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MV Saint Colum I (Ex Saint Patrick (I)) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7302885

MV Express P

ex Express Poseidon, Poseidon Express 2, Dimitrios Express, Kadia Express, Dimitrios Express, Saint Colum I, Saint Patrick (I)

© Malcolm Cranfield

© Malcolm Cranfield (Liverpool, 16/04/1984)

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1973 by Schiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser, AG, Bremerhaven (Yard No. 485), as a Roll-on, Roll-off passenger/vehicle ferry for Irish Continental Shipping Co. Ltd, Dublin, Ireland

Technical Data

  • Length: 117.99m (overall) 102.74m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 18.22m
  • Depth: 11.54m
  • Draught: 4.96 m
  • Tonnage: 5465 – 5285gross/2907 – 2934 net/1288 – 1348 deadweight
  • Engines: Two Vee Oil 12-cylinder Pielstick 12 PC 2V diesels
  • Power: 8827 kW/12000 bHP
  • Speed: 17.0 knots (21.5 knots max)
  • Capacity: 1,040 – 1090 passengers, 210 – 230 cars
  • Call Sign: EIDY, GCNE  SVRX, JVCH
  • IMO Number: 7302885
  • Official Number: 401084 (LR 1974 – 75)
  • Port of Registry: Dublin/Rep of Ireland 🇮🇪, Belfast/UK, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Valletta/Malta 🇲🇹, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Ulaanbaatar/Mongolia 🇲🇳
  • Sister-Ship: Prince of Fundy (477)

History

October 17th 1973: Launched.

May 29th 1973: Delivered to Irish Continental Shipping Co. Ltd., Dublin, Ireland (25% owned by Lion Ferry). Left Bremerhaven for Rosslare (via Le Havre – Dun Laoghaire).

June 2nd 1973: Commenced services between Rosslare – Le Havre.

1977: Lion Ferry sells its share to Irish Continental Line.

© Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

February 11th 1979 – March 8th 1979: Chartered to Normandy Ferries for services Southampton – Le Havre.

December 14th 1979: Hurricane Force winds en-route to Le Havre damage was caused to 10 trucks and 7 cars. On arrival at Le Havre damage was caused to her bow visor necessitating the use of a crane to assisting opening.

August 1980: En-route from Rosslare she was redirected to Rotterdam when the French port was blockaded.

October 22nd 1980 – January 15th 1981: Chartered to B&I Line for services between Rosslare – Pembroke Dock.

Courtesy of Simonwp

Courtesy of Simonwp

March 1982: Arrived in Liverpool.

March 1982: Registered to First Dallas Ltd., Belfast, Northern Ireland and renamed  SAINT COLUM I. (Originally planned to rename her SAINT COLUMB).

April 1982: Bareboat charter to Belfast Car Ferries, Belfast.

May 1st 1982: Commenced services between Belfast – Liverpool.

© Alan Geddes  © Alan Geddes

© Alan Geddes (Both)

© Kenny Kane Nigel Thornton Collection

© Kenny Kane (Left) Nigel Thornton Collection (Right)

1982: Registered to Goldman Sachs Ltd, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1983: Registered to Allied Irish Banks Ltd. & Allied Irish Investment Banks Ltd. Bareboat charter to Belfast Car Ferries, Belfast.

December 14th 1983 – January 4th 1984: Suffered problems with her starboard engine.

© Brian Fisher © Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher (Liverpool, 1983)(Left)(Mersey, 1984)(Right)

June 25th 1985 – June 30th 1985: Off services with engine problems.

October 1st 1987: Sold to D.S.O. Finance Services & Carston Investments Ltd, Belfast, Northern Ireland and laid up in Birkenhead.

December 14th 1987 – January 2nd 1988: Chartered to B&I Line for “Freight Only” between Rosslare – Fishguard.

January 1988: Laid up in Birkenhead.

1988: Registered to Belfast Car Ferries, Belfast.

March 1988: Commences services between Liverpool – Belfast.

January 24th 1990: Suffered gearbox problems.

March 9th 1990: Returned to service.

© Aubrey Dale  © Aubrey Dale

© Aubrey Dale  © Aubrey Dale

© Aubrey Dale (1990, all)

October 14th 1990: Final day Liverpool – Belfast, when the service was closed, Left  Belfast for Rosslare to be loaded with freight for Le Havre.

October 1990: Laid up in Le Havre.

November 1990: Sold to Filia Maritime Inc, Piraeus, Greece and renamed DIMITRIOS EXPRESS.

November 1990 – April 1991: Rebuilt in Piraeus.

April 1991: Commenced services Arkadia Line between Igoumenitsa – Bari.

1993: Registered to Kadia Lines Ltd., Valletta, Malta and renamed KADIA EXPRESS.

1995: Registered to Apollo Sea Transport Ltd., Piraeus, Greece and renamed DIMITRIOS EXPRESS.

April 1996: Registered to Poseidon Express II Naftiki Eteria, Piraeus, Greece and renamed POSEIDON EXPRESS 2.

April 1996: Arkadia Line services between Piraeus – Paros – Naxos – Ios – Santorini together with Folegandros – Anafi.

© Carlo Martinelli  © Carsten Dettmer

© Carlo Martinelli (Paros, 12/09/1999)(Left) and © Carsten Dettmer (01/08/1997)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

November 12th 1999: Sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins, Piraeus, Greece.

2000: Renamed EXPRESS POSEIDON for Hellas Ferries services.

© Aleksi Lindström

 

© Dieter Pots (04/08/2004)

© Andreas Wörteler © Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

September 2004: Laid up in Drapetsona, Greece and advertised as “For Sale”.

January 2005: Transferred to Hellenic Seaways, Greece.

April 2005: Sold to Indian breakers.

June 2005: Renamed EXPRESS P.

June 29th 2005: Left Piraeus for Alang, India.

August 6th 2005: Arrived at Alang, India and scrapping commenced.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Malcolm Cranfield, Aubrey Dale, Carsten Dettmer, Brian Fisher, Alan Geddes, Kenny Kane, Aleksi Lindström, Carlo Martinelli, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

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