One year ago Stena Line's Larne to Fleetwood staff were faced with a stranger in the camp in the shape of the gray hulled charter vessel Sea Runner. The Sea Runner provided just over two months of service on the Larne - Fleetwood route covering for the Stena Seafarer, which was absent from her normal duties providing valuable refit cover for Stena's other Irish Sea vessels Stena Europe, Stena Leader, Stena Pioneer and Stena Caledonia.  In those couple of months the vessel provided her own brand of interest as both ports wrestled with her peculiarities trying to work with a ship which was more suited to deep sea ro-ro work or car carrying compared to the more intensive working she was pressed into at Fleetwood. 

In previous years it was with great dismay to see the service's reputation being damaged when Stena Seafarer was regularly withdrawn to cover on other routes without cover provided for her normal duties at Fleetwood.  However Stena seemed to change their view over the matter for the impending 2006 refit season and appeared  to see merit in maintaining some form of cover on the Larne - Fleetwood route rather than let it do without once again.  With word rapidly circulating prior to Christmas 2005 that a charter ship would be employed at Fleetwood from mid January 2006 while the Seafarer was away on overhaul relief, the first name that popped up was an old Larne favourite; the former European Pathfinder, now trading as Via Mare.  However, at the 12th hour the charter arrangements with her owners fell through and the next name in the frame was Maltese registered ro-ro vessel Sea Runner. 

Sea Runner made her first call at Larne on the 19/1/06 via berthing trials at Fleetwood the previous afternoon and a call at Gibraltar over the 13-14/3/06 when Captain Mark Robinson joined the ship as Larne and Fleetwood pilot as well as providing the liaison between the ship's own Egyptian master and local shore operations staff.  She made an infamous debut after her first call at Fleetwood on the afternoon of the 18/1/06 she held up the inbound Stena Pioneer long enough to cause the 'Pioneer to miss the last of the ebb tide.  The Pioneer was then forced to wait a couple of hours until the flood tide brought in enough water for her to sail up the River Wyre.

On to Larne she came, making her first arrival at 0515 on the 19/1/06, berthing at Chaine Quay.  For the rest of morning welding work was carried out to the vessel to repair some minor damage caused to her port quarter after the first berthing at Fleetwood.  She then moved up to her loading berth at Continental Quay in the afternoon to test the loading ramp and load for her first commercial sailing to Fleetwood.  Her first load consisted of a main deck filled with a mixture of unaccompanied freight mainly trailers and newly built buses.  When cargo operations were completed she cast off for at 1745 but with a strong ebb tide running and an onshore breeze Sea Runner was pinned to the berth and it wasn't until 1815 that she was able to leave the berth with a push at the port bow by Larne's resident tug Sarah McLoughlin. 

	Sea Runner alongside Chaine Quay on her first day in the Port of Larne 19/1/06 Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge)
	Loading at Continental Quay on the 19/1/06 for her first commercial sailing to Fleetwood. Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge)
Two views of Sea Runner alongside the Fleetwood berth on 20/1/06.  Photos: Charles Cleworth (click to enlarge)

Her first inbound trip from Fleetwood with cargo arrived at Larne at 0340 on the 21/1/06 loaded with drop trailers and trade cars.  Trade car carrying was one cargo she was particularly useful for as she was equipped with two low height car decks situated below the main freight deck. 

It wasn't long however before her limitations were beginning to show, a low service speed coupled with difficulties in berthing at each port were slowing things up and towards the end of a week Sea Runner was causing the Stena Leader which was normally the ship following her to become delayed having to wait on her to clear the berth each time.  A plan was hatched to operate the ship every second day from Larne allowing the following ship to pass enroute.  Sea Runner would then be ready and waiting to enter either Fleetwood or Larne each day at 1100 once the morning ship had sailed and have 5 hours alongside to work cargo.  This would give sufficient time to load the main deck as well as the upper freight deck which had hitherto been underused since the cargo lift up to it was too slow.

	Sea Runner often experienced difficulty manoeuvring at either port.  Sea Trojan from Heysham often was to be seen helping her out at Fleetwood while Larne's tugs were kept busy during her entire spell at Larne.  In this picture Maria McLoughlin and Donna McLoughlin help Sea Runner swing in Larne harbour before moving round to her starboard side to push her alongside the berth on the 28/2/06.
	Sea Runner departing Larne on the 27/2/06.  Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge)

Before Stena's new 'sail ever second day schedule' got into full action Sea Runner was alongside at Fleetwood on the 26/1/06 when she accidentally pumped oil contaminated ballast water into the River Wyre.  The appropriate authorities were called in and the vessel was subsequently detained by the MCA when it was discovered that the wall between a ballast tank and a neighbouring fuel tank had been breeched.  The vessel was moved to Birkenhead for repairs where she arrived on the 28/1/06.  The repairs were later completed at Damen's shipyard in Schiedam, Holland with Sea Runner returning to service on the 21/2/06 which allowed Stena Pioneer to go to refit after it was delayed for 11 days due to Sea Runner being out of service.

Sea Runner arriving at Larne with an 0500 sailing ex Fleetwood on the 21/2/06, her first sailing after repairs to her ballast tanks.

This wasn't the last time Sea Runner had to attend a repair yard during her spell serving Larne.  She spent a few days at Harland and Wolff shipyard undergoing repairs to her bow from 18/3/06 to 22/3/06 after Stena Leader collided with her at Larne on the 25/2/06.  Sea Runner was spending the weekend at lay up on Chaine Quay when Stena Leader struck her starboard bow when the 'Leader was approaching her own berth at Continental Quay.  

Sea Runner at Belfast swinging with assistance from Michael McLoughlin on the 18/3/06.  Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge)

After returning from repairs at Belfast she spent her final days at Larne covering the absence of Stena Seafarer, which was away on the Belfast - Stranraer route covering the overhaul of Stena Caledonia.  Sea Runner's final day in Larne was the 30/3/06.  She spent part of the last day at Curran Quay getting some minor welding work done to her port quarter to restore some parts removed  that were catching on piles at Fleetwood, she then loaded and sailed on her final trip from Larne at 1600.  After discharging in Fleetwood the next day she left the Irish Sea and her charter to Stena bound for Vigo in Spain.

Sea Runner's final sailing from Larne at 1600 to Fleetwood on the 30/3/07.  Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge)

Updated: 17/02/07

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