Ulster Queen as Poseidonia laid up in Eleusis in 2004. | |
History | |
---|---|
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator | P&O Ferries (1978-81) |
Route | Liverpool-Belfast (1967-1981) |
Builder | Cammell Laird |
Yard number | 1323 |
Completed | 23 May 1967 |
In service | 6 June 1967 [2] |
Out of service | 7 November 1981 |
Identification | IMO number: 6703317 |
Fate | Wrecked on Hyndman Reef, Safaga 2005 |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 4,270 GT |
Length | 115.22 m (378.0 ft) |
Beam | 16.46 m (54.0 ft) |
Draught | 4.13 m (13.5 ft) |
Installed power | 2x 12-cylinder, Pielstick diesel; 5295 kW. |
Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Capacity |
|
Notes | [3] |
MV Ulster Queen was a passenger ferry operated across the Irish Sea by P&O Ferries between 1967 and 1981.
Ulster Queen was the second of three new car ferries delivered to Coast Lines in 1966/67 to update the Irish Sea services of the Belfast Steamship Company. She was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead. With her sister, Ulster Prince she took over the Liverpool - Belfast night service, replacing the pre-war motorships Ulster Monarch and Ulster Prince (2). The smaller, third new ferry, Lion took over the Ardrossan - Belfast day service of Burns & Laird. Coast Lines were taken over by P&O in 1971 and the ferries subsequently took on the P&O Ferries colours, with pale blue funnels. [4]
The service closed in 1981 and both ships were laid up in Ostend. Ulster Queen saw further service as Med Sea, Al Kahera and Ala-Eddin. In 1988, she was bought by Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, and renamed Poseidonia.
On 2 November 2005, she caught fire during a voyage from Suez to Jeddah. One crew member was lost. The following day, she sank on Hyndman Reef, Safaga and lies as a wreck. [1]
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MV Ulster Queen was a passenger ferry operated across the Irish Sea between 1930 and 1940. She became an auxiliary anti-aircraft cruiser, HMS Ulster Queen and never returned to civilian service.
MV Lion was a passenger ferry operated by P&O Ferries across the Irish Sea between 1968 and 1976, and across the English Channel until 1986.
MV Ulster Prince was a passenger ferry operated across the Irish Sea by P&O Ferries between 1967 and 1981. She was sold for further service in the Mediterranean and Far East and was scrapped in 2004.
MV Ulster Monarch was a passenger ferry operated across the Irish Sea between 1929 and 1966 apart from wartime service as an infantry landing ship, HMS Ulster Monarch.
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