Larne Ferry Web News Archive Oct

The last service from Larne was the 2000 sailing on the 24th of December, taken by European Causeway. The last inbound arrival was the European Highlander at 2145 after her 2000 sailing from Cairnryan. The European Highlander was laid up in Larne over Christmas and she restarted service with her 2000 service on the 26th of December.

The last sailing from Larne was the 2200 service on the 23rd of December by the European Leader. The last arrival in Larne was also the European Leader which sailed from Fleetwood at 1000 on the 24th of December arriving at Larne around 1800. The European Leader was laid up on Curran Quay over Christmas.

The European Pioneer finished service at Larne on the morning of the 24th of December after she discharged from her 2200 service from Fleetwood the previous evening. She was laid up on Continental Quay over the festive season.

The European Leader is due to sail to Fleetwood at 0900 on the 29th of December, while the European Pioneer recommences with the 2200 service that evening. The ships will operate a normal two ship service from each port between Christmas and New Year.

The European Mariner completed service on the Troon route after the 0230 service from Troon on Monday 22nd of December. The vessel discharged this load at Larne's Chaine Quay and the commenced lay up. Her first movement after the holidays was the 1900 service on the 28th of December.

With northerly gale force winds lashing Larne harbour for most of Sunday the 21st of December, the ferries based at the port were none the less doing their best to keep going despite the adverse weather. The Cairnryan ships carried out an extra trip departing Larne and Cairnryan at 1030, the two vessels were tested to the limit by gusts up to 60 knots in the harbour. The port's tug Maria McLoughlin was also kept busy assisting the ships to berth.

The European Mariner delayed her 1900 departure to Troon for several hours to wait for the wind to drop while the inbound European Leader stayed outside the harbour for a few hours for the wind to ease. She eventually berthed later in the evening at Curran Quay instead of the more exposed Continental Quay.

On Sunday Larne was also playing host to the coastal cargo vessel Laurina which had arrived on Olderfleet Quay with a cargo of limestone chippings. She was later forced to anchor in the southern regions of Larne Lough as she would have interfered with the European Leader's moorings on Curran Quay. The Laurina left Larne on Tuesday 22nd of December after discharging her cargo.

The European Seafarer made a brief return to Larne on the 20th of December 2003 after her dry docking for engine repairs and refit in Liverpool. She left the River Mersey early on the 20th of December bound for Fleetwood where she loaded for her usual 0300 service to Larne. On arrival off Larne at 1230 she had some technical problems that forced her to abort docking and she anchored north of number 1 buoy for a few hours before docking at Curran quay later that evening.

She left Larne on the morning of the 21st of December to cover overhauls of the Dublin based vessels over the Christmas and New Year period. She is not due to return to the Larne to Fleetwood route until mid January 2004.

The European Mariner completed a further three windfarm trips over the past number of weeks. She carried wind farm towers from Campbeltown to Troon on Sunday the 30th of November; the weekend of the 6th-7th December and one further trip on the 14th of December. On the 14th of December trip she sailed with her upper deck loaded with trailer traffic for Troon as she missed out her normal 1900 service to Troon that evening. On the two previous trips she always returned to Larne to take her evening trip with freight from Larne to Troon in time for her 1900 service.

It is with deep regret and sadness that Larne Ferry Web reports the sudden death of Captain Dave Ramsey on the 6th of December 2003. Captain Ramsey, originally from Dundalk, was a long serving master on the Larne - Stranraer ferries and continued to serve them after their move to Belfast in November 1995. On his retirement from his job with Stena Line Captain Ramsey became a volunteer with Operation Mobilisation and became master of the Christian Mission ship Logos II. It was with great pride that Captain Ramsey brought Logos II past the Stena Line ferries that he served so well into Belfast on her last visit to the port in December 2000. His recent assignment was to stand by the building of the new Logos.

Captain Ramsey's funeral was held at Carrickfergus Baptist Church later the next week. It was attended by several hundred people, such was the esteem in which Captain Ramsey was held by so many. Larne Ferry Web extends deepest sympathy to all of Captain Ramsey's family at this difficult time.

The European Causeway suffered generator failure at Larne on the 23rd of November just prior to leaving on her scheduled 1330 service to Cairnryan. The ship was withdrawn from service and was moved from her berth at MacKean Quay to lay up at Curran Quay. The ship subsequently missed two round sailings on the Cairnryan route. Traffic was diverted to the European Highlander which remained on schedule despite a delay caused by a lorry having to be removed from the freight deck to be checked out by the fire brigade after suspect wisps of smoke had been seen coming from it by the car deck crew just before her 1630 service to Cairnryan.

