MV Apollo

MV Apollo underway
History
Name:	Apollo (1970–1976) Olau Kent (1976–1980) Gelting Nord (1980–1984) Benodet (1984–1985) Corbière (1985–1991) Linda 1 (1991–1995) Apollo (1995–)[1]
Owner:	Rederi AB Slite (1970–1976) Olau Line (1970–1980) Nordisk Faergefart (1980–1990) Eckerö Line (1990–2000)[2] Labrador Marine (2000–)[1]
Port of registry:	Slite,  Sweden (1970–1976) Ribe,  Denmark (1976–1980) Faaborg,  Denmark (1980–1984) Nassau,  Bahamas (1984–1991) Tallinn,  Estonia (1991–1994) Nassau,  Bahamas (1994–2000)[2] St. John's, Newfoundland,  Canada (2000–)[1]
Builder:	Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany[1]
Cost:	SEK 25 million[2]
Yard number:	0560[1]
Launched:	19 December 1969[2]
Sponsored by:	Isabella Myrsten[2]
Completed:	2 May 1970[2]
In service:	1970–
Identification:	IMO number: 7006314 MMSI number: 316002070 Call sign: CFG6209 (current)[3]
Status:	In service
General characteristics (as built)[2]
Type:	Passenger ferry
Length:	108.7 m (357 ft)
Beam:	17.2 m (56 ft)
Draught:	4.6 m (15 ft)
Depth:	6 m (20 ft)
Installed power:	2 × Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz SBV 12M 350
Propulsion:	2 shafts; controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)
General characteristics (current)[1]
Type:	Passenger ferry
Tonnage:	6,609 GT 1,982 NT 1,100 DWT[3]
Length:	108.7 m (357 ft)
Beam:	17.2 m (56 ft)
Draught:	4.6 m (15 ft)
Depth:	6 m (20 ft)
Ice class:	1A
Installed power:	2 × MAN/B&W 9L32/36[2]
Propulsion:	2 shafts; controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph)

MV Apollo is a vehicle/passenger ferry that currently services the route between St. Barbe, Newfoundland and Labrador and Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, Canada. ^[4]

History

Apollo was originally built for Viking Line of Sweden in 1970. In 1976, she was sold to Olau Line for its service between Sheerness, England and Vlissingen, Netherlands, and was renamed Olau Kent, before returning to Scandinavia in 1981 as the Gelting Nord of Danish operator Nordisk Færgefart. In 1984, she was chartered to Brittany Ferries as the Benodet, before moving to sister company British Channel Island Ferries in 1985 as the Corbière. In the early 1990s, she moved to the Baltic Sea, serving with Eckerö Line between Helsinki and Tallinn, first as Linda 1, and from 1995 reverting to its original name of Apollo. After some further charters in the late 1990s, in 2000 Apollo was sold to the Woodward Group of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, entering service with its Labrador Marine subsidiary.^[2]

Service with Labrador Marine

MV Apollo departing from Corner Brook in March 2015

Apollo typically operates across the Strait of Belle Isle between St. Barbe, on the island of Newfoundland and Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, close to the border with Labrador. Winter ice conditions sometimes prevent Apollo from entering the harbour at St. Barbe, and service is provided from the Newfoundland port of Corner Brook instead, resulting in a crossing time of 12 hours rather than 1 hour 45 minutes.^[5]

In January 2008, Apollo suffered a minor engine room fire.^[6]

On 13 April 2017, Apollo became stuck in ice in the Strait of Belle Isle near Blanc-Sablon, Quebec for nearly 30 hours with 70 passengers on board. The Canadian Coast Guard vessel CCGS Henry Larsen was sent to aid the ferry and escorted Apollo to port once it was free of the ice.^[7][8] Sailings were cancelled on 14 April, but the vessel returned to normal service following the incident. On 19–20 April, all sailings by the ferry were cancelled due to severe ice conditions in the strait.^[9]

References

External links

• Labrador Marine (Woodward Group)