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MV Spheroid – Past and Present

MV Talos

Ex  Mykonos, Myconos, Spheroid, Niekerk, RoRo Trader, Starmark

© Capt Jan Melchers

Spheroid – © Capt Jan Melchers

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1971 by Langvik Sarpsborg M/V, Sarpsborg, Norway (Hull)(Yard No 44), Anchor loop Verft A/S, Floro. Norway (Completion)(Yard No 85) as a RoRo Cargo/Ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 109.50 – 124.20 m (overall) 100.3m (between perpendiculars)
    Breadth: 19.21 m
    Depth: 13.21 m
    Draught: 4.95 m
    Tonnage: 1584 – 7171 gross/ – 3737 net/2750 – 2838t deadweight
    Engines: 2 x 4 stroke 8-cylinder Pielstick 8PC2L-400 diesels
    Power: 5884 kW/8004 bHP
    Speed: 19 knots
    Capacity: 12 – 30 passengers/ 636 – 728 lane meters/60 trucks
    Call Sign: DEEK, OIET, SV6442, 5BEC, PGGQ, MGUZH, SWST
    MMSI Number:
     239786000
  • IMO Number: 7043843
    Port of Registry: Bremen/Germany, Helsinki/Finland, Piraeus/Greece, Limassol/Cyprus, Rotterdam/The Netherlands, Douglas/Isle of Man, Piraeus/Greece

Current AIS Location


Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.


History

March 5th 1970: Keel struck.

November 7th 1970: Launched.

July 31st 1971: Delivered to Edwin Heyer GmbH, Bremen, Germany. Avomeri’s services.

© Robert J Smith  © Robert J Smith

Starmark – © Robert J Smith (Tilbury)

1971: Chartered to Svenska Lloyd for services Gothenburg – Tilbury.

© Simonwp

Starmark – © Simonwp (Rozenbirg, 01/06/1973)

August 11th 1974: Sold to Starmark Reederi Oy (Rolf Alander), Helsinki, Finland. (Avomeri).

August 19th 1974: Ran aground near Helsinki.

January 20th 1975: Owners changed name to Starmark-Shipping Oy, Helsinki,

November 24th 1976: Sold to Avomeri Oy (Rolf Alander)

1976: Chartered to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen

© Simonwp

Starmark – © Simonwp (Immingham, 03/09/1978)

1981: Sold to Manta Line, Greece. Registered to Monvillea Shipping Co, Piraeus, Greece and renamed RORO TRADER.

1985: Laid up in Kenya.

1985: Sold to Oceanwide Shipping, Limassol, Cyprus and registered to Goldenlight Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus. Renamed NIEKERK.

1985: Sold to J.H. Templaars Scheepvaartsbedrifjf & Handel B.V., Rotterdam, Holland.

© Cees De Bijl   © Cees De Bijl

Niekerk – © Cees De Bijl (Rotterdam, 24/08/1985)

© Cees De Bijl  © Cees De Bijl

Niekerk – © Cees De Bijl (New Waterway, 28/08/1985)

1986: Chartered to Belfast Freight Ferries, Belfast for services Belfast – Heysham.

© John Jones

Niekerk – © John Jones (Tilbury, 15/03/1986)

1987: Sold to Belfast Freight Ferries, Douglas, Isle Of Man and renamed SPHEROID. Services Belfast – Heysham.

1990: Lengthened.

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

Spheroid – © Peter J Fitzpatrick

© James Wire  © James Wire

Spheroid – © James Wire (Heysham, 1990’s)

© Aubrey Dale  © Aubrey Dale

© Aubrey Dale  © Aubrey Dale

Spheroid – © Aubrey Dale (Belfast 1991)(All)

© Robbie Cox

Spheroid – © Robbie Cox (Dublin, 04/05/1997)

January 3rd 2000: Laid up in Birkenhead.

March 2001: Sold to Mykonos Anonymos Naftiki Eteria, Piraeus, Greece and renamed MYCONOS.

Myconos – © Aleksi Lindström (Piraeus, 13/04/2004)

2005: Name changed to MYKONOS.

© Dennis Mortimer

Mykonos – © Dennis Mortimer (Piraeus, 30/03/2009)

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

Mykonos – © Peter J Fitzpatrick (Piraeus Roads, August 2009)

2010: Chartered to Nel Lines.

June 2010: Completion of charter to Nel Lines.

June 2010: Laid up in Drapetsona.

August 8th 2010: Services Piraeus – Syros – Tinos – Mykonos – Paros – Naxos – Ikaria.

May 2013: Laid up in Drapetsona.

December 2013: Sold to Creta Cargo Lines Shipping Co, Piraeus, Greece.

March 2014: Converted and renamed TALOS.

April 4th 2014: Services between Piraeus – Kithira – Rethimnon.

© Peter J Fitzpatrick

Talos – © Peter J Fitzpatrick (Piraeus, 07/06/2017)

 

Talos – © Dimitris Mentakis (Drapetsona, 01/04/2020)

June 2020: Services Piraeus – Chania


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: Robbie Cox, Aubrey Dale, Cees De Bijl, Peter J Fitzpatrick, John Jones, Aleksi Lindström, Capt Jan Melchers, Dimitris Mentakis, Dennis Mortimer, Simonwp, Robert J Smith, James Wire and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Special thanks go to Trevor Kidd

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

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