This breakdown presented the rare sight of both the European Highlander and European Causeway in port together. The last time was in August 2002 when the European Causeway had suffered engine failure. The lay up of the European Causeway at Curran Quay also forced the European Mariner to use Chaine Quay to load for her 1900 service to Troon.

The crew of the European Causeway quickly made repairs and the ship re-entered service with her scheduled 0415 service from Larne to Cairnryan. The ship had missed out her usual 1330 and 2000 sailings from Larne while repairs were being made.

The European Mariner carried out another windfarm charter trip over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of November. She left Larne for Campbeltown straight after she discharged from her early morning sailing from Troon.

She loaded the windmill towers at Campbeltown for transport to Troon. She remained in Troon overnight before returning to Larne at 1715 to load for her scheduled 1900 freight sailing from Larne to Troon.

Express Adonis, better known in Larne as Ailsa Princess and also Earl Harold was damaged recently as a result of a mooring line breaking under strain while engaged on the Alonnisos - Skopelos - Skiathos - Volos route in Greece.

At 1740 on the 2nd of November while tied up at Alonnisos harbour the port aft mooring line broke due to strong winds causing the Express Adonis to hit the port's breakwater. There was no ingress of water but there was damage to the starboard propeller. There were no injuries among the crew or the 22 passengers aboard.

After inspection the ship was escorted to her next and final port of call at Volos by two Greek Coast Guard landing craft. After disembarking her cargo the Express Adonis was detained in port to allow a full damage survey to be carried out and the appropriate repairs to be made.

The extended overhaul and repairs to Trans Europa Ferries' Begonia (ex European Pathfinder) continue at Ostend in Belgium. Additional crew cabins have been added to the upper passenger deck on the port side of the ship. The ship has also had her funnels repainted yellow although her hull remains in the same rather scruffy state it was in when she left Larne in July 2002. She is reported as possibly being in service by December 2003.

The Merchant Venture, a frequent visitor to Larne during the 1990's on charter to Pandoro and later P&O, was sold in August 2003 to Ivory Marine Lines of Panama for service in the Middle East under the name Warsun. She was laid up in Birkenhead in March 2003 when she had one engine problem too many during her service for Norse Island Ferries between Aberdeen and Lerwick.

Her main engines have been rebuilt my M.A.N engineers from Germany and the ship has been on the River Mersey on a number of occasions on trials.

The European Causeway's normal sailing at 12 noon on Sundays only has been rescheduled to depart at 1330.

The Irish Lights Tender Granuaille III was working buoys at Larne on the 15th of November 2003. She was first spotted on the 14th and spent the night anchored 1 mile north number 1 buoy. She departed later on the 15th.

The European Mariner departed Larne at around 0800 bound for Campbeltown to transport another consignment of windfarm towers to Troon. She will return from Troon on Sunday the 16th of November to pick up her usual Troon schedule with the 1900 ex Larne on the 16th.

The storm that hit most of the British Isles caused little disruption to Larne ferries. All ships were sailing in good time for the conditions as wind in the harbour was measured gusting in excess of 40 knots.

The European Seafarer departed Larne at 12 noon on the 12th of November bound for Liverpool to have her recent engine problems repaired in Canada dry dock. She sailed on one engine and arrived in Liverpool early the next morning. The repairs to the port main engine are expected to take about four weeks. The ship will also have her usual annual dry docking to renew certificates during this visit to dry dock - this was due to take place in January.

Drugs worth in excess of £250,000 were found in a car after it had disembarked from the European Leader's Fleetwood to Larne sailing at tea time on Tuesday the 11th of November. A couple from Liverpool were arrested in conjunction with the find.

The European Mariner was out and about early on Sunday morning with an early departure from Larne to Campbeltown to load wind farm equipment. She delivered these components to Troon and returned to Larne just after 2100 hours to load freight for her delayed 1900 service back to Troon. She finally departed at 2240 right after the European Leader left for Fleetwood.

This wind farm charter sailing had been scheduled for the European Seafarer but with that ship still experiencing engine trouble, the European Mariner was called out of her usual weekend lay up to deputise.

The European Seafarer aborted her Fleetwood sailing on the 4th of November after developing engine problems just a few miles out from Larne. She ship returned to port shortly after 2000 hours and was discharged at Curran Quay - her traffic was accommodated on the European Leader's Fleetwood sailing at 2200 and the midnight Cairnryan service. She was seen still berthed at Curran Quay the next morning forcing the European Mariner to use Chaine Quay for her Troon sailings.

