| | Mv Reine Astrid (I) | | | |  | | | | Roy Thornton Collection Steel twin screw motor vessel, built and engined by Cockerill’s of Hoboken in 1956 for the Belgian Marine Administration’s Ostend-Dover passenger service. Launched November 25th, 1957. | | | |
| | | |  Technical Data
| | | | | | | | | Length | 114m (374 ft) (overall) | | | | Breadth of Hull | 15.9m (50.0 ft) (extreme) | | | | Draught | 4.45m (12.11 ft) (maximum) | | | | Tonnage | 3,388 gross, 1,513 net | | | | Engines | Two 12-cylinder Cockerill/Sulzer two-stroke single acting diesels | | | | Power | 11,190kW | | | | Speed | 22 knots | | | | Capacity | 1700 passengers, 30 cars (in holds) | | | | Call Sign | N/A | | | | MMSI Number | N/A | | | | IMO Number | 5292452 | | | | Registry | N/A | | | | | | | |
| | | |  History
| | | | | | | November 25th 1957: Launched. The first Ostend ship to be fitted with fin stabilizers. May 1958: Delivered to Belgian Marine Administration, Oostende, Belgium.May 1958: Commenced service between Ostend - Dover. 1968: English port became Folkestone.
Roy Thornton Collection
November 1970: Belgian Marine joined the Sealink consortium. Trading as Sealink November 1st 1971: Belgian Marine became the Belgian Maritime Transport Authority - Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT). 1973: Belgian Sealink livery
Roy Thornton Collection
1978: Reduced to summer service only until she was laid up. 1981: Laid up in Ostend.
Roy Thornton Collection
1983: Rebuilt at Kon, Maats, De Schelde, Vlissingen, Holland to a floating passenger terminal. Her engines/propellers/rudder and most interior fittings were removed and replaced in order she could continue as a “barge”. Then towed to Dover.
Roy Thornton Collection
June 8th 1983: Laid up as a jetfoil terminal in Dover Western Docks.
  
Roy Thornton Collection
March 1994: Laid up as a jetfoil terminal in Ramsgate. April 1st 1997: Sold to Tracomax Shipping S.L., La Coruna, Spain for breaking. April 6th 1997: Towed from Ramsgate to La Coruna, Spain.
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| | | | All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. | | | |
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