Seatruck Ferries

Seatruck Ferries
Type Subsidiary
Industry Freight transportation
Founded 1996
Headquarters Heysham
Area served Irish Sea
Key people Ole Frie (Chairman)
Alistair Eagles (MD)
Parent Clipper Group
Website Seatruck Ferries website

Seatruck Ferries is a UK based freight-only ferry company which commenced services in 1996. It is part of the Clipper Group, a shipping company based in The Bahamas[1]. The company operates out of five ports on the Irish Sea, including Heysham and Liverpool.

Contents

History

Seatruck was established in 1996, operating one ship, Riverdance, between Heysham and Warrenpoint. She was joined in April 1997 by sister ship Moondance, which was also operated on the Heysham to Warrenpoint service.

In 2002, the company was acquired by Clipper Group, a shipping company based in The Bahamas.[2]

In 2005, Seatruck Ferries ordered their first new ships, five "P Series" ro-ro freight ferries[3], however only four were built. These vessels were named Clipper Point, Clipper Panorama, Clipper Pace and Clipper Pennant. All four vessels were built by Spanish shipyard Astilleros de Huelva.

In January 2008, the company's pioneering ship, Riverdance, ran aground in Blackpool.[4]. Attempts to refloat the vessel failed and she was broken up in situ in the summer of 2008.[5] In March 2008, Clipper Point became the company's first new ferry, entering service on the Heysham to Warrenpoint route. "Panorama" followed in January 2009, "Pace" in March 2009 and "Pennant" in October 2009.

In March 2008, the same month that Clipper Point entered service, Seatruck Ferries placed an order for four RoRo 2200 ferries to be built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft in Germany.[6]

The first two of these vessels launched in late 2011, named Seatruck Progress and Seatruck Power. "Progress" is due to enter service in December 2011, whilst "Power" will join the fleet in early 2012. The remaining two ships will join the fleet before mid-2012.[7]

Routes

Seatruck currently operate four routes on the Irish Sea, serving five ports.

Fleet

Current fleet

Seatruck currently operate ten vessels, two of which are on charter to Northlink Ferries and one currently on charter to the company. Four brand new ro-ro freight ferries are due to join the fleet between December 2011 and June 2012.

The newest vessel in the Seatruck fleet as of November 2011 is Seatruck Progress, which entered service in December 2011.

Image Ship Built
(Commissioned)		 Route Truck
Capacity		 Notes
N/A
 Anglia Seaways
July 2000
(February 2011)
Heysham - Dublin
120
 On charter to Seatruck
N/A
 Arrow
August 1998
(October 2009)
Heysham - Larne
65
Clipper Pace
February 2009
(March 2009)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
120
N/A
 Clipper Pennant
August 2009
(October 2009)
Liverpool - Dublin
120
Clipper Point
March 2008
(March 2008)
Liverpool - Dublin
120
Clipper Ranger
April 1998
(October 2005)
Heysham - Larne
65
 Formerly named Challenge
Helliar
October 1997
(October 2007)
Aberdeen - Lerwick
65
 On charter to Northlink Ferries
Formerly named Clipper Racer
Hildasay
? 1999
(October 2008)
Aberdeen - Lerwick
65
 On charter to Northlink Ferries
Formerly named Shield
Seatruck Panorama
November 2008
(January 2009)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
120
 Formerly named Clipper Panorama
N/A
 Seatruck Power
? 2012
(February 2012)
Liverpool - Dublin
151
 Under construction, fitting out
N/A
 Seatruck Progress
November 2011
(December 2011)
Liverpool - Dublin
151
N/A
 "Yard No. 751"
? 2012
(? 2012)
TBC
151
 Under construction, launch Jan 2012
N/A
 "Yard No. 752"
? 2012
(? 2012)
TBC
151
 On order

Former fleet

These are vessels that have previously been operated or chartered by Seatruck.

Image Ship Built
(Commissioned)		 Route Truck
Capacity		 Notes
N/A
 Bolero
? 1985
(February 2008)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
N/A
 Sold and converted to cable layer.
N/A
 Celtic Star
August 1991
(September 2007)
Liverpool - Dublin
70
 Chartered 2007, to P&O Irish Sea in 2008
European Mariner
October 1978
(April 2004)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
53
 Short-term charter in 2002.
Lygra
February 1979
(April 2008)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
N/A
 Short-term charter in 2008
Merchant Brilliant
? 1979
(January 2008)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
80
 Short term charter in 2008
Moondance
July 1978
(April 1997)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
55
 Sold in 2010
N/A
 Phocine
? 1985
(February 2008)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
94
 Short-term charter in 2008
Riverdance
April 1977
(July 1996)
Heysham - Warrenpoint
55
 Beached at Blackpool in Jan 2008, later scrapped on site

References

  1. ^ New Seatruck vessels to give port big boost - Lancaster Today
  2. ^ http://www.clipper-group.com/web/clipper.nsf/content/wwww6xwngw
  3. ^ Seatruck Christens First of Five
  4. ^ Article "Ferry runs aground off Blackpool". BBC News. February 1 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7221386.stm Article. Retrieved November 26 2011. 
  5. ^ Article "Final death knell for Riverdance ferry". Blackpool Gazette. April 10 2008. http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/final_death_knell_for_riverdance_ferry_1_425659 Article. Retrieved November 26 2011. 
  6. ^ Article "Seatruck orders four new generation freight ro-ros". Seatruck Ferries. March 3 2008. http://www.seatruckferries.com/web/seatruck.nsf/content/news%20article?OpenDocument&article=wwww7cdejv Article. Retrieved November 26 2011. 
  7. ^ Article ""Seatruck Power" ... Ahead on the Irish Sea". Seatruck Ferries. October 28 2011. http://www.seatruckferries.com/web/cmsresources.nsf/filenames/SeatruckPowerAheadOnTheIrishSeaOct2011.pdf/$file/SeatruckPowerAheadOnTheIrishSeaOct2011.pdf Article. Retrieved November 01 2011. 

External links