The Regent Sky laid up at Eleusis. |
|
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | 1984-1990: Stena Baltica 1990-??: Regent Sky ??–2011: Zoe |
| Owner: | 1984-1989: Stena Line (planned) 1989-1996: Regency Cruises 1996-1999: Bank of Greece 1999-2004: Sea Nomad Maritime 2004-2011: Unknown |
| Port of registry: | Greece |
| In service: | 1997/98 (planned) |
| Identification: | IMO number: 7907685 |
| Status: | Sold for recycling in 2011[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 55,000 tons |
| Length: | 574 ft. (1986) 748 ft. (1990) |
| Beam: | 91 feet |
| Draught: | 22 feet |
| Capacity: | 1,600 passengers (planned) |
MV Regent Sky was an unfinished cruise ship that travelled to several locations during her construction. She was initially being built as the ferry Stena Baltica, one of four sisters planned for Stena Line. Still incomplete, she was purchased by Regency Cruises, but her new owners filed for bankruptcy in 1995.
The ship was sold for recycling in July 2011.[1]
Regent Sky was originally ordered in 1979 and laid down under the name Stena Baltica.[2] She was one of four fairly identical cruise ferries being built by Stocznia im Lenina, Gdansk for Stena Line, Stena Germanica, Stena Scandinavica and Stena Polonica.[3] In 1986, her construction was cancelled (and her sisters' delayed) due to problems with the shipyard.[4]
The unfinished hull was purchased by A. Lelakis, owner of Regency Cruises.[5] Regency planned to put her into service as their first new ship, having previously purchased and converted ocean liners.[6] Stena Baltica was towed to the Avlis Shipyards at Perama, Greece, where a USD $200 million process to convert her into a cruise ship began. The vessel was renamed Regent Sky at this time. 7,000 tons of steel were installed after she was lengthened 50 meters at Eleusis Shipyards.
In 1995, while Regent Sky was at the Avlis Shipyards of Chalkis, Greece and about 60% finished, Regency Cruises ceased operations. The vessel was seized by the National Bank of Greece and Hellenic Industrial Development Bank in July 1999. Since then, Regent Sky has moved from one lay up berth to another, including Perama, Ambelakia and then Kinossoura. All attempts to sell the vessel at auction have failed, making demolition her most likely fate. The Regent Sky had been laid up off Eleusis, Greece, until July 2011 when she was reportedly sold for scrapping.[7][1]
Since her construction was halted, Regent Sky had rusted heavily. During her conversion Wärtsilä main engines were installed. After the bankruptcy of Regency, the engines were removed, leaving Regent Sky unable to move without being towed. The foremost part of her bow was never completed.[8] There were several renderings of the completed ship, with one depicting her as Zoe, sporting a white hull and red funnel.[9]