Jan-Mar 2003 News Summary

Services from the Port of Larne are finally back to their normal schedule after the Christmas and New Year break.

Cairnryan was back to normal by 1330 on New Years Day when services recommenced. The final arrival of 2002 was the European Highlander at 2200 on the 31st of December and she restarted with the 1330 service on the 1st of January 2003

Fleetwood had been operating with only 2 ships since the weekend before Christmas. The European Seafarer has transferred to Dublin to cover the dry docking of the Liverpool and Mostyn vessels. The three ship Fleetwood service recommenced on Sunday the 5th of January with the European Navigator covering the absence of the European Seafarer. The European Pioneer and European Leader are operating as normal.

Troon restarted with the 1900 service ex Larne on the 5th of January. The European Mariner took up the route after her extended lay up in Larne since the weekend before Christmas. She carried out engine trials and lifeboat drill on Saturday the 4th of January and unusually berthed bow in at Continental Quay where she was caught on camera.

The European Mariner unusually berthed bow in at Continental Quay on Saturday the 4th of January 2003.

The 18527 gross tons tanker Noda Star berthed at the Ballylumford 'B' jetty around 1000 on Thursday the 16th of January 2003. Originally due on Tuesday the 14th at 2000 her arrival was put off due to bad weather until Thursday. While she was waiting for the weather to clear up, the Noda Star sailed for shelter in Belfast Lough.

The Noda Star discharging oil at Ballylumford Power Station 'B' on the 17th of January 2002. Photo: John Marcus

Although the Ballylumford station has been converted to gas burning it can burn oil when the gas supply is disrupted so a reserve supply is still maintained in the storage tanks around the station. The Noda Star's arrival has presumably been to keep this reserve stocked up.

The Noda Star herself is owned by Dutch shipping interests and flies the flag of Malta. She was built in 1985 and previously held the name N. Dumbadze before becoming the Noda Star in September 2000.

Discharge was complete on Friday the 17th of January and the Noda Star sailed late that evening.

A panoramic view of Larne harbour showing the Noda Star at Ballylumford. Photo: John Marcus

The above photo is an excellent panoramic view of Larne harbour just perfect for showing the lay out of the harbour for those that are unfamiliar with it. The photo was taken facing east towards Scotland. The ship in the very far background is the European Navigator inbound from Fleetwood. Her course requires her to round the tip of Islandmagee before she can enter the harbour. Islandmagee is not actually an island but a peninsula which is joined to the mainland about 10 miles south of Larne. It is home to the one of three power stations in Northern Ireland called Ballylumford 'B,' that's the huge building dominating the centre of the picture with the 3 giant chimneys. The Noda Star is berthed at the 'B' station jetty just in front of it. To the right of Ballylumford 'B' is Ballylumford 'C' (the green coloured building) a new Combined Gas Cycle Turbine power station which is due to be commissioned shortly. It is built on the site of Ballylumford 'A' and the old 'A' station jetty is still visible. This is where the tanker Irishgate berthed during her recent visits to Larne. Islandmagee has been home to power generation for years and was seen as ideal during the war since the large hill behind it was effective in hiding the site from enemy aircraft. There used to be a small power station on the Larne side of the lough in the early 1900's on the sickle shaped piece of land, called the Curran, opposite to the Noda Star.

On the Larne side of the lough the European Causeway can be seen at MacKean quay getting ready to leave on her 1030 departure to Cairnryan. A passenger ferry runs at hourly intervals across from Larne to Islandmagee mainly for the power station workers the service steps up to 15 minute intervals when a shift is changing at the station. The ferry, run by local towage contractors John McLoughlin and Son, is an excellent platform to take photos of the ships in the harbour and costs £1 per single journey.

The Northern Star, which ended service on the P&O's service between Larne and Liverpool on the 19th of December has been chartered to a new operator.

The ship which had been laid up in Liverpool's Gladstone Lock since her P&O charter ended on the 20th of January is now sailing for Dart Line on their Dartford to Vlissingen route. Dart Line have lost two of their regular ships on charter to the British Ministry of Defence, with a third already on long term charter to the MoD. The Cypriot registered Northern Star is now back in action to cover these MoD charters.

The Northern Star is now on charter to Dart Line for the Dartford to Vlissingen service now her P&O charter has finished

A regular visitor to Larne over the past couple of weeks has been the coastal tanker Irishgate of the Fisher fleet based in Barrow.

The Irishgate is a 3000 ton chemical carrier and has been employed bringing loads of diesel oil to the new power station in Islandmagee from Milford Haven in Wales.

The Irishgate started her runs into Larne just after Christmas 2002 (see 2002 Quarter 4 news report here). She has made several visits since and the latest of these was on Saturday the 25th of January 2003. She completed discharge and left Larne on the afternoon of Sunday the 26th.

One unusual story has come to my attention involving the Irishgate and a Portuguese naval submarine. It seems Irishgate had the misfortune of being struck by the submarine as it was trying to surface. The submarine was worse off for damage compared to Irishgate, but it just goes to show what is lurking under the waves......

One other visitor to Larne this week was the Irish lights vessel Granuaile III which was spotted working at the Hunter's buoys close to the Maidens on Tuesday the 21st of January.

For the special reports and pictures leading up to the final departure of the European Navigator access this link.

Larne had a rather unusual visitor on Thursday the 27th of February 2003 when the cargo ship Ranafjord berthed on Olderfleet quay. The ship had a cargo of 2300 tons of limestone chippings for Glenarm.

