Andreas Wörteler Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built by J.J. Sietas KG Schiffswerft GmbH & Co. Ltd,. in Hamburg in 1973 for S F Line of Finland (Yard No 702). Originally named AURELLA, a passenger, roll-on roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry. Launched March 17^th, 1973.

Technical Data

Registry - Mariehamn, Finland (1973 - 1982), Dublin (1982 - 2000), Malta (2000),

Portugal, (2000), Valletta (2001 - 2002),Cap Aux Meules, Quebec (2002 -)

IMO number - 7310260

Length on deck - 125.63 m (overall), 108.84m (between perpendiculars)

Breadth - 21.40 m (moulded), 21.65m (extreme)

Depth - 12.32m

Draught - 5.27 m (maximum)

Tonnage - 7,210 gross after rebuild 7,984 (1982)

3,234 net after rebuild 4,319 (1982)

1,893 deadweight after rebuild 1,325 (1982)

Engines - Two 16-cylinder Stork-Werkspoor 16TM410 Diesels

Power - 15,445 kW

Speed - 21.5 knots

Capacity - 1,500 passengers, 420 cars and 35 lorries (1973)

1,612 passengers (after re-classification), 300 cars (2003)

Call Sign - EIBL (as SAINT PATRICK II 1982 - ), CFN3031 (C.T.M.A.)

History

May 27^th 1972: Ordered a cost of 33 million DEM.

March 17^th 1973: Launched

June 23^rd 1973: Sea trials.

June 30^th 1973: Delivered to Oy SF-Line Ab, Mariehamn, Finland and officially named AURELLA.

July 3^rd 1973: Commenced service with Viking Lines between Nådendal - Mariehamn - Kapellskär. She was the first "Jumbo ferry" in operation in the Ålands Sea.

September 21^st 1973: Suffered engine failure and ran aground near Björkön in the Åländsea Islands. October 10^th 1973: Arrived at Finnboda Yard, Nacka for repairs.

September 1981: Laid up in Mariehamn.

January 20^th 1982: Sold to Irish Continental Group Ltd Dublin, Ireland for about $16 million.

January 1982: Renamed SAINT PATRICK II. Rebuilt by Amsterdamsche Droogdok, Amsterdam, Holland extra cabins.

© Aubrey Dale

June 2^nd 1982: Commenced service between Rosslare - Le Havre.

1985: Chartered to Stena Line, operated between Moss - Fredrikshavn - Göteborg.

1986: Back from charter.

November 21^st 1982 - April 1^st 1983: Chartered to North Sea Ferries. Operated between Rotterdam - Hull.

April 21^st 1983 - June 22^nd 1983: Chartered to Belfast Car Ferries, operated between Belfast - Liverpool.

1984/1988/1989: Chartered to B&I Line. Operated between Pembroke - Rosslare.

1985 (winter): Chartered to DFDS Seaways, operated between Hamburg - Harwich.

1987: Operated between Liverpool - Belfast.

1988: Owners company changed name to Irish Continental Group, PLC, Dublin

© Brian Fisher

September 15^th 1989 - 30^th September 1989: Chartered to Sealink UK Ltd, operating between Portsmouth and Cherbourg,

October 1989 - March 1990: Between Dover and Calais

© Nigel Thornton

1990: All Sealink vessels were laid-up during a sea-mans strike.

September 22^nd 1990 - March 1991: Continued at Dover, this time under charter to P & O European Ferries and operating between Dover and Zeebrugge

1992. 1993. 1994. 1995: In the winters she was chartered to Estonian Shipping Company, Tallinn, Estonia. Operated Tallin's services between Helsingfors - Tallinn. Transferred to the Estonian ships register.

© Ulrich Streich

1993. 1994. 1995: In the summers, back to the Irish register and operating between Ireland and France.

March 4^th 1994: Went to the aid of the grounded SALLY ALBATROSS, and evacuated 1,101 passengers and 158 crew.

Roy Thornton Collection

1995 (early): Operated between Dublin and Holyhead, replacing the previous ISLE OF INNISFREE which had been returned to Stena Line at the end of her charter in early 1995.

© Aubrey Dale

1997: Laid up in Le Havre for sale.

July 1997: Installed for two crossings between Cork/Rosslare - Roscoff/Cherbourg/Le Havre.

July 1997: Laid up in Le Havre, France.

1998: Chartered to Hellenic Mediterranean Line of Greece (with purchase at end of five year charter period) and re-named the EGNATIA II.

June 24^th 1998: Operated between Brindisi and Patras.

May 2000: Chartered to Balear Express, Spain and renamed VILLE DE SETE. She then operated between Sete and Palma

September 29^th 2000: Laid-up in Piraeus.

March 2001: Chartered to Swansea Cork Ferries and renamed CITY OF CORK.

March 15^th 2001: Commenced between Swansea - Cork.

2001: Transferred to Maltese flag, home port Valletta.

December 2001: Withdrawn from service and the end of the season, then went to lay up in Greece.

March 6^th 2002: Sold to CTMA of Canada to be renamed C.T.M.A. VACANCIER for service between Montreal and the Iles de la Madeleine.

30^th April 2002: Left Piraeus bound for Canada.

May 8^th 2002: Arrived at Cap-aux-Meules where she was renamed C.T.M.A. VACANCIER. She then operated between Montreal and Cap-aux-Meules.

2002 (Autumn): Underwent refit at Cap-aux-Meules. .

2003: Re-engined and rebuilt at Les Mechins Dry Dock, Quebec.

April 28^th 2003: In dry dock for the installation of new aluminium bridge-wings as well as a general inspection, mechanical repairs, sandblasting and painting. The bridge-wings, which were constructed by Vereault Navigation prior to the arrival of the vessel.

© Marc Piché

2007: Still in service with CTMA as the C.T.M.A. VACANCIER.

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. All items included in this article are subject to ©. We would like to thank: Brian Fisher, Ton Grootenboer, Marc Piché, Marko Stampehl, Ulrich Streich and Andreas Wörteler for there assistance in producing this feature.