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Mv Vitsentzos Kornaros

ex Viking Viscount, Pride of Winchester

Steel triple screw motor vessel built in 1976 by Aalborg Vaerft A/S, Aalborg, Denmark (Yard no 208) for Townsend-Thoresen European Ferries as a passenger and vehicle ferry. Launched November 7th, 1975.

Technical Data

Length

128.71m (overall)

Breadth of Hull

20.22 m (extreme)

Draught

4.53m (maximum)

Tonnage

6,387 gross, 2,918 net, 1,590 deadweight

Engines

Two 8-cylinder Werkspoor 8TM410 “Wing” diesels, one 9-cylinder TM410 “centre” diesel.

Power

10,655 kW

Speed

20.75 knots

Capacity

1,200 passengers, 275 cars

Call Sign

SXNX

MMSI Number

239311000

IMO Number

7358327

Registry

Greece

History

November 7th 1975: Launched by the wife of Mr. George Nott, the former director of European Ferries.

May 1976: Delivered to Townsend-Thoresen European Ferries, Dover, England.

May 18th 1976: Maiden voyage between Felixstowe - Zeebrugge.

October 1977: Transferred for a six month period to Dover to enable the company to maintain their winter schedules of 18 sailings between Calais and Zeebrugge during the refit periods of the ships based at the Kentish port. She became the largest ship to enter on the cross-Channel services in the Dover Strait. Initially the “VISCOUNT” was put on the 08.35 and 20.35 sailings to Zeebrugge from Dover. Her place at Felixstowe was taken by the chartered STENA NORDICA (later RMT’s REINE ASTRID) initially on April 1st 1978 when the “VISCOUNT” returned to her “home” port.

Roy Thornton Collection

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

October 1985: Townsend Thoresen decided to convert their Felixstowe - based ships BALTIC FERRY and NORDIC FERRY to multi-purpose passenger/freight ships for the Felixstowe - Zeebrugge service at a cost of over £9 million each. The conversion and transfer of these ships would release the VIKING VOYAGER and VIKING VISCOUNT from the Zeebrugge link so they could be transferred to Portsmouth to operate with their now “jumboized” sisters.

May 7th 1986: Commenced service between Portsmouth/Southampton - Cherbourg/Le Havre.

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

December 31st 1987: Registered under P&O European Ferries Ltd., Portsmouth, England.

October 1987: There was a change to P & O European Ferries navy blue hull and funnel, be she operated for a time with interim colours of orange hull and dark blue P & O funnel

1988 (early): Operated as a seasonal relief between Larne - Cairnryan, then returned to Portsmouth - Cherbourg.

1989 (early): Again operated as a seasonal relief between Larne - Cairnryan, then returned to Southampton - Cherbourg.

May 1989: Renamed PRIDE OF WINCHESTER.

September 25th 1989 - December 1989: Operated between Dover - Calais.

March 15th 1991: Sold to Howill Shipping, England. Bareboat chartered to P&O European Ferries.

August 30th 1992: Reportedly ran aground causing minor damage.

July 9th 1994: Made her final trip between Portsmouth - Cherbourg, following which she was laid-up in Southampton.

July 1994: Sold to Lasithiotiki Anonymi Naftiliaki Eteria (L.A.N.E.), Aghios Nikolaos, Greece. Renamed Vitsentzos Kornaros.

1994: Commenced service for Lane Lines between Piraeus - Agios Nikolaos, Crete.

1994: Also operates a twice weekly route between Piraeus - Agios Nikolaos - Sitia - Kassos - Karpathos - Rhodes. (now has additional cabins built within her upper vehicle deck)

2007: Registered owner: Lasithiotiki Anonymi, Piraeus.

Registered manager: Lasithiotiki Anonymi, Piraeus.

2007: New livery introduced to the fleet.

June 2007: Operating routes from Pireus - Milos - Santorini - Agios Nikolaos - Sitieia - Kasos - Karpathos - Diafani - Rhodos.

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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. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Andreas Wörteler, Brian Fisher, Bernd Crause, Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic), Aubrey Dale, Peter Longhurst, Aleksi Lindstrom and Dionysis Gerolymatos for their assistance in compiling this feature.