MV Caesarea Trader

Last updated

A Good Guess - geograph.org.uk - 1687747.jpg
Commodore Goodwill at Portsmouth in 2010
History
Name
  • 1996–2025: Commodore Goodwill
  • 2025–present: Caesarea Trader [1]
Owner
Operator
  • 1999–2004: Commodore Shipping
  • 2004–2025: Condor Ferries
  • 2025–present: DFDS Seaways [1]
Identification IMO number:  9117985 [1]
Statusin active service [1]
General characteristics
Type ROPAX ferry

MV Caesarea Trader is a roll-on/roll-off ferry owned by DFDS Seaways. Launched in 1996, she previously operated between Portsmouth and the Channel Islands with Commodore Shipping and later Condor Ferries as Commodore Goodwill, before being sold to DFDS Seaways in 2025. She carries unaccompanied trailers and commercial cargo as part of the company's dedicated Jersey logistics service to Portsmouth and Saint-Malo.

Contents

History

Commodore Goodwill was ordered in December 1994, and her keel was laid on 14 March 1995. She was launched on 6 November 1995 and entered service with Commodore Ferries on 4 March 1996. [2]

Accidents and incidents

On 11 May 2007, HD Ferries' ship HD1 collided with Commodore Goodwill in Jersey harbour. [3]

On 10 December 2007, bad weather caused Commodore Goodwill to strike the entrance to the La Collette yacht basin in Saint Helier Harbour. [4] One of the vessel's propellers was damaged, and she was sent to Falmouth for the damaged part to be removed so that she could return to service as soon as possible in the run-up to Christmas. [5] On 13 December 2007, the Brittany Ferries freight vessel Coutances was chartered to temporarily take her place.

On 8 December 2022, Commodore Goodwill departed Guernsey at 04:41 bound for Jersey when, at around 05:30, she collided with L'Ecume II, [6] an 18-metre (59 ft) fishing trawler. [7] The Jersey-registered trawler sank in 40 metres (130 ft) of water, 5.6 kilometres (3.5 miles) west of St Ouen's bay, with three fishermen on board. [8] [9] The skipper of L'Ecume II, Michael Michieli, and his two Filipino crewmen, Larry Simyunn and Jervis Baligat, were searched for unsuccessfully; by 13 December two bodies had been found and were later brought ashore, [10] with the search continuing. [11] After inspection by divers, Commodore Goodwill was cleared to re-enter service.

An investigation was opened, with a remotely operated underwater vehicle used to survey the shipwreck. [12] As Commodore Goodwill is registered in the Bahamas, the Bahamas Maritime Authority is responsible for conducting a safety-focused investigation. [11] Plans were made to raise the fishing boat from the seabed to assist the investigation, [13] however the skipper's body was recovered from the wreck while it remained on the seabed, and only part of the wreckage was lifted onto land for investigative purposes. [14] The file from the States of Jersey Police investigation, known as Operation Nectar, has been passed to Jersey's Law Officers' Department for review. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "M/S Commodore Goodwill". Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "MV Caesarea Trader (ex Commodore Goodwill (1996) - Past and Present". Ray Goodfellow and Nigel Thornton (Dover Ferry Photos). Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ferry collision master suspended". BBC News. 14 May 2007. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007.
  4. ↑ "Cargo ship collision in harbour". BBC News. 10 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008.
  5. ↑ "Freight ferry repairs under way". BBC News. 11 December 2007. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "Three fishermen missing after their boat sinks following collision with Commodore Goodwill". Jersey Evening Post. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "Three missing after freight ship and fishing boat crash off Jersey coast". ITV News. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Search for Jersey fishing boat crew after collision". BBC News. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "Wreck of trawler which collided with Condor freight ship 'located on sea bed'". Jersey Evening Post. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  10. ↑ "Bodies recovered from wreck of sunken trawler brought ashore". Jersey Evening Post . 14 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  11. 1 2 Morris, Steven (13 December 2022). "Two bodies found after fishing boat collision in Channel off Jersey". The Guardian.
  12. ↑ "Jersey fishing boat sinking: Robot used to inspect vessel". BBC News. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  13. ↑ Jeune, James (24 March 2023). "165 hours of underwater CCTV reviewed in L'Ecume II investigation". Bailiwick Express. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Jersey, States of. "Government of Jersey". gov.je. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Morris, Michael (14 November 2023). "Police provide updates about three major investigations". Jersey Evening Post . p. 9.
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