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

History
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
BuilderSantierul Naval Galatz SA, Romania
Yard number769
CompletedDecember 1984
HomeportHamilton, Bermuda
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Tonnage9,088 GT
Length121.48 m (398 ft 7 in)
Beam21 m (68 ft 11 in)
Draught5.30 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × Krupp 9M453AK 9 cylinder diesel engines,
  • 7,200 hp (5,400 kW)
Speed15.5 knots (28.7 km/h)
Capacity
  • 12 passengers,
  • 1,272 m (4,173 ft) freight lanes, 94 trailers.
Crew18

History edit

Phocine was completed in 1984 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 RamsgateOstend route.[2] In 1996 she was sold to Jacobs Holdings (Dart Line)[1] who used her on the DartfordVlissingen 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 BelfastHeysham 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 North Killingholme Haven–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 edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "M/F Phocine". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Dart 3". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
  3. ^ a b "M/v "Balder Sten" 1984". Lycos. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
  4. ^ "M/S Balder Sten" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
  5. ^ "Seatruck Ferries". Mersey Shipping. Retrieved 30 April 2008.