MS Phocine

Career
Name: Balder Sten 1985
Bazias 3 1985 - 1993
Sally Euroroute 1993 - 1996
Merle 1996 - 2000
Dart 3 2000 - 2006
Phocine 2006 - 2012
Owner: K/S A/S Balder RO/RO No 2 1985
Navrom 1985 - 1996
Jacobs Holdings 1996 - ????
Bid Corp Shipping ???? - 2006
Dart 3 Ltd.
Operator: K/S A/S Balder RO/RO No 2. 1985
Navrom 1985 - 1991
Sally Line 1991 - 1996
Belfast Freight Ferries 1996 - 2000
Dart Line 2000
Norse Merchant Ferries 2000 - 2001
Dart Line 2001 - 2006
Cobelfret Ferries 2006 - 2007
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company 2007
Cobelfret Ferries 2007 - 2008
Seatruck Ferries
Builder: Santierul Naval Galatz SA, Romania
Yard number: 769
Homeport: Hamilton, Bermuda
Identification: IMO Number 8009064
Callsign ZCDH2
Status: In service
General characteristics
Tonnage:9088 GRT
Length:121.48 m (398 ft 7 in)
Beam:21 m (68 ft 11 in)
Draught:5.30 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power:2 x Krupp 9M453AK 9 cylinder diesel engines,
7,200 hp (5,400 kW)
Speed:15.5 knots (28.7 km/h)
Capacity:12 passengers,
1,272 m (4,173 ft) freight lanes, 94 trailers.
Crew:18

The Phocine is a ferry owned by Dart 3 Ltd and currently in service with Seatruck Ferries.

History

Phocine was launched in 1985 as Balder Sten, owned by K/S A/S Balder RO/RO No 2. She was sold to Navrom and renamed Bazias 3 in 1985 and operated by them until 1991 when she was chartered to Sally Line, being renamed Sally Euroroute in 1993[1] and used on the Ramsgate - Ostend route.[2] In 1996 she was sold to Jacobs Holdings (Dart Line)[1] who used her on the Dartford - Vlissingen and Dartford - Zeebrugge routes,[2] renamed Merle and chartered to Belfast Freight Ferries until 2000, when she was renamed Dart 3 and operated by Dart Line. At some point she was sold to Bid Corp Shipping. She was chartered to Norse Merchant Ferries in 2000,[1] and used on the Belfast - Heysham route, returning to Dart Line in 2001. As well as her former routes with Dart Line, she was also used on the Dartford - Dunquerque route.[3] In 2006 she was sold to Dart 3 Ltd., and renamed Phocine on charter to Cobelfret Ferries,[1] being used on the Killingholme - Zeebrugge route.[3] In 2007 she was on charter to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, returning to Cobelfret later in the year[1] being used on the Ostend - Purfleet and Killingholme - Ostend routes.[4] In 2008 she was chartered by Seatruck Ferries[1] to replace Riverdance, Phocine was herself due to be replaced by Clipper Point when that vessel entered service with Seatruck.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "M/F Phocine". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Dart 3". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "M/v "Balder Sten" 1984". Lycos. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  4. "M/S Balder Sten." (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  5. "Seatruck Ferries". Mersey Shipping. Retrieved 2008-04-30.