MV Free Enterprise III

Last updated
Al Fahad wreck Al-Fahad.jpg
Al Fahad wreck
History
Name
  • Free Enterprise III (until 11 May 1982)
  • 1984: Tamira (until 2 Sept 1984)
  • 1984: Mona's Isle (until Apr 1985)
  • 1986: Al Fahad
Owner
Operator
  • Townsend Car Ferries Ltd.
  • 1984-85: IOMSPCo.
Port of registry
Route
BuilderNV Werf "Gusto", Schiedam, Netherlands [2]
Yard number538
Launched14 May 1966 [1]
Maiden voyage22 July 1966 [1]
Identification IMO number:  6611461
FateWrecked near Jeddah 2004
General characteristics
Tonnage4,657  GRT; 839  DWT
Length117.51 m (385.5 ft) [3]
Beam19.08 m (62.6 ft)
Draught4.06 m (13.3 ft)
Installed power2 x 12-cylinder, four-stroke J & K Smit-MAN RBL6612 and 2 x six-cylinder units of 11,540 bhp at 275 rpm
Propulsiontwin-screw
Speed20 kn (23 mph)
Capacity1,200 passengers; 120 cars

MV Free Enterprise III was a Ro-Pax vessel built in 1966 as a cross-channel ferry, operated by Townsend Thoresen mainly on the Calais and Zeebrugge routes from Dover. She was sold to Egyptian owners in 1986 and wrecked in the Red Sea in 2004.

Contents

Like many of the other Townsend fleet, The Free Enterprise III was designed by naval architect Wallace James Ayers.

History

Townsend Brothers

Free Enterprise III was built in 1966 by I.C.H. Holland, Werf Gusto Yard, Schiedam, Netherlands, for Townsend Brothers Ferries. [4] In 1968, the company became European Ferries, continuing to operate services as Townsend Thoresen. [5]

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

In 1984, Free Enterprise III was sold to Maltese owners, Mira Shipping Line, Valletta, and renamed Tamira. She returned to UK waters later the same year when she was purchased by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Renamed Mona's Isle, the sixth vessel in the company's history to bear the name, she entered service following alterations which saw additional accommodation added. Her service life saw her plying on the company's main Douglas - Heysham schedule with her service commencing in April 1985. [4] However her short-comings were quickly identified. Numerous problems persisted, not least in docking the vessel which required the services of the Laxey Towing Company. Her time in Steam Packet service was brief and the Mona's Isle was laid up in October 1985.

Sadaka Shipping

She was sold again in April 1986, to Egyptian owners, Sadaka Shipping, who renamed her Al Fahad. She served in Saudi Arabia for another twelve years. Suffering engine problems in June 2004, [6] she anchored in the Red Sea and was subsequently abandoned as a wreck 35 km south of Jeddah. [7]

The wreck has subsequently become popular as a scuba dive site with the remains of the ship within 200 metres of the shoreline. [8]

Service

Free Enterprise III operated on the Dover-Calais service, adding Dover-Zeebrugge from 1967. During the summer of 1974, she spent time on the Cairnryan-Larne route. In summer 1981, Free Enterprise III operated between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

MS <i>Herald of Free Enterprise</i> Ferry sunk at Zeebrugge, Belgium in 1987

MS Herald of Free Enterprise was a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferry which capsized moments after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on the night of 6 March 1987, killing 193 passengers and crew.

MS <i>Pride of Dover</i>

MS Pride of Dover was a cross-channel ferry built-in 1987 for Townsend Thoresen. One of two 'Chunnel Beater' ships she primarily operated on the Dover – Calais route alongside her sister ship the Pride of Calais for P&O Ferries Ferries until 2010.

P&O Ferries is a British shipping company that operates ferries from United Kingdom to Ireland, and to Continental Europe. The company was created in 2002 through mergers and acquisitions within P&O. It has been owned by Dubai-based DP World since 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P&O European Ferries</span>

P&O European Ferries, a division of P&O Ferries, was a ferry company which operated in the English Channel from 1987 after the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, when Townsend Thoresen was renamed P&O European Ferries, until 1999 when the Portsmouth Operations became P&O Portsmouth and the Dover Operations were merged with Stena Line AB to make P&O Stena Line.

MS <i>Pride of Calais</i>

MS Pride of Calais was a cross-channel ferry owned and operated by P&O Ferries. She operated the Dover–Calais route between 1987 and 2012. In early 2013, under bareboat charter to Transeuropa Ferries, she served on their Ramsgate–Ostend route and was re-named MS Ostend Spirit. After further lay-up in the Port of Tilbury, she was sold for scrap and finally beached at a salvage yard in Turkey on 13 November 2013.

MS <i>Pride of Canterbury</i>

MS Pride of Canterbury was a cross-channel ferry operated by P&O Ferries between Dover, United Kingdom and Calais, France. She made her maiden voyage on 4 January 1992 as the European pathway. She was converted in 2003 to a pure passenger vessel. She retired from service on the 10 September 2023 before a brief lay up and a departure for Alaiga to be broken up for recycling

MS <i>Pride of Kent</i> Ferry boat

MS Pride of Kent was a cross-channel ferry operated by P&O Ferries, it operated on the Dover to Calais route from 2003 until its retirement in June 2023. Before that, between 1992 and 2002, it had operated on the Dover to Zeebrugge route.

