FerriesPast and PresentRegie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT)Sealink

MV Reine Astrid (I)(Dover Jetfoil Terminal) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 5292452

MV Reine Astrid (I)

© Bob Scott

© Bob Scott

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built and engined by Cockerill’s of Hoboken (Yard no 785) in 1956 for the Belgian Marine Administration’s Ostend-Dover passenger service.

Technical Data

  • Length on Deck: 114m (374 ft)(overall) 108.56m (356.2 ft) (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth of Hull: 15.9m (49.10 ft)(extreme) 14.23m (46.7 ft) (moulded)
  • Depth: 7.3m (24.11 ft) (moulded)
  • Draught: 4.45m (13 ft)(maximum)
  • Tonnage: 3,388 gross/1,513 net/408 deadweight
  • Engines: Two 12-cylinder Cockerill/Sulzer two-stroke single acting diesels.
  • Power: 11190kW
  • Speed: 22 knots
  • Capacity: 1700 passengers, 30 cars (in holds)
  • Call Sign: ORAE
  • Registry: Ostend/Belgium 🇧🇪
  • ID/IMO Number: 5292452
  • Sister Ships: Koningin Elizabeth (779), Roi Leopold III (777)

History

““The third of a trio of mailboats built for the 1958 World Fair in Brussels. Their design was based on KONING ALBERT but their Lascroux-funnels (all uptakes are combined into one rising to the top of the funnel and large air-intakes at the front lift fumes upwards to avoid fumes and soot descending down on the decks), gave the ships a more modern and lean appearance”

November 25th 1957: Launched. The first Ostend ship to be fitted with fin stabilizers.

Roy Thornton Collection Courtesy of Chris Howell

Roy Thornton Collection (Left) Courtesy of Chris Howell (Right)

May 1958: Delivered to Belgian Marine Administration, Oostende, Belgium.

Roy Thornton Collection  © A G Jones 

Roy Thornton Collection (Left) © A G Jones (Right)

May 1958: Commenced service between Ostend – Dover.

© A G Jones  © A G Jones © A G Jones © A G Jones 

© A G Jones

1968: English port became Folkestone.

November 1970: Belgian Marine joined the Sealink consortium. Trading as Sealink

© Ken Larwood  © Ken Larwood 

© Ken Larwood (both)

November 1st 1971: Belgian Marine became the Belgian Maritime Transport Authority – Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT).

1973: Belgian Sealink livery

© Roland Vandenbussche

© Roland Vandenbussche

© A G Jones  © Tony Garner 

© A G Jones (Left) © Tony Garner (Right)

Roy Thornton Collection  © Derek Longly

Roy Thornton Collection (Left) © Derek Longly (Right)

1976 (Winter): During refit her upper passenger deck was enclosed to increase her passenger capacity for her busy summer schedule.

Ri Innse Gall 

© Kenneth Whyte (Left) Roy Thornton Collection (Right)

© Brian Fisher© Pieter Inpyn  

© Brian Fisher (Left) © Pieter Inpyn (Right)

© Robert Bertel  © Robert Bertel  

© Robert Bertel

  © Kevin Hoggett

© Urbain Ureel (Left) © Kevin Hoggett (Right)

1978: Reduced to summer service only until she was laid up.

May 1979: Known to have called at Southend, UK on a “Day Cruise”

Courtesy of Michael Woodland

Courtesy of Michael Woodland

1981: Laid up in Ostend.

Courtesy of Michael Woodland Courtesy of Michael Woodland

Courtesy of Michael Woodland

1983: Rebuilt at Kon, Maats, De Schelde, Vlissingen, Holland to a floating passenger terminal. Her engines/propellers/rudder and most interior fittings were removed and replaced in order she could continue as a “barge”.

Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection

May 30th 1983: Towed to Dover.

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection (all)

© Ken Larwood  © Ken Larwood 

© Ken Larwood

June 6th 1983: Transferred to “special lagoon” created at the old Number 1 berth,  Dover Western Docks replacing a “temporary” terminal which had been place since 1981.

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

“Old” Temporary “Floating Terminal” – Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection (all)

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

Roy Thornton Collection  Roy Thornton Collection 

© Ken Larwood

Roy Thornton Collection except © Ken Larwood (bottom Left)

© KenLarwood  © KenLarwood 

© KenLarwood  © Ken Larwood 

© KenLarwood

© Ken Larwood (All)

© Mike Sartin  © Mike Sartin 

© Mike Sartin (both)

March 1994: Laid up as a jetfoil terminal in Ramsgate.

© Mike Sartin 

© Mike Sartin (Left) © Ted Ingham (Right)

© Philippe Holtof © Philippe Holtof

© Philippe Holtof (both)

April 1st 1997: Sold to Tracomax Shipping S.L., La Coruna, Spain for breaking.

April 6th 1997: Towed from Ramsgate to La Coruna, Spain by tug TOWING WTCH (IMO 6501795).

© Simonwp © Fotoflite Ref 210590 © Fotoflite  Ref 210595 © Fotoflite Ref 210591

🆕 © Fotoflite