Notes from the Larne Ferry Web Archive

Four miles out from Larne on a routine crossing to Stranraer on Friday the 9th of December 1983 the Sealink vessel Antrim Princess was at the centre of a major air sea rescue operation.

Just before 1100, 30 minutes after leaving Larne on her usual 1030 sailing to Stranraer, the Antrim Princess sent out a distress signal after losing all power due to a fire in her main switchboard. The ship had lost both steering and engines due to the fire and was drifting helplessly in 60 mile per hour winds. The ship's anchors were dropped but in the deep water they didn't hold the ship and she began to be pushed by wind and waves towards the shore at Muck Island, east of Islandmagee.

Eight RAF and Navy Sea King helicopters from Prestwick and Aldergrove (near Belfast) were on the scene within 15 minutes. In view of the ship's precarious position, now only half a mile from the rocks and disaster, her master Captain Tom Cree ordered that the 108 passengers onboard and 20 non-essential crew members be airlifted to safety. All the passengers were winched aboard the helicopters and landed at a temporary helicopter landing area set up in Larne's Town Park. Passengers were taken from there on to Moyle Hospital for medical examination and then they were given a hot meal at the local Highways Hotel. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt and everyone spoke highly of how well the crew had dealt with the evacuation.

The Antrim Princess drifting at the mercy of wind and waves while her passengers are winched to safety by Sea King helicopters. Photo: Roy Thornton Collection

Back on board the Antrim Princess, her anchors had finally dug into the seabed in shallower water and were holding the ship firm about half a mile from the coast. Seamen battling in the dark had managed to get the fire under control and the engineers got the port engine re-started, restoring some power to the ship. By now several ships were on standby near the Antrim Princess including her fleet mates Darnia and Ailsa Princess, the Donaghadee lifeboat and the Townsend Thoresen vessel Europic Ferry. The Europic Ferry attempted to take the ship in tow but only succeeded in fouling the tail rotors of a rescue helicopter with the line. With some skilful manoeuvring the pilot managed to avert an air disaster and got the helicopter touched down safely at Portmuck on Islandmagee.

With the passengers safely evacuated the rescue ships were released and with a skeleton crew aboard the Antrim Princess was left to ride out the storm. Sea going naval tugs from the River Clyde arrived in the afternoon and the tug Rollicker managed to secure a line aboard. Captain Cree and 27 crew along with a naval salvage expert stayed aboard throughout the night. A change in the wind direction during the night caused several tense moments aboard, but the next day and a much more moderate wind the Rollicker was able to start towing the Antrim Princess to Harland and Wolff in Belfast for repairs.

From the local newspaper in 1983: Navy Tug Rollicker assisting the Antrim Princess after the Larne - Stranraer ferry was disabled by an engine room fire.

The Antrim Princess finally arrived at Belfast on the afternoon of the 10th of December. Inspections revealed that the fire had been caused by an electrical fault. From the Coastguard officers to the helicopter crews, everyone involved in the rescue both ashore and afloat were praised for their skill and professionalism.

In the busy run up to Christmas the St David arrived from Holyhead to take the Antrim's place in the local fleet. On her return to service after repairs on the 28th of December the crew of the Antrim were given a hero's welcome. Sealink's chief marine superintendent, Captain Jack Watt commented, "Captain Cree and his officers and crew displayed a high standard of seamanship and professionalism throughout the emergency and are worthy of the highest praise for outstanding achievement in such hazardous conditions which was in the best traditions of Sealink staff."

The Antrim Princess remained on the Stranraer crossing until 1985 when she was replaced by the St David. The ship passed to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for their Heysham to Douglas route and was renamed Tynwald. She was sold in 1990 to Italian company Linee Lauro who renamed her Lauro Express and she still remains in service for them on routes from the west coast of Italy as part of the Medmar Shipping Group. Refitted with lots more cabins than her Stranraer days the Lauro Express serves on the long crossings from the Italian ports of La Spezia, Napoli and Tripani (Sicily) to Tunis (Tunisia) the La Spezia crossing is roughly 30 hours long with the others a few hours shorter. She also serves some shorter crossings from Napoli to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, but it’s quite a change from her former service on the North Channel.

[Thanks to Geoff Hamer and Matt Murtland for the update of what the Antrim Princess is up to now.]

The freight ro-ro ferry Ulidia became the newest addition to the Larne - Stranraer fleet when she made her first crossing on the route on the 16th December 1974.

The ship had been acquired for Sealink service from Stena Line in the spring of 1974. Under a complicated ownership scheme the ship was bought by Barclays Export and Finance and chartered long term to Sealink.

Built in 1970 at Kristiansand, Norway she was previously known as the Stena Carrier and had been chartered to Canadian Railways for service from North Sydney (Nova Scotia) to Port-aux-Basques (Newfoundland).

Renamed Ulidia - the Latin name for Ulster - the vessel crossed the Atlantic for Middlesbrough via Dover to undergo dry docking and modifications to make her suitable for the Stranraer service. This work was mainly centred on her passenger accommodation which was enhanced to provide facilities for up to 36 lorry drivers.

The ship was identical to the Dalriada which was already on the Larne - Stranraer route and the Anderida which served the Sealink train ferry route from Dover - Dunkerque, but had also served as a relief ferry at Larne.

The Ulidia pictured at sea. She carried very small versions of the BR arrows on her funnels throughout her time at Larne. Photo: Roy Thornton collection.

The Ulidia served at Larne until April 1981 when she was removed to Dover for lay up before being sold. Apart from a handful of trips on the Newhaven to Dieppe route the Ulidia served exclusively at Larne for her entire Sealink career.

Her usual routine was night time freight runs Monday to Friday. On the Stranraer route this traffic peaked on the ex Larne sailings in the afternoon onwards to 2300 while the flow from Stranraer was heavy on early morning sailings from 0300 to 0700. The Ulidia sailed from Larne every evening at 1645 and left Stranraer on her return sailing at 2100. Her second sailing from Larne left at 0100 with a return from Scotland at 0500. Once she discharged this load at Larne she usually shifted on to Curran Quay at Larne to lay up until needed again in the evening. Weekend lay up was normally at Phoenix Quay.

Above: Heavy freight rolls onto Ulidia at Larne's Mail berth ramp (now known as MacKean Quay). Right: Bow in at Stranraer a lorry belonging to Porter's of Derby drives off at the Railway pier.