MV Leinster (1968)

Last updated

History
Name
  • 1968–1980: Leinster
  • 1980–1986: Innisfallen
  • 1986–1993: Ionian Sun
  • 1993–1993: Chams
  • 1993–2001: Ionian Sun
  • 2001–2004: Merdif
Operator
Port of registry
Route
Builder Verolme Cork Dockyard
Launched19 November 1968
Completed1969
Maiden voyage1969
In service1969
Out of service2004
Identification IMO number:  6902767
FateScrapped at Alang, India in 2004.
General characteristics
Tonnage5,000  GRT
Length118.32 m (388 ft 2 in)
Beam17.84 m (58 ft 6 in)
Draught4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
Speed20 knots (37  km/h; 23  mph)
Capacity1,200 passengers, 230 cars

MV Leinster was launched in 1968 and operated initially for the British and Irish Steam Packet Company (B+I Line). The c. 5,000-ton ship as built had capacity for 1,200 passengers and 220 cars. The ship has also been known under several other names including Innisfallen, Ionian Sun, Chams and Merdif..

Contents

History

The ship was built at Verolme Cork Dockyards Ltd., Rushbrooke, County Cork, Ireland. It initially worked for B+I Line on the Dublin to Liverpool route. [1] Sister ships of a broadly similar design were Prins Bertil, Gustav Vasa, Kronprins, Karl Gustav, MV Munster (1968), and MV Innisfallen (1969), the latter two for B+I Line. [1] Leinster had a multi-windows observation lounge deck with cocktail bar above the bridge which could differentiate her from Munster who also worked Dublin-Liverpool. [2]

The c. 5,000-ton ship as built had capacity for 1,200 passengers and 230 cars. The top speed of not less than 20 knots (37  km/h ; 23  mph ) from four diesel engines allowed the ship to make the daytime crossing from Dublin Port to Carriers' Dock, Liverpool in seven hours. Ships of the class had bow and stern doors allowing a turnaround time of one hour. They were also equipped with bow thrusters and stabilizers. [2]

From 1980 to 1986, the ship was mostly reallocated to the Southern Irish Sea routes variously Cork and Rosslare to Swansea and Pembroke Dock; taking the name Innisfallen from her sister ship. [lower-alpha 1]

1986 saw the vessel sold to the Strintzis Lines, Cyprus for operations in the Mediterranean Sea. In the summer of 1990 she briefly returned to the South Irish Sea on charter to Swansea Cork Ferries and in 1993 she was briefly named Chams for a TunisiaGenoa charter operation. [3]

In November 2001 the vessel was sold to Marco Shipping Agency, Dubai and renamed Merdif and finally scrapped at Alang, India in 2004. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Ferries</span> Irish maritime transport company

Irish Ferries is an Irish ferry and transport company that operates passenger and freight services on routes between Ireland, Britain and Continental Europe, including Dublin Port–Holyhead; Rosslare Europort to Pembroke as well as Dublin Port-Cherbourg in France.

Several ships have been named Innisfallen, the name being derived from the island of Innisfallen in County Kerry and often given to vessels serving the southerly coasts of Ireland. Five served on the Irish Sea route between Cork and Fishguard, from 1896 onwards: two of these were war casualties whilst the remainder have been either scrapped or renamed and sold to new owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Glenmama</span> Part of the Viking wars in Ireland

The Battle of Glenn Máma or Glenmama took place most probably near Lyons Hill in Ardclough, County Kildare, Ireland, in AD 999 between Windmill Hill and Blackchurch. It was the decisive and only engagement of the brief Leinster revolt of 999–1000 against the King of Munster, Brian Boru. In it, the combined forces of the Kingdoms of Munster and Meath, under King Brian Boru and the High King of Ireland, Máel Sechnaill II, inflicted a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin, led by King Máel Mórda of Leinster.

MS <i>Moby Zazà</i>

Moby Zazà is a ferry operated by Moby Lines between Nice and Bastia. Until 2015 she was MS Wind Perfection, an accommodation ship owned and operated by C-bed. She was built in 1982 as MS Olau Britannia by Weser Seebeckswerft in Bremerhaven for Olau Line, who used her on Sheerness—Vlissingen service. In 1990 she was sold to Fred. Olsen Lines and renamed MS Bayard for services between Norway and Denmark. In 1991 Fred. Olsen Lines was sold to Color Line and the Bayard passed under their ownership under the name MS Christian IV. In 2008, she was sold to Stella Lines and renamed MS Julia for service between Helsinki and St. Petersburg. This was a failure and after just two months the Julia was laid up. In 2009, she was sold to Fastnet Line and entered service on their Swansea—Cork route in 2010, retaining her earlier name.

MV <i>Pont-Aven</i>

MV Pont-Aven is a cruiseferry operated by Brittany Ferries. She was built at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany and has been sailing for Brittany Ferries since March 2004. She is the current and longest serving Brittany Ferries flagship; sailing between the UK, France, Spain and Ireland. The Pont Aven is the fastest and largest purpose-built cruise-ferry on the English Channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Dublin Steam Packet Company</span>

The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company was a shipping line established in 1823. It served cross-channel routes between Britain and Ireland for over a century. For 70 of those years it transported the mail. It was 'wound-up' by a select committee of the House of Lords in 1922 and finally liquidated in 1930.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin–Rosslare railway line</span> Railway line between Dublin and Rosslare, Ireland

The Dublin-Rosslare Main Line is a main rail route between Dublin Connolly station and Rosslare Europort, where it connects with ferry services to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The line between Dublin and Greystones is electrified and forms the southern part of the DART service. Between Bray and Rosslare the line is single track only. The line connected with the Limerick–Rosslare line outside Rosslare Strand until 2010. From Wicklow on, semaphore signalling was used until April 2008, when the entire line was upgraded to the mini-CTC system controlled from Dublin Connolly. Although it is designated as a separate route, the line is continuous after Dublin Connolly, where it connects with the Belfast–Dublin main line. The section between Westland Row and a point on the line just after Salthill and Monkstown station is the oldest railway line in Ireland, and the first commuter railway in the world, opening in 1834. It was then known as the Dublin & Kingstown Railway. At that time, the railway terminated adjacent to the start of Dún Laoghaire Harbour's West Pier, at a station called Kingstown.

Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta. He succeeded Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach of the Glendamnach branch in 628. He was the younger brother of a previous king Fíngen mac Áedo Duib. His sobriquet Flann meant "blood-red".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British and Irish Steam Packet Company</span>

The British and Irish Steam Packet Company Limited was a steam packet and passenger ferry company operating between ports in Ireland and in Great Britain between 1836 and 1992. It was latterly popularly called the B&I, and branded as B&I Line.

MV <i>Logos Hope</i>

MV Logos Hope is a ship operated as a part of a faith based organisations by Gute Bücher für Alle. She was built in 1973 as the ferry MV Gustav Vasa for service between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany) and later operated as the MV Norröna providing a ferry service to the Faroe Islands.

MS <i>C.T.M.A. Vacancier</i>

The MS C.T.M.A. Vacancier is a car/passenger ferry operated by Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien (CTMA) on their Montreal–Cap-aux-Meules service. She was built in 1973 by the J.J. Sietas Schiffswerft in Hamburg, West Germany as Aurella for SF Line for use on Viking Line traffic. Between 1982 and 1998 she sailed as Saint Patrick II, between 1998 and 2000 as Egnatia II, in 2000 as Ville de Séte and between 2001 and 2002 as City of Cork, before being sold to her current owners.

MS <i>Mega Express Four</i> Fast roll-on/roll-off ferry

Mega Express Four is a fast roll-on/roll-off ferry owned by Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries and operated on their routes from Nice and Toulon to Ile Rousse. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as Superfast II. Between 2003 and 2006 she sailed for TT-Line as Spirit of Tasmania III.

MS <i>Isle of Inishmore</i> (1996)

MS Isle of Inishmore is a ro-ro ferry owned by Irish Ferries and operated on their Dover-Calais service. At the time of her introduction, she was the largest car ferry operating in Northern Europe. She is named after Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. The name of the ferry is tautologous, since "Inishmore" derives from the Irish for "big island". Despite not being sister ships, the ship's design is copied from the Stena Line vessel Stena Jutlandica up until the superstructure.

The Swansea Cork ferry was a 10-hour ferry crossing that linked Swansea in Wales with the Port of Cork in Ireland. The ferry route was last operated by Fastnet Line from 2010 to 2012, although no commercial passenger sailings took place after 2011. Between 1987 and 2006 the service was operated by Swansea Cork Car Ferries Ltd. Prior to the revival of the Cork–Swansea route by Swansea Cork Car Ferries Ltd. the former Irish semi-state owned ferry company, British & Irish Steam Packet Company which became known simply as the B+I Line which had operated the route from 1969 until 1979. In 1979 the B+I Line decided to switch the Cork–Swansea service over to a Cork–Pembroke Dock service instead. Prior to B+I Line's Cork Swansea ferry, they had a previous ferry service that sailed from Cork to Fishguard in Wales. Over the years numerous ships had different departure points from Cork. Originally, the ferry came right up into Cork city centre and would have docked across from Penrose House at Penrose Quay and in the 1970s ferries departed Cork from a new Ferry Terminal based down stream at Tivoli Docks alongside a large container terminal. From around the early 1980s onwards ferries would later depart from yet another new passenger car Ferry Terminal based at Ringaskiddy Deepwater Berth in the lower part of Cork Harbour.

MS <i>Stena Nordica</i> (2000)

Stena Nordica is a ro-pax ferry owned and operated by Stena Line.

MS <i>Madeleine</i>

The MS Madeleine was a car/passenger ferry owned and operated by Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien between Souris and Cap-aux-Meules. The ship was originally named Leinster and owned and operated by B&I Line. The ship later sailed with Irish Ferries as Isle of Inishturk as well as operating under the name Isle of Inishmore.

M/F Prince

The M/F Prince is a ferry currently owned by Greek company A-Ships Management. She previously sailed for B+I Line as the Connacht, Brittany Ferries as the Duchesse Anne and Jadrolinija as the Dubrovnik.

MV <i>Leinster</i> (1937) Passenger ferry

MV Leinster was a passenger ferry operated across the Irish Sea between 1937 and 1966. She was renamed Ulster Prince to replace the 1929 motorship of that name, lost during WWII.

MV <i>Munster</i> (1937) Passenger ferry

MV Munster was a passenger ferry operated by the British and Irish Steam Packet Company from 1938 to 1940. She was sunk by a mine during WWII.

MV Munster was built in 1968 and operated initially for the British and Irish Steam Packet Company. The c. 5000-ton ship had capacity for 1,000 passengers and 220 cars. The ship was also known as the Farah In and Tianpeng before being scrapped in 2002.

References

Notes

  1. Leinster, named after the province of Leinster, may have been seen as inappropriate for a ship primarily allocated to operating from Cork in the province of Munster. While Rosslare is in the province of Leinster, the name would primarily associate with B+I Line's Dublin—Liverpool route. [3] This also allowed for the upcoming B+I Line 1981 ship to be named Leinster

Footnotes

Sources