MS Nord Pas-de-Calais

The Seafrance Nord Pas-de-Calais at sea
History
Name:
  • Nord Pas-de-Calais (1987-1996)
  • Seafrance Nord Pas-de-Calais (1996-2012)
  • Nord Pas-de-Calais (2012-2016)
  • Al Andalus Express (2016-present)
Owner:
Operator:
Port of registry: Cyprus,  Cyprus [1]
Route: Montril - Tangier
Ordered: 17 July 1985
Builder: Normed, Dunkerque, France
Yard number: 325
Laid down: 1987
Launched: 15 April 1987
In service: 12 December 1987
Identification: IMO number: 8512152 [2]
Fate: Active
Status: Currently being refitted in Algeciras, Spain following the purchase by FRS Iberia/Maroc.
General characteristics
Tonnage: 13,727 GRT
Length: 158.09 m (518.7 ft) [2]
Beam: 22.4 m (73.5 ft) [2]
Draught: 5.92 m (19.4 ft) [2]
Propulsion: 2 x Sulzer 16ZAV40 [2]
Speed: 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) [2]
Capacity: 80 passengers, 45 lorries and 600 metres of rail freight or 90 lorries

MS Nord Pas-de-Calais is a freight ferry owned and operated by Eurotunnel. She was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkirk (Yard No 325) for Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Francais (SNCF), Paris as a multi-purpose passenger and roll-on roll-off ferry for lorries and railway vehicles. After the introduction of Eurotunnel there was no need for a train ferry, so SNCF were losing money running her. She was acquired by SNAT and Stena Sealink in 1989 who operated the Nord Pas-de-Calais until 31 December 1995. From 1 January 1996 SNAT operated as SeaFrance. The vessel was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais. SeaFrance operated until November 2011, and were liquidated on 9 January 2012. Eurotunnel won the bid for the three of the former SeaFrance vessels the original name of the vessel was restored, dropping the SeaFrance prefix. MyFerryLink started running on 20 August 2012, although Nord Pas-de-Calais joined in November 2012 following a refit. Following the end of operations by MyFerryLink, the ship has been retained by Eurotunnel for transporting hazardous freight.

Service history

Nord Pas-de-Calais was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkerque for SNCF as a train ferry. She operated on the Dover (Western Docks) to Dunkerque route; in addition, she also worked as a freight vehicle ferry between Dover and Calais. Nord Pas-de-Calais had limited accommodation for eighty passengers. She stopped running as a train ferry because of low traffic, due to the opening of the Channel Tunnel which offered a much quicker option for trains to cross the border. The Nord Pas-de-Calais ran with SNAT from then onwards. It was a joint operation with SNAT and Stena Sealink.

She was given TOPS number 99001, previously used by MV Suffolk Ferry.[3]

SNAT

In 1989, ownership was changed to Societe Nouvelle d'Armement Transmanche (SNAT). On 12 July 1995 it was announced that the agreement between Stena Sealink Line and French partners SNAT would terminate on 31 December 1995. From that time onwards SNAT would trade as SeaFrance.

SeaFrance

In 1996, Nord Pas-de-Calais was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais, operating for SeaFrance as a vehicle ferry between Dover and Calais. On 3 July 1996, she was laid up at Dunkerque and remained there until 29 November when she was introduced as an ordinary freight vessel between Calais and Dover.

In November 2011, she was laid up in Dunkerque Port, due to the commercial court ordering that SeaFrance be liquidated.

On 20 August 2012 after Seafrance was liquidated MyFerryLink began commercial service. The SeaFance Nord Pas-de-Calais was renamed Nord Pas-de-Calais. She is due to start service with MyFerryLink under ownership of Eurotunnel in November 2012, after she has had a full refit.

References

  1. ↑ . doverferryphotosforums.co.uk http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-nord-pas-de-calais-past-and-present/. Retrieved 26 June 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "M/F SeaFrance Nord-Pas-de-Calais". Ferry-site.dk. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Harris, Roger (2006). The Allocation History of BR Diesels & Electrics (Part Six (Section B)). Roger Harris, Bromsgrove, UK.
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