Roy Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel built at the Arsenal de Brest , (Yard No. CF 1), for the British Railways Board in 1972, Like her sister ships she was ordered in October 1970 and named at the naval dockyard on April 29^th, 1972, the ceremony in this case being performed by Mrs Eileen Posner, wife of Sealink’s General Manager.

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

Registry - London (1972), Piraeus (2005)

IMO Number - 7205063

Length on deck - 118.09m (387.3 ft) (overall)

361.5 ft (between perpendiculars)

Breadth of hull - 19.84m (65 ft) (extreme)

63.2 ft (moulded)

Depth - 36.8 ft (moulded)

Draught - 4.12m (13.5 ft) (maximum)

Tonnage - 5,596 gross

2,008 net

1,030 deadweight

Engines - two 16-cylinder Pielstick PC2V four-stroke single-acting diesels

Power - 11,030 kW

Speed - 19.5 knots

Capacity - 1,400 passengers and 256 cars (or 38 lorries and 80 cars)

Call Sign - SWXF (2005)

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

April 29^th 1972: Launched and christened.

June 6^th 1972: Delivered to Sealink British Rail, London, England.

Roy Thornton Collection

June 8^th 1972: Arrived at Dover.

June 16^th 1972: Firstly introduced between Folkestone - Boulogne. Then served between Folkestone - Calais, Folkestone - Ostend, Dover - Boulogne.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection (left) and © Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)

January 10^th 1980: Under the command of Capt. Womar, was in collision with the vehicle carrier CANABAL off Calais. HENGIST which had initially stopped engines was going astern. Minor damage was caused to both vessels.

Roy Thornton Collection

April 3^rd 1983: Suffered a small fire in her engine room workshop. Suffered extensive damage to the wiring and the ship was escorted into Dover, Camber berth by DHB tugs DOMINANT and DILIGENT. Withdrawn for repairs.

Roy Thornton Collection

April 16^th 1983: Left her berth, but more problems made her miss her scheduled sailings that day.

July 18^th 1984: Sale of Sealink U.K. to Sea Containers Ltd, Bermuda. Company changed name to Sealink British Ferries U.K. In readiness for privatisation, on their reappearance from overhaul, units of the Sealink U.K. Ltd fleet all appeared without the B.R. double arrow on their funnels. Four ships initially appeared with the all-white livery and blue funnels. From that time the company would trade as Sealink British Ferries and a subsidiary company British Ferries was set up for Channel Island operations.

© Fotoflite, Matt Murtland (HHV Ferry)

October 1984: Operated, for a short time, between Fishguard - Rosslare.

1985 (winter): Received £1 million refit. The ship’s after docking bridge was removed during this period.

© Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (left) © Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection (middle) and Manuel Dhondt Collection (right)

October 1985: Operated, for a short time, between Fishguard - Rosslare, before returning to Folkestone.

January 3^rd 1986 - January 14^th 1986:Refit at Swan Hunter at Hebburn.

Stéphane Poulain Collection

April 24^th 1987: Three French fishermen were drowned when their vessel sank after hitting HENGIST at Boulogne. She was swinging inside Boulogne Harbour and under shore control when struck by the 65 ft trawler which sank almost immediately. The ferry suffered only superficial damage and was later able to continue her crossing to Folkestone, arriving some five hours late.

October 16^th 1987: Hurricane gusts stuck the vessel whilst she was alongside at Folkestone. With lines constantly snapping she was forced to put to sea where she was hit by a wave of such force that falling machinery caused alternator damage after which all electrical power in the ship was lost. The SW winds, blowing to hurricane force, drove the stricken vessel onto the Warren (beach between Dover and Folkestone) where she was impaled by a knuckle of the concrete sea wall.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection (left) and the Roy Thornton Collection (right)

October 22^nd 1987: Rescued from the beach.

October 27^th 1987: Taken in tow to Tilbury for dry-docking and inspection, then to the Humber for repairs.

 © Brian Pawley

January 15^th 1988: Returned to service between Folkestone - Boulogne.

© Fotoflite, In Chatham Dry dock, Roy Thornton Collection

April 1990: Sold to Stena Line, Ab, Göteborg. (Registered to Stena Equipment Ltd. London) Registered and commenced service for Sealink Stena Line.

1991: 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.

January 1^st 1991: Renamed STENA HENGIST.

© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection (left) and © Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)

December 24^th 1991: Final day operating Folkestone - Boulogne service.

December 28^th 199: Arrived in Birkenhead.

January 9^th 1992: Commenced service between Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire.

1992 - March 14^th 1992: Operated between Stranraer - Larne.

© Aubrey Dale

March 18^th 1992: Sold to Flanmare Shipping Inc, Piraeus, Greece. Renamed ROMILDA. Departed Holyhead for Piraeus.

1992: Commenced operations for GA Ferries.

April 1993: Sold to Ventouris Sea Lines, Piraeus, Greece. Renamed APOLLO EXPRESS II.

© Bernd Crause

October 1995: Economic problems forced her owners to lay her up in Piraeus.

September 1996: Sold to Milos Naftiki Eteria, Piraeus, Greece.

Roy Thornton Collection (left) and © Ton Grootenboer (right)

November 18^th 1999: Sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins, Piraeus, Greece. Renamed EXPRESS ARTEMIS. Began operations for Hellas Ferries

2001 06. Renamed PANAGIA EKATONTAPILIANI. She then suffered extreme engine problems and was laid up.

© Andreas Wörteler

February 2004: Sold to Vaggelis Ventouris, Piraeus, Greece (Ventouris Sea Lines).

2004: Renamed AGIOS GEORGIOS.

© Dieter Pots

2004: Commenced service between Rafina - Paros - Naxos - Santorini.

October 2004: Operated between Piraeus - Paros - Naxos - Santorini.

© Andreas Wörteler

February 11^th 2006: Developed engine trouble while sailing in the region off the islet of Agios Georgios in the Saronic Gulf. The ship, carrying 347 passengers, was reported facing difficulties with its starboard engine. She was heading for the islands of Kithnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Milos and Kimolos, and was ordered to return to the port of Piraeus from which it had sailed early in the afternoon.

 © Lucas Latreche (http://raflucgr.ra.funpic.net)

February 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: Micke Asklander (Faktaomfartyg), Bernd Crause, Aubrey Dale, Matt Murtland (HHV Ferry), Ton Grootenboer, Dieter Pots, Stéphane Poulain, Manuel Dhondt, Lucas Latreche (http://raflucgr.ra.funpic.net), Brian Pawley and Andreas Wörteler for there assistance in compiling this feature

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