Arne Pyson Steel twin screw motor vessel, built by J. Boel & Fils, Tamise, in 1962, for the Belgian Marine Administration’s Ostend service as a passenger and car ferry. Engined by Sulzer Bros. Ltd ., Winterthur (Yard No. 1391). Launched November 20th, 1961.
 Technical Data
IMO Number - 5192963 Registry - Oostende (1962 - 1985), Valletta (1985 - ), Length on deck - 117.30m (384.8 ft) (overall) 110.62m (362.9 ft) (between perpendiculars) Breadth of hull - 15.98m (52.4 ft) (extreme) Depth - 10.06m (16.9 ft) (moulded) Draught - 3.82m (12.5 ft) (maximum) Tonnage - 3,057 gross 1,317 net, 1,603 411 deadweight Engines - Two 12-cylinder Sulzer 12NH51 two-stroke single acting diesels Power - 7,061 kW Speed - 20 knots Capacity - 850 passengers, 160 cars. Call Sign - 9HHS2 (LYDIA)
History November 20th 1961: Launched. The first Dover - Ostend vessel to receive a bow-thrust unit. June 1962: Delivered to Belgian Maritime Transport Authority, Oostende, Belgium.
Roy Thornton Collection
June 10th 1962: Commenced service between Ostend - Dover. 1970: Summer relief Harwich - Hook of Holland
Roy Thornton Collection
November 1970: Belgian Marine joined the Sealink consortium. Trading as Sealink
 © Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection
November 1st 1971: Belgian Marine became the Belgian Maritime Transport Authority - Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT). October 28th 1974: Suffered a serious engine-room fire whilst en route to Ostend. Repairs took six months. June 15th 1983: Final day in service, thereafter laid up in Ostend.
 Roy Thornton Collection
February 1985: Sold to Ionian Navigation Co. Ltd., Valletta, Malta. Renamed OLYMPIA
© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection
1985: Chartered to Hellenic Mediterrean Lines. Renamed LYDIA.
 Roy Thornton Collection
1992: Operated between Ortona - Igoumenitsa.
 
Roy Thornton Collection
December 1995: Sold to Illyria Ferries, Registered to Lefki Investments Corp., Kingstown, St. Vincent. Renamed EPHESUS. December 1995: Operated between Brindisi and Valona. June 1996: Chartered to TOPAS Maritime Lines. Operated between Bari - Igoumenitsa - Cesme. July 31st 1996: Arrested in Bari. 1996: Registered to Skylark Trading Ltd., Kingstown, St. Vincent. Renamed BERGAMA.
Roy Thornton Collection
1996: Introduced by Stern Lines between Bari - Cesme. 1997: Sold to Illyria Lines. Operated between Bari - Tirana. June 14th 1997 - September 22nd 1997: Chartered to Stern Lines Shipping. Operated between Bari - Cesme. 1998: Chartered to Anatolia Ferries. Renamed BOSPORUS.
 © Antonis Lazaris
2000: Laid up in Cesme. 2004: Sold to Turkish breakers. March 11th 2004: Arrived Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping.
 © Selim San
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All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. All items included in this article are subject to ©. We would like to thank: Arne Pyson, Antonis Lazaris, Peter Longhurst and Selim San for their assistance in producing this feature. |
