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November 18th 1974: Keel laid.
September 8th 1975: Launched.
December 30th 1975: Delivered to Belgian Maritime Transport Authority and made her maiden voyage to Dover, Admiralty Pier berth, rather earlier than was originally intended in order to allow her sister ship, the PRINCSES MARIA ESMERALDA, to have her bow repaired following storm and accident
damage sustained the previous month. Then commenced Ostend - Dover service.
October 27th 1976: Suffered extensive damage when fire swept through an area of her engine room. The ship had just left Dover (Admiralty Pier) with 205 passengers, 10 cars and 11 freight vehicles on board when the fire was discovered and she had to put back. A Dover Harbour Board tug and the Townsend-Thoresen freight ship EUROPEAN TRADER assisted her back to the port while 50 fireman from all over East Kent were called to tackle the blaze. Most damage was caused to one of the ship's three exhaust systems and although her passenger accommodation was not affected, at one time there was a danger that the fire might spread. Fortunately the firemen managed to quell the blaze before too much water was pumped into the ship.
© Fotoflite, Roy Thornton Collection
September 13th 1981: Suffered engine-failure.
October 2nd 1981: Repaired and back in service.
Roy Thornton Collection
July 1984: Sealink UK Ltd had been de-nationalised and purchased by the Bermuda-based Sea Containers the new owners immediately began a general reappraisal of all their services. (including its intention of taking on 50% of all the traffic on the Dover-Ostend route.
1985: The news of a stretching programme, or “jumboization” as it is often known, was announced, but it only originally planned to deal with the PRINSES MARIA-ESMERALDA and the PRINCESSE MARIE-CHRISTINE, leaving the PRINS ALBERT untouched. By cutting the ships horizontally and inserting an extra lorry deck, their capacity was raised from 46 to 55 pieces of freight. The “PME” had her work completed at the end of May 1985 while the “PMC” re-entered service in January 1986. All work was carried out at J, Boel (Shipyards) in Temse, Belgium.
October 25th 1985: Belgians entered into negotiations with Townsend Thoresen and an agreement was concluded.
December 15th 1985: Re-delivered after rebuild.
December 16th 1985: Sea trials.
January 2nd 1986: Returned to commercial service between Ostend - Dover. Became the second RMT vessel to appear in Townsend colours.
© Brian Fisher
October 1987: The agreement with Townsend Thoresen (The European Ferries Group) was duly passed on to P&O European Ferries and was due to end in December 1990: The Ostend ships all received the Townsend Thoresen orange colours and carried their trading name.
1987/88 (refit): A completely new livery, reflecting that carried by the P & O European Ferries fleet, was adopted. For the first time in the history of the Dover-Ostend service, the buff (later changed to a lighter shade of yellow) funnels were painted- out in favour of a shade of blue.
1991: The creation of a totally new marketing profile and the adoption of the name with which the line has officially been known since the early days, sees the fleet in its fourth livery in seven years. The first to receive it was the PRINS ALBERT during her overhaul at Ostend in November and December 1990.
© Brian Fisher
1991: Continued service with the newly renamed Dover -Oostende Lines.
Roy Thornton Collection
August 1992 - September 1992: Off service with gearbox problems.
December 1993, Ramsgate for berthing trials © Ken Larwood
1993 (end): Announced that the Belgian company did not intend to renew its marketing agreement with P & O , but instead concluded a deal with Sally Line. With effect from the following January RMT became known simply as Oostende Lines , transferring all its Ostend services, including Jetfoil operations from Dover to Sally’s base at Ramsgate.
 
© Andreas Wörteler
February 1994: Chartered to Sally Line and operating between Ramsgate and Dunkirk as a relief vessel.
September 1st 1994 - October 1994: Charter became full time.
February 1997: With the demise of RMT she was laid - up in Ostend, moving to lay-up in Dunkerque from April 18th.
1998: Sold to Denval Marine Consultants of the UK and renamed PRIMROSE.
 
© Ton Grootenboer (left) and © Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)
April 14th 1999: Began operating for TransEuropa Shipping Lines between Ramsgate and Ostend.
March 24th 2006: To Antwerp for dry-docking and yearly outer hull survey. Returned to service shortly afterwards.
  
© Nigel Thornton (left and middle) and © Andreas Wörteler (right)
June 30th 2006: To ARNO Dunkerque for dry-docking.
© Joe@ Ferry Fantastic
July 6th 2006: Work completed and returned to service
2007: Still in service with TransEuropa Ferries on the Oostende-Ramsgate route.
August 27th 2007: Suffered engine problems, causing over 2 hour delay. Only able to make 8.3 knots en-route between ports.
© Nigel Thornton
June 20th 2008: To ARNO Dunkerque for dry-docking. Then resumed service.
2008 (Winter): For sale.
© Michael Van Bosch
June 17th 2009: Left Ostend having been chartered to Comarit for crossings, between Spain and Morocco and between France and Morocco.
© Arne Pyson
September 14th 2009: Charter completed and she arrived back in Ostend. She laid over at berth 501 and had her stern ramp addition removed.
September 16th 2009: First (early cover for LARKSPUR at ARNO) sailing to Ramsgate.
© Mark Leiper
April 12th 2010: Due at Zeebrugge for underwater survey having been reported that she had been sold to Finsea S.P.A., Limassol, Cyprus (Bluenavy) in April, and will be possibly be renamed ISOLA D'ELBA. It was also reported that she would be used on the link between Piombino and Portoferraio. She has also had har stern ramp added again.
April 12th 2010: Returned to Ostend.
April 16th 2010: Left Ostend for Livorno (Italy).
June 5th 2010: Commenced service between Piombino - Portoferraio for Blunavy as Primrose.
February 2011: Replaced by a newer
vessel and sold for scrapping at Alang in India.
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Technical Data
History
