June 29th 1999: Keel laid. November 18th 2000: Launched. February 26th 2002: Delivered to Superfast Ferries, Piraeus, Greece. Christened on the same day by Patricia Lederer. February 27th 2002: Commenced service between Rostock - Hankö. April 19th 2002: Laid up at HDW, Kiel. May 17th 2002: Commenced service between Rosyth - Zeebrugge. January 5th 2004: Arrived at Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder, Fosen, Norway for rebuilding. February 2004: Returned to service. August 8th 2006: Sold to Veolia Transportation, France for delivery in January 2007.
 
© Andreas Wörteler (left) and © Cedric Hacke (right)
January 27th 2007: Final day operating between Rosyth - Zeebrugge. January 20007: Refit in Antwerp. February 12th 2007: Taken over by Veolia Transportation/ SNCM, Ajaccio, France and renamed JEAN NICOLI. March 1st 2007: Left Antwerp for the Mediterranean via Le Havre.
© W.J.Hoendervanger (www.wjmaritiem.nl)
March 2007: Carrying cars, she left Le Havre bound for Marseille. March 2007: Made one trip between Marseille - Le Havre - Marseille with cars. April 2007: Chartered to Cotunav, Tunisia. Operated between Italy - France - Tunisia. April 29th 2007: Arrived at La Seyne and made to lay-up. July 3rd 2007: Left Toulon for lay-up in Marseille.
 
© Chris `H'
August 2007: Chartered to Anek Lines. September 3rd 2007: Departed Marseille for Patras. September 5th 2007: Arrived in Patras. September 8th 2007 - October 2nd 2007: Operated between the ports of Patras - Corfu - Igoumenitsa - Venedig.
  
© Lucas Latreche
December 27th 2007: Sold to Seafrance SA, Paris, France for an undisclosed amount. The yet to be re-named vessel will be placed on the Dover-Calais service for the 2008 summer season following. She will replace both the SEAFRANCE RENOIR and the SEAFRANCE MANET and will offer a total capacity of more than the combined capacity of the two outgoing vessels.
  
The Seafrance Moliere berthed in Marseille © Pascal (Pascal's Shipspotting Album)
March 28th 2008: The Jean Nicoli is renamed SEAFRANCE MOLIERE in anticipation of her transfer to the Seafrance Calais to Dover operation. The vessel continues to fly the French flag, registered in her new home port of Calais. April 8th 2008: The Seafrance Moliere arrives at the ARNO shipyard in Dunkerque for her 15 million euro refit. The work consists of port fit work for both Dover and Calais, the installation of an additional bow thrust unit, the removal of all cabins on decks 6 and 7 and the replacement of all the public spaces. The vessel was due to enter service on the 3rd July 2008 replacing the SEAFRANCE RENOIR.
  
© Robert Fournier
June 26th 2008: It was announced by Seafrance that owing to delays during her refit, the Moliere will enter service three weeks late on the 22nd July 2008.
  
© `Benji'
July 25th 2008: "The prospects for the Molière are : Leaving Dunkerque the 29th July in the evening, Arrival in Calais the 30th July, 30/07 to 05/08 berths test, emergency drills, crew formation, 06/08 First service in freight only with the 11h45 Cal/Dov. 12/08 First service in car ferry mode. This is to be confirmed, depending of the finishing of the passenger space works." 10:00 6th August 2008: Arrived in Calais for berthing trials before departing for further trials in Dover at 14:00.
    
© Marc Fournet
6th August 2008: Arrived in the port of Dover at 15:20 and proceeded to berth 9 for trials.
   © Ray Goodfellow
8th August 2008: It's reported that during her trials a number of technical problems were discovered. The Moliere is now envisaged to enter freight service on the 19th August. October 2008: Entered full passenger service between Dover and Calais. 10th November 2008: " During the night of the 10th the Moliere parted all her stern moorings at number 8 berth in Calais during the high winds, swung round on her port head lines narrowly missing the Burgundy which was laid up for a few hours on 9 berth, she was able to get her starboard anchor down and the duty tug arrived to assist. It could have been bad for P&O, as the Endeavour was on the cargo berth and in the line of fire! Moliere got off with just some more cosmetic damage to her port side bow." February 21st 2009: To Brest, France for a technical overhaul. March 18th March: Re-enters service between Calais and Dover
  
© The Ferryman
3rd April 2009: Owing to technical problems the `Moliere' misses a number of crossings. 9th April 2009: Re-enters service between Calais and Dover.
  © Ray Goodfellow
11th May 2009: Owing to further technical issues departs Calais for a dry docking in Vlissingen, Holland.
Vlissingen 12/05/2009 © Co de Vos
May 25th 2009: Resumed service. September 7th 2009: Left Calais for mini refit in Rotterdam.
  
© Cornelis Koppenburg ( www.photomaassluis.com)
September 7th 2009: Arrived Rotterdam. September 13th 2009: Left Rotterdam. September 14th 2009: Returned to Calais (03.24 hrs) and resumed service (ex 12.30 hrs). January 23rd 2010: Departed Calais for refit in Gdansk, Poland. Due to return on or around the 17th February 2010. January 23rd 2010: Left Calais for refit in Gdansk. Expected to last 15 days. February 10th 2010: Refit completed and departed Gdansk for Calais. February 28th 2010: In high winds, made contact with her berth in Calais. Two trips cancelled. March 1st 2010: After damage assessment, proceeded to ARNO, Dunkerque for interior and exterior repair. Expected to be out of service for 4 days. March 6th 2010: Arrived back in Calais and resumed service. | 
Technical Data
History
