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Mv Brave Merchant, Blanca del Mar, Ave Leipaja, Norman Bridge


© Frank Loose Steel twin-screw motor vessel built in 1999, by Astilleros Espanoles S.A. (AESA) Seville, Spain, (Yard No. 288) for Cenargo (owners of Norsemerchant Ferries plc) as a passenger roll-on roll-off commercial freight ferry. Launched May 28^th 1998. Technical Data Cost new - $65 million Registry - Douglas, Liverpool, London. MMSI Number - 232338000 IMO Number - 9147306 Length on deck - 179.95 m (overall) Breadth of hull - 25,24 m (moulded) Draught - 6,50 m Tonnage - 22,046 gross (22,152 1999) 6,614 net 6,300 deadweight Engines - Four 9-cylinder Wartsila diesels Power -23760 kW Speed - 22.5 knots Capacity - 200 passengers, 114 (13.5 m) commercial trailers Call Sign - MYXR6 History May 28^th 1998: Launched. January 26^t^h 1999: Delivered to Cenargo International Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas. January 29^th 1999: Sailed from Seville to Liverpool. February 5^th 1999: In Liverpool, during a storm, she broke free from her moorings and damage was caused to her bulbous bow. Repaired at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. February 15^th 1999: Introduced by Merchant Ferries between Liverpool - Dublin, freight only. 1999: GT 22,152 March 1^st 1999: Passengers also allowed. April 2002: Commenced service for Norse Merchant Ferries between Liverpool - Dublin. © Mikkel (left) and © Frank Loose (right) February 3^rd 2003: Final day operating between Liverpool - Dublin. © Ian Collard February 4^th* 2003: Chartered to M.O.D. (British Forces) for service in the war in Iraq. Sailed from Liverpool to Antwerp, Southampton then to Kuwait.* July 11^th 2003: Returned to Marchwood for commercial service. Then to ARNO, Dunkerque for refit. July 2003: Chartered to Norfolk Line. Commenced service between Dunkerque - Dover for one week relieving DAWN MERCHANT* (away on refit).* © Ray Goodfellow (left) and © Nigel Thornton (right) August 4^th 2003 - August 30^th 2003 : Chartered to P&O Ferries. Commenced service between Rotterdam - Teesport. © Rob de Visser September 1^st 2003: Commenced service between Belfast - Birkenhead September 8^th 2003: Service between Liverpool - Dublin. © Trevor Kidd November 2^nd 2003: Had to be withdrawn for emergency dry docking following underwater damage caused by a wire round her propeller when leaving Birkenhead's Twelve Quays terminal. She entered Canada dry dock in Liverpool on 29^th October. © Trevor Kidd November 10^th 2003: Resumed service. July 1^st 2004: Announcement was made that Norfolkline’s three Channel Ferries would be run by a newly-formed shipping group in a multi-million pound deal. Indo-China Ship Management (UK), which won the contract to operate and crew the ships. August 18^th 2005: “NorseMerchant Ferries sells BRAVE MERCHANT and DAWN MERCHANT. With two new ro-pax ferries entering service this year on its Irish Sea routes, NorseMerchant Ferries announced that it has sold two of its four Spanish-built ro-pax vessels, BRAVE MERCHANT (built 1999) and DAWN MERCHANT (built 1998), to a company nominated by New Paragon Investment Ltd, a Hong Kong based company advised by Epic Shipping Ltd.” December 12^th 2005: The planned Italian charter for the BRAVE MERCHANT and DAWN MERCHANT fell through. The DAWN MERCHANT was in dry-dock in Siros whilst the BRAVE MERCHANT was due to depart the Mersey on 28^th December. The vessels' owners were seeking a new charter for the pair. December 23^rd 2005: Retired to Brocklebank Dock for the Christmas holiday period. January 3^rd 2006: “To be renamed BLANCA DEL MAR for her new career with Iscomar - the vessel is due to leave for Spain next week, being handed over on Monday or Tuesday. Operating the Barcelona - Palma route the ship will be in direct competition to Balearia's PAU CASALS (her sister DAWN MERCHANT” January 10^th 2006: Left operation with NorseMerchant Ferrries at Liverpool and sailed for Siros where she was expected on 16^th January. January 2006: Bare boat chartered to Iscomar, Spain. Registered to Brave Shipping, Liverpool © Carlos Moreno February 2006: In service Barcelona - Palma de Mallorca June 19^th 2008: Service between Barcelona - Ibiza June 2008: Charter completed. July 10^th 2008: Anchored/laid-up off Gibraltar. © Daniel Ferro October 16^th 2008: According to an announcement in the government's officials newspaper Latvijas Vestnesis, the cargo-passenger ferry "Blanca Del Mar", operated by the company AVE Logistics, will commence Liepaja-Traveminde route starting from November 4^th this year, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. October 24^th 2008: Sailed from Gibraltar. October 26^th 2008: “Media reports indicated her name would be AVE LEIPAJA and that she was being repainted in Brest. She would remain UK flag.” November 11^th 2008: Passed through the Dover Straits bound for Travemünde. November 13th 2008: Arrived in Travemünde. © Dirk Jankowsky November 19^th 2008: Commenced service Travemünde - Liepaja. © Sebastian Ziehl December 10th 2009: Laid up at Fredericia anchorage. January 7th 2010: Left Fredericia for Gdansk. January 9th 2010: Arrived in Gdansk and again laid up. February 8th 2010: It was announced that the to be renamed Ave Leipaja has been chartered to LD Lines to operate between Dover and Boulogne in place of the Norman Spirit. 1st March 2010: Ave Leipaja enters the Remontowa dry dock in Gdansk, Poland. 2nd March 2010: Renamed Norman Bridge. 11th March 2010: Departed Poland. 13th March 2010: Arrived in Boulogne. © Andreas Wörteler 18th March 2010: Enters service between Dover and Boulogne. © Ed Connell 1st April 2010: Owing to an incident involving the `Norman Arrow' at Portsmouth the Norman Bridge is transferred to operate the Portsmouth - Le Havre service. Her place on the Dover- Bouolgne route is covered by the `Ostend Spirit'. © Ray Goodfellow 2nd April 2010: Arrives in Portsmouth and takes up service to Le Havre. Departing Portsmouth for Le Havre © Collaroy 5th April 2010: Returns to Boulogne to take up service to Dover. 30th April 2010: Owing to a technical problem with her port rudder the Norman Bridge proceeds to Cruise Terminal 1 to make repairs. Dover Cruise Terminal One 30th April 2010 © Marconista 1st May 2010: Carries out sea trials off Dover which prove unsatisfactory and she proceeds to dry dock in Rotterdam for repairs. 9th May 2010: Returns to Dover to take up service to Boulogne. 14th May 2010: Returns to Rotterdam to receive further attention to her faulty rudder. 27th May 2010: Returns to Boulogne sporting full LD Lines livery and takes up service to Dover. © Andreas Wörteler Back to P&P Home
We would like to thank: Ian Collard, Daniel Ferro, Dirk Jankowsky, Frank Lose, Mikkel, Carlos Moreno, Trevor Kidd, Rob de Visser, Andreas Wörteler, Ed Connell, Collaroy, Marconista and Sebastian Ziehl for there assistance in producing this feature. All items included in this article are subject to ©. All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions.

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