MS Nord Pas-de-Calais
 The Seafrance Nord Pas-de-Calais at sea | |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
Nord Pas-de-Calais (1987-1996) Seafrance Nord Pas-de-Calais (1996-2012) Nord Pas-de-Calais (2012-present) |
| Owner: |
SNCF (1987-1989) SNAT (1989-1996) Seafrance (1996-2012) Eurotunnel (2012-present) |
| Operator: |
SNCF (1987-1989) SNAT (1989-1996) Seafrance (1996-2012) MyFerryLink (2012-present) |
| Port of registry: |
Dunkerque,  France [1] |
| Route: | Dover - Calais |
| Builder: | Normed, Dunkerque, France |
| Yard number: | 325 |
| Laid down: | 1987 |
| Launched: | 15 April 1987 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 8512152 [1] |
| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 13,727 GRT |
| Length: | 158.09 m (518.7 ft) [1] |
| Beam: | 22.4 m (73.5 ft) [1] |
| Draught: | 5.92 m (19.4 ft) [1] |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Sulzer 16ZAV40 [1] |
| Speed: | 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) [1] |
| Capacity: | 80 passengers, 45 lorries and 600 metres of rail freight or 90 lorries |
MS Nord Pas-de-Calais is a freight ferry owned by Eurotunnel and operated by MyFerryLink. She was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee SA, Dunkirk (Yard No 325) for Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Francais (SNCF), Paris as a multi-purpose passenger and roll-on roll-off ferry for lorries and railway vehicles. After the introduction of Eurotunnel there was no need for a train ferry, so SNCF were losing money running her. She was acquired by SNAT and Stena Sealink in 1989 who operated the Nord Pad-de-Calais until 31 December 1995. From 1 January 1996 SNAT operated as SeaFrance. The vessel was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais. SeaFrance operated until November 2011, and were liquidated on 9 January 2012. Eurotunnel won the bid for the three of the former SeaFrance vessels the original name of the vessel was restored, dropping the SeaFrance prefix. MyFerryLink started running on 20 August 2012, although Nord Pas-de-Calais joined in November 2012 following a refit.
Service History
Nord Pas-de-Calais was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkerque for SNCF as a train ferry. It operated on the Dover (Western Docks) to Dunkerque route; in addition, she also worked as a freight vehicle ferry between Dover and Calais. Nord Pas-de-Calais had limited accommodation for 80 passengers. She stopped running as a train ferry because of low traffic, due to the beginning of Eurotunnel which offered a much quicker option for trains to cross the border. The Nord Pas-de-Calais ran with SNAT from then onwards. It was a joint operation with SNAT and Stena Sealink.
SNAT
In 1989, ownership was changed to Societe Nouvelle d'Armement Transmanche (SNAT). On 12 July 1995 it was announced that the agreement between Stena Sealink Line and French partners SNAT would terminate on 31 December 1995. From that time on wards S.N.A.T. would trade as SeaFrance.[2]
SeaFrance
In 1996, Nord Pas-de-Calais was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais, operating for SeaFrance as a vehicle ferry between Dover and Calais.[3] On 3 July 1996, she was laid up at Dunkerque and remained there until 29 November when she was introduced as an ordinary freight vessel between Calais and Dover.[2]
In November 2011, she was laid up in Dunkerque Port, due to the commercial court ordering that SeaFrance be liquidated.
Eurotunnel/MyFerryLink
On 20 August 2012 after Seafrance was liquidated MyFerryLink began commercial service. The SeaFance Nord Pas-de-Calais was renamed Nord Pas-de-Calais. She is due to start service with MyFerryLink under ownership of Eurotunnel in November 2012, after she has had a full refit.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "M/F SeaFrance Nord-Pas-de-Calais". Ferry-site.dk. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.doverferryphotos.co.uk/pastandpresent/npc.htm
- ↑ "Nord Pas-de-Calais - SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais". Retrieved 5 August 2010.
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