MS <i>Pride of Winchester</i>

The MS Pride of Winchester, was a UK Ro-Ro/Passenger ferry, which was part of P&O European Ferries' fleet. She was built in 1975 by Aalborg as the Viking Viscount for Townsend Thoresen and was put into service by P&O European Ferries in 1989, when European Ferries Group was purchased by P&O. She was named after Winchester, a city in Hampshire, England.

MS <i>Oujda</i>

MS Oujda was a roll-on/roll off ferry built as Viking Venturer by Aalborg Værft AS in 1974 for Townsend Thoresen.

MS <i>Isle of Innisfree</i> (2021) Passenger and car ferry ship

MS Isle of Innisfree is a passenger and car ferry to be operated by Irish Ferries between Dover and Calais. Originally built at Boelwerf as the Prins Filip originally sailing between Dover and Ostend, later between Ostend and Ramsgate, she has since 1997 operated for a wide variety of companies.

MS <i>Anthi Marina</i>

The MS Anthi Marina was a ferry operated by GA Ferries. She was the first of three 'Spirit' class ferries built for Townsend Thoresen, as MS Spirit of Free Enterprise. Her two sister ships were MS Pride of Free Enterprise and MS Herald of Free Enterprise.

MS <i>Finbo Cargo</i>

The MS Finbo Cargo is a roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry that was previously called the European Endeavour which was owned and operated by P&O Ferries until May 2019. Eckerö Line purchased the ship from P&O in 2019 and is expected to take delivery in June 2019 and renamed her MS Finbo Cargo.

MF <i>Via Mare</i> Cargo ship

The Via Mare is a ro-pax ship which is owned and operated by Baltic Scandinavian Lines.

MS <i>Free Enterprise II</i>

MS Free Enterprise II was a cross-Channel ferry operated by Townsend Thoresen between 1965 and 1982. The ship features prominently in the comedy film San Ferry Ann. In later life as Moby Blu she served Corsica and Elba.

MS <i>Spirit of Britain</i>

MS Spirit of Britain is a cross-channel ferry operated by P&O Ferries on the Dover-Calais route. She is the first of two 'Spirit' class ships built for P&O Ferries, the other being Spirit of France. The vessels are the largest ferries constructed for the cross-channel route.

European Ferries Group plc was a company that operated in passenger and freight ferries, harbour operation and property management in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was taken over by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and renamed P&O European Ferries in 1987.

Pride of Le Havre was the name of ferry for P&O Ferries that sailed between Portsmouth and Le Havre from 1989 to 1994. From launch until 1994, she was known as the Viking Valiant for Townsend Thoresen and P&O. In 1994 she was renamed Pride of Cherbourg2 for P&O and continued under this name until she was sold to El Salam Maritime in 2002. El Salam Maritime renamed her Pride of Al Salam 1 for El Salam Maritime. In 2004 she was renamed Nador and chartered to Comanav, she was again renamed Mogador for Comanav in 2005, sailing under this name until being scrapped in 2010.

MS <i>Free Enterprise I</i>

MS Free Enterprise (I) was a cross-Channel ferry operated by Townsend Brothers and later Townsend Thoresen between 1962 and 1980. She was their first purpose built roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferry. She was sold to Greece in 1980, where she served until being sold for scrap in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laxey Towing Company</span>

The Laxey Towing Company Ltd is a privately owned marine salvage company incorporated in the Isle of Man. Its registered office is Clovenstones Cottage, Baldrine, with its company offices situated at 30, North Quay, Douglas, Isle of Man. The company operates under the managerial directorship of Captain Stephen Carter, providing pilotage facilities for the Port of Douglas and has over many years operated a wide variety of services throughout the harbours of the Isle of Man. Up to 2017 it also operated summer coastal cruises on board the pleasure cruiser, MV Karina.

MS <i>Pride of Free Enterprise</i> Ferry, 1980-2015

MS Pride of Free Enterprise was a RORO Passenger and Freight ferry operating services between Almeria and Nador on a time-charter basis to the Spanish ferry operator Acciona Trasmediterranea. The ship was formerly called the M/F Oleander (2001-2013), P&OSL Picardy (1999-2001), Pride of Bruges (1987-1999) and Pride of Free Enterprise (1980-1987). She was operated by FerriMaroc and Comarit between 2010 and 2011 and previously owned and operated by TransEuropa Ferries between Ramsgate and Ostend. TransEuropa Ferries owned the ferry between 2001 and 2013 and operated her between 2001 and 2010 before placing her on charter. She was scrapped at Alang in late 2015 under the name Sher.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "M/S Free Enterprise III" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. "Free Enterprise III". Shipspotting. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. "Al Fahad". The ferry site. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "Free Enterprise III - Tamira - Mona's Isle - Al Fahad". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  5. "Chapter 4 European Ferries Group PLC" (PDF). Competition Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  6. "Mystery Ship". Maritime Research of Uddevalla. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  7. "Al Fahad". Shipspotting. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  8. "Al Fahad ship wreckage site". www.tenthousandstrangers.com. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 2017-02-15.

Bibliography

  • Cowsill, Miles; Hendy, John (2001). The Townsend eight. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN   978-1871947601.