg. Renamed DIAMANT.
 
© Ray Goodfellow
March 1998: Commenced service between Ostend - Dover. March 20th 2001: Final service between Ostend - Dover.
  
© Ray Goodfellow (left and middle) and © Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)
March 30th 2001: Commenced service between Newhaven - Dieppe. January 6th 2002: Collided with the conventional ro-ro passenger ferry NORTHERN MERCHANT three miles south-east of Dover in poor visibility. Suffered substantial damage to her prow and starboard side wave-piercer. She was able to proceed under own power. No-one was injured.
 
Damage sustained from the collision with the Northern Merchant MAIB http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/diamant-northern-merchant.pdf
March 6th 2003 - March 23rd 2003: Operated between Douglas - Liverpool - Dublin. March 2004: Entered service in new “Union Jack” livery
  © Ray Goodfellow (left) and Nigel Thornton (right)
April 2004: Commenced service between Dover - Calais. September 1st 2004: Renamed SEACAT DIAMANT. Registered in the Italian ships register, home port Genoa. 2004: Laid up in Dover for the winter months. January 2005 (end): To A & P Sunderland for major refit and refurbishment.
  
© Ray Goodfellow
March 2005: Returned to Dover. March 17th 2005: New season opened by RAPIDE.
  
© Trevor Boston
March 24th 2005: First of sailing by SEACAT DIAMANT November 4th 2005: Hoverspeed announces early closure on Dover-Calais route.
“Cross Channel fast ferry operator Hoverspeed today announced that following consultations with its permanent staff in the UK and Europe, it had reluctantly decided on an early closure to the season.
 
© Joe (Ferry Fantastic)
Hoverspeed, which operates on the Dover-Calais route, said it could no longer sustain the losses on the English Channel. Hoverspeed will retain a certain number of staff who will look after the care and
maintenance of its two SeaCat's whilst a decision is made on future deployment of the craft. Consequently many jobs will unfortunately be at risk over coming weeks.” November 7th 2005: SEACAT DIAMANT completed the last sailing.
Trevor Boston Collection
November 9th 2005: Arrived at Tilbury and laid up. March 14th 2006: Left Tilbury bound for Rotterdam and a refit at Damen Shipyard, Schiedam March 25th 2006: Returned to Tilbury. Announced “The 'Diamant', an 81 metre fast craft catamaran carrying up to 650 passengers, 450 motorcycles and vehicles will be scheduled to operate on mainly the Heysham/IOM but some Liverpool/IOM services from 30th May up until 12th June." May 22nd 2006: Left Tilbury bound for Falmouth, there to bunker and onward to the Irish Sea. May 23rd 2006: Arrived Falmouth. May 24th 2006: Arrived Birkenhead for her charter to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company to provide additional TT Festival Capacity. She remained on the stage for most of the day before departing the stage and heading across to NSL Birkenhead around 20:23. Most of her sailings are will be on the Heysham - Douglas route. May 24th 2006: Arrived in Douglas.
 
© Alex Mc Cormac
May 30th 2006 - June 12th 2006: Operated between Douglas - Heysham/ Liverpool. June 2006: Chartered to Balearia, Spain. June 16th 2006: Completed her Isle of Man Steam Packet charter and laid up at Birkenhead.
According to AIS, left the Mersey at 7.28am this morning bound for Oporto, with a scheduled arrival at 1pm tomorrow.
 
Seen arriving at Falmouth for bunkers before sailing to the Med © Charlie Chambers
2006: In Service Registered owner: Baleria Address: s/n, Estacion Maritima, Denia Spain
 
 
© Carlos Proveda (Visual Ships Collection)
Ship manager: Baleria Address: s/n, Estacion Maritima, Denia Spain
 
© Carlos Moreno (merchantships.info)
January 22nd 2007: Renamed Jaume III and placed under the Spanish flag registered in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
 
© Carlos Moreno (merchantships.info)
2007: Remains in service with Balearia on services to and from the Balearic's.
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