The European Seafarer also missed the sailing on the afternoon of the 5th of November and remains out of service at Curran Quay - her return to service is all dependent on how long the repairs take. Hopefully her engine troubles of 2002 are not coming back to haunt her, LFW has fingers crossed that her crew can get the ship going once more.

The Irish Lights Tender Granuaille III was working at the North and South Hunter's Buoys off Larne on the 1st of November. As the day went on she was forced to stop work and seek shelter closer inshore when the wind picked up. The vessel spent the night just north of Number 1 buoy, Larne and continued her work when the wind slackened.

The P&O Dublin to Liverpool vessel Norbay berthed at Larne on the 26th of October to undergo an underwater hull survey. Apparently the water in Larne is clean giving divers and their underwater camera a nice clean image of what the ship looks like under the water line. She is not the first vessel to get this treatment as the European Envoy was in Larne only a few months ago for a similar survey and most memorable was the appearance of the HSS Stena Voyager on the 5th of January 2001 for her survey, proving all those who said the HSS will never be in Larne totally wrong!

The Norbay berthed at Curran Quay shortly after 1430 commanded on this occasion by Captain Martin Ingham. Captain Ingham is normally based in Liverpool but is no stranger to Larne, having commanded the Larne - Fleetwood vessels in the past.

Now I'm far from the official Larne Harbour record keeper, but LFW reckons the Norbay is the longest ferry ever to berth at the Larne side of the harbour. At 166.8 metres (547 feet 3 inches) she shades out the previous record holder, the European Highlander which measures in at 163.0 metres (534 feet 11 inches). The European Highlander is still top of the league in the gross tonnage stakes with her gross tonnage of 21188 tons compared to the Norbay at 17464 tons. Please correct my stats if you find they are wrong!

The Norbay departed Larne on Monday afternoon to resume her duties on the Dublin to Liverpool route. She is due to become part of the Stena fleet early in 2004 if the proposed takeover of certain P&O routes by Stena gets the green light.

Below is a selection of photos of the Norbay taken on the 26th of October 2003. Click on images to enlarge.


Norbay approaching Larne Harbour	Norbay easing in past European Seafarer

Two views of Norbay swinging at the South End of the harbour and moving onto Curran Quay. She, along with the other ships from the same builder (Van der Giessen-De-Noord) that I've seen seem to ride quite high out of the water as shown by these stern shots. The propellers were just about coming out of the water.

Two night shots of Norbay alongside Curran Quay.

Gross Tonnage	17464 tons
Deadweight	6722 tonnes
Length /m (ft)	166.8 (547' 3")
Breadth /m (ft)	23.4 (76' 9")
Draught /m (ft)	5.8 (19')
Engines	2 x 8 cylinder Sulzer and 2 x 9 cylinder Sulzer engines, one of each geared into each propeller shaft
Combined Engine Power /hp	32855
Service Speed /knots	22
Passengers	114
Freight /lane metres	2040 (6693')
Built	1994
Builders	Van der Gissen-De-Noord, Holland
Port of Registry	Hamilton, Bermuda was Hull, UK until 2002
Notes	Sailed on Hull to Rotterdam route for North Sea Ferries from 1994 to 2002. North Sea Ferries became P&O North Sea Ferries in 1996. Transferred to P&O Irish Sea in 2002 and introduced on to the Dublin to Liverpool route in January 2002. Occasional stand in on Dublin to Mostyn service in summer 2002.

The European Mariner was employed over the weekend of the 25th and 26th of October on a windfarm sailing to Campbeltown. She left Larne after discharging her inbound load from Troon on Saturday the 25th of October for Campbeltown to load the windmill towers. She brought the load to back to Larne arriving at 2030 hours and berthing on Chaine Quay.

The load wasn't discharged until Sunday the 26th when the European Mariner shifted to Curran Quay after the European Highlander cleared the harbour on her 0730 sailing to Cairnryan. Once discharge was complete the European Mariner returned to lay up on Chaine Quay. She re-entered service on her Troon schedule at 1900 on Sunday evening sailing from Chaine Quay.

Three further windfarm charter sailings are scheduled for successive weekends in November. The vessel employed is to be the European Seafarer on Campbeltown to Troon sailings.

The coastal cargo vessel Heimglimt berthed at Larne's Olderfleet quay on Manday the 20th October with a cargo of marble chippings. She discharged the cargo on Tuesday using mobile grab cranes and departed again on Wednesday.