The Maltese registered Ranafjord is a general dry cargo vessel with a gross tonnage of 1656 tons and is operated by Nordwest Shipping of Norway. She is 76 metres overall length so would have been quite a handful at the Olderfleet quay which can accommodate ships up to a maximum length of 80 metres.

Work Proceeds on getting the Begonia (ex European Pathfinder) into service
9th March 2003

Former Larne based ferry European Pathfinder now named Begonia, is in the middle of an extensive refit at the Belgian port of Ostend. Her new owners, Trans Europa Ferries, hope to get her back into service by this coming summer (2003). Work continues apace and at the rate they are going another month could see her ready to be painted in the TEF livery.

The only unknown is her engines. She completed service at Larne with her port engine out of action and badly damaged. P&O didn't see fit to spend the money to repair it and instead sold her with her engine problems.

To take on such a repair job TEF must be confident that they can get the ship fully operational again and I'm sure ferry fans everywhere would support Larne Ferry Web in wishing them success. It would be great to see the former European Pathfinder back in action as the Begonia and operating alongside her sister Gardenia (ex European Endeavour) just like they did at Larne.

The Begonia (ex European Pathfinder) at Ostend in early March 2003. Trans Europa Ferries have drafted in some extra staff to help restore her to working order for the summer. Current work is mainly centred on the funnels with some new pipe work being welded there recently. The weather deck has also been chipped of rust and is ready for repainting. Photo: Ostend Ferry Crew

A close up of the funnel reveals that the metal plate with the P&O flag painted on it has been removed revealing green Townsend Thoresen paint beneath, even the outline of the TT symbol can be seen. Compare the picture below. Photo: Ostend Ferry Crew

Her is the Begonia in her Townsend Thoresen days as European Clearway. Ironically, both the European Clearway and the European Endeavour (ex European Enterprise) along with Townsend Thoresen fleet mates Pride of Free Enterprise and Free Enterprise V contributed to Ostend's down fall in the 1970s and 1980s sailing instead to neighbouring Zeebrugge. Now they are leading Ostend's fight back sailing from Ramsgate to Ostend for Trans Europa Ferries while Zeebrugge currently hosts no services to the Kent coast. Photo: Steven Brown Collection

Keep up to date with the latest happenings at Ostend and get up to date information on how the Begonia's refit is progressing at the Ostend Ferries Yahoo Group.

Thanks to the Ostend Ferry Crew for providing the photos of the Begonia and to Steven Brown for access to his photo collection.

Over the bank holiday weekend for St. Patrick's day Larne had two visitors. First to arrive was the tanker Irishgate on Saturday 15th March in with another delivery of diesel oil for the new power station. She sailed again from the 'A' station jetty on Sunday afternoon for Milford Haven. The Irishgate has been made several visits over the past 3 months and is due to make a few more before the new power station is completed.

Irishgate departing Larne on the 16th of March 2003 with the tug Maria McLoughlin in the background.

The second visitor was the Norwegian dry cargo ship Ingeborg Pilot, owned by Flekkefjord Shipping. The ship was built in 1981 and has a gross tonnage of 1196. She arrived on Sunday morning at 0800 with a cargo of limestone chippings.

The Ingeborg Pilot unloading at Olderfleet quay on the 17th of March 2003. Photo: Jimmy Dowey

The usual ferry traffic was unaffected by the bank holiday here in Northern Ireland. Cairnryan sailed as normal, the European Mariner on the Troon run was laid up as usual from Saturday morning to Sunday evening when she sailed at 1900 for Troon as normal. On the Fleetwood service the European Pioneer had Saturday off laid up on Curran Quay while the European Seafarer covered for her. The European Pioneer was back on her schedule on Sunday morning with the European Seafarer returning to her schedule with her 1600 sailing on Sunday afternoon as normal.

On the 19th of March 2003 Larne paid host to the 1958-built tug St. Budoc. The St. Budoc was in Larne until Friday the 21st in conjunction with MCA work.

The tug St. Budoc departing Larne harbour on Friday the 21st of March. Photo: Jimmy Dowey.

After the St. Budoc's departure at 1315 on Friday another fresh face entered the harbour at 1350. This was the dry cargo vessel Fribulk which arrived with a load of limestone chippings from Malaga, Spain. The Fribulk is owned by Kopervik Bulk from Norway is 1840grt and was built in 1971. Larne has been seeing a lot of dry cargo vessels lately all arriving with limestone chippings. The arrival of Fribulk brings the total number of such visits over recent weeks up to 4.

Bahamian registered dry cargo vessel Fribulk entering Larne loaded with limestone chippings. Photo: Jimmy Dowey.

The fast ferry Superstar Express returned to Larne after her lay up and dry docking at the A&P shipyard in Birkenhead. She was reported berthed at Chaine Quay on Wednesday the 26th March where repainting will be completed before she re-enters service on the Larne to Cairnryan and Larne to Troon routes on the 15th of April 2003.

Superstar Express berthed bow in at Chaine Quay on the 6th of April 2003. The Superstar Express was bow in for repainting of her starboard side from Friday 4th April to Friday 11th April.

Prior to the Superstar Express' entry into service P&O have started a major ad campaign to highlight the new service to Troon. The "Vroom to Troon" adverts publicise the new Larne to Troon service with a crossing time of under 2 hours and the established Larne to Cairnryan service with a 1 hour crossing time. Already one has been put up round the corner from Seacat's base in Belfast, this year P&O and Seacat go head to head on the Troon fast ferry service for the first time.