Roy Thornton Collection

Steel triple screw motor vessel, built by N.V. Werf “Gusto”, Schiedam, (Yard No. CO 755) for Townsend’s in 1970 as a passenger and roll-on-roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry. Engined by Smit Kinderdijk V.O.F. Launched February 1^st, 1970.

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

Registry - Dover (1970 - 1993), Limassol, Cyprus (1993 -

IMO Number - 7010509.

Length on deck - 117.50m (385.5 ft) (overall)

110.06m (361.1ft) (between perpendiculars)

Breadth of hull - 19.00m (63.7 ft) (extreme)

Depth - 11.03m (36.2 ft) (moulded)

Draught - 4.39m (14.4 ft) (maximum)

Tonnage - 5,044 gross, 7,838 (69)

1,977 net, 2,703 (69), 1,846

1,296 deadweight, 1332, 1355

Engines - Three 12-cylinder Smit-MAN RBL 6612 four stroke single acting diesels .

Power - 9,003 kW

Speed - 19 knots

Capacity - 1,132 passengers, 250 cars, or 160 cars and 22 heavy trailers

Call sign - GNOE (1970 - 1993)

P3CW5 (2003 - )

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

January 31^st 1970: Launched.

May 1970: Delivered to Townsend Car Ferries Ltd., Dover, England.

May 31^st 1970: Commenced service between Dover - Calais and Dover - Zeebrugge.

October 11^th 1971 - October 13^th 1971:Out of service for three days when the FREE ENTERPRISE III took her place on the Zeebrugge link.

Roy Thornton Collection

20^th November 1971:Blown by a force 11 gale against the submarine pens, whilst berthing at the Eastern Docks (Dover). She was out of service the next day.

1972: “Townsend Thoresen” was added in small white letters on the hulls and TTF logo appeared on funnels in pale green.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection

December 22^nd 1972: Collided with the British coaster REDTHORNE off Zeebrugge. She sailed to Antwerp for repairs when the FREE ENTERPRISE III covered for her while the FREE ENTERPRISE I was brought out of winter lay-up to deputise on the Calais link.

1974: Ships had hulls painted dark green with company name in large white letters.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection

1976: “Thoresen” orange was for all ships hulls and funnels eventually became dark green with orange TTF company logo.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection

1982 (early part):Laid up in King George V Dock in London.

1982: Ran freight sailings Southampton - Le Havre.

May 20^th 1982: Commenced service between Portsmouth - Cherbourg.

September 1982: Freight sailings from Southampton.

May 19^th 1983: Introduced for the summer between Portsmouth - Cherbourg

© Brian Fisher

May 19^th 1983: Chartered to Poole-Cherbourg Twining Association for a tour between Poole - Cherbourg.

1983 (Late): Returned to Dover to cover freight sailings.

1984: A new TT logo, in white, was introduced on the funnels.

September 4^th 1984: Chartered to Poole-Cherbourg Twining Association for a tour between Poole - Cherbourg.

1984: Final Portsmouth - Cherbourg summer season after which sailed to Dover for winter Zeebrugge relief.

March 30^th 1985: Refit at Chatham.

April 9^th 1985: Relief between Dover - Boulogne.

June 1985: Dover - Zeebrugge.

December 1985 - January 1986: Refit at Rotterdam.

January 11^th 1986: Returned to Dover after overhaul.

January 11^th 1986: Relief Dover - Boulogne

March 1986: Portsmouth - Le Havre

May 1986: Laid up at Southampton.

June 1986: Relief Portsmouth - Le Havre.

July 18^th 1986: Relief Dover - Boulogne.

April 9^th 1987: Commenced service between Dover - Calais.

1987: Following the “HERALD” disaster, from spring onwards, pale blue funnels with P & O flag logo became the norm.

June 5^th 1987: Operated between Dover - Boulogne.

October 1987: There was a change to P & O European Ferries navy blue hull and funnel.

December 31^st 1987: Registered for P&O European Ferries Ltd, Dover, England.

January 1^st 1988: Renamed PRIDE OF HYTHE still operating Dover - Boulogne.

February 1988: Laid up at Vlissingen’s Scheldeport, owing to seaman’s strike

July 1988: Laid up on the Tyne following overhaul from Smith’s

 © Brian Pawley

April 1988: Offered for sale. Boulogne sailings suspended owing to NUS strike

 © Brian Pawley

August 1988: Resumed Dover - Boulogne,

March 15^th 1991: Sold to Abbey National March Leasing, London. Bareboat chartered to P&O.

March 30^th 1992: After refit at Bremerhaven returned to Dover - Boulogne service.

January 4^th 1993: Boulogne route closed. Vessel sent to Tilbury to lay up.

 Laid up pending sale in Tilbury with the Pride of Canterbury © Brian Pawley

April 1993: Sold to Charterhall Shipping, Limassol, Cyprus (a subsidiary of TransEuropa Shipping Lines). Renamed LABURNUM. Sailed to Dunkerque for remedial work

1993: Commenced service between Trieste - Koper - Durres - Brindisi/Bari.

1996: Chartered to Prekokeanska Plovidba, Montenegro. Introduced between Bar - Bari.

1997: Sold to Prekokeanska Plovidba, Bar, Montenegro. Introduced between Bar - Bari.

1997: Sold to Lavender Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus.

July 13^th 2001: Adriatic service suspended, sailed for Ramsgate.

July 20^th 2001: Maiden sailing for TransEuropa Ferries between Oostende - Ramsgate.

November 20^th 2002: Operated her final Ramsgate - Ostend service.

January 9^th 2003: Arrived at Vlissingen for refit (fitted with flood doors for SOLAS regulations).

January 16^th 2003: Departed Vlissingen for Italy.

January 2003; Chartered to Comanav (Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation).

January 22^nd 2003: Arrived at Genoa.

January 24th 2003: Commenced service between Genoa - Tangier.

2003: Renamed TADLA.

July 17^th 2003: Detained in Genoa, following safety inspection. (27 deficiencies).

December 12^th 2003: Further detention authorised (4 deficiencies)

June 26th 2004 - October 2nd 2004: Operated between Naples - Nador.

January 2005: Charter completed. Laid up in Genoa.

February 2005: For sale, “offers”

July 18th 2006: Sailed for Ferrimaroc on the Almeria-Nador route.

August 1^st 2006: Detained in Genoa following safety inspection. (13 deficiencies)

August 1^st 2006: Detained in Genoa following safety inspection. (13 deficiencies)

April 2007: Remains laid-up in Genoa. Reportedly sold to “undisclosed interest” and renamed VERONICA LINE

May 3rd 2007: Left Genoa for Otranto, Italy.
May 5th 2007: Detained in Otranto, following safety inspection.

August 17^th 2007: Further detention authorised

May 9^th 2007: Further detention (48 deficiencies)

September 21^st 2007: Registered owner recorded as: Medglory Ltd, Genoa.

Ship Manager: Alemar SRL

September 2007: In service from Otranto (Italy) - Durres (Albania).

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

We would like to thank: Benoit Donne, Brian Fisher, Dirk Jankowsky, Matt Murtland (HHV Ferry), Enrico Righetti, Brian Pawley and Andreas Wörteler for there assistance in producing this feature.

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