Coaster Heimglimt arriving at Larne on Monday 20th of October 2003

Gross tonnage: 1432
Type of ship: General dry cargo
Year of build: 1971
Flag: St Vincent and Grenadines
Registered owner: FREDOCEAN Address: Kingstown SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
Ship manager: FREDCOAST Address: Austrheim NORWAY

According to www.equasis.org she held the name Berghav from 2000 to 2002 when she became Heimglimt

The Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures vessel HMS Penzance arrived at Larne on the 17th of October at 0950. The ship was on her way home from a naval exercise with other Minesweepers from various other European Navies in the Baltic Sea searching for unexploded World War II mines. The ships between them found over 30 mines, most of them still active, with HMS Penzance finishing top of the league after finding more mines than any other vessel.

The ship remained berthed at Castle Quay in Larne until Monday the 20th October when she left for her home base in Rosyth. The vessel was open to the public between lunch time and tea time on Sunday afternoon. Her very polite and knowledgeable crew were on hand all afternoon giving guided tours of the vessel and answering a whole barrage of questions about her operation.

HMS Penzance and Larne have close links - the ship is officially affiliated with the town and the vessel visited Larne over the Queen's Jubilee weekend in June 2002.

For more information about the vessel visit her page on the Royal Navy Website here:

With the Competition Commission currently investigating the proposed take over by Stena of key routes and assets operated by P&O on the Irish Sea, a number of interesting articles have appeared on the Competition's website at:

In the local Larne newspaper the "Larne Times" P&O issued a statement confirming the return of the Larne to Troon fast ferry service for 2004. Below is the news report in full from the "Larne Times."

Following a very successful first season, P&O Irish Sea has confirmed that it's new Larne - Troon service will operate again next year.

The service, which was introduced in April 2003, and operated by the popular Superstar Express, will return before Easter for the 2004 spring-summer season.

"Our Larne to Troon service was introduced in 2003 due to customer demand and has proved extremely popular. We carried a third of the Troon market in our first season and are confident that now our service is established and customers are familiar with our fast and reliable service, we will continue to grow this market next year."

The success of the route in this first season can be credited to a number of factors.

With a crossing time of one hour, 50 minutes, Larne - Troon offered the shortest crossing, 40 minutes faster than any other operator to Troon from Northern Ireland.

In addition, Superstar Express, which has operated the one-hour Larne - Cairnryan route for 4 years, is familiar to passengers who know she has an undisputed reputation for reliability and offers superb on-board facilities.

Troon is a long-established port for tourist traffic and with the introduction of P&O Irish Sea's Larne - Troon service, there has been an increase of 44 percent in the number of passengers travelling through the Scottish port.

"The introduction of P&O Irish Sea's Larne - Troon service has certainly led to an increase in the traffic through the port of Troon."

"Early analysis of our passenger numbers would suggest that there is a higher penetration of visitors from Scotland to Northern Ireland which reflects well for Irish tourism."

The tanker Maersk Rhine paid a visit to Larne with oil for the Ballylumford Power station. She arrived in Belfast Lough on Monday the 6th of October and anchored off Cloghan Point at the mouth of Belfast Lough.

On Wednesday the 8th of October she was taken round to Larne with the assistance of the tugs Cultra and Carrickfergus both of which are based in Belfast. After discharging her cargo at the 'B' station jetty she departed on Thursday the 9th of October.

Tanker Maersk Rhine arriving at Larne on the 8th of October

MAERSK RHINE
IMO number: 9167136
Call Sign: VRWR2
Gross tonnage: 22181
Type of ship: Oil tanker
Year of build: 1999
Flag: Hong Kong, China
Registered owner: NEPTUNE NAVIGATION, HONG KONG, CHINA

Its not often Larne gets a visitor like this but up until the mid 1990's Larne sometimes received tankers of this size at a rate of one per week depending oil price and demand at the power station, although the usual average rate was around one a month. Once Ballylumford Power station was connected to the UK mainland gas supply and converted to gas firing the tanker calls reduced to a trickle as only a reserve oil supply was maintained at Ballylumford for use when the gas supply was disrupted. The last call by a 20000+ gross tons tanker was in January 2003 when the Noda Star called at the power station.

The severe weather at the beginning of the week caused some delays to the ferries operating from Larne. Worst hit was the European Seafarer which missed the tide at Fleetwood in the early hours of Tuesday the 7th of October after being delayed by the foul weather. She managed to get back on schedule with her 1600 service from Larne on Wednesday the 8th of October.

The other ferries had slight delays of only one to two hours but were heavily loaded due to cancellations elsewhere on the Irish Sea, in particular the Cairnryan and Troon routes were getting extra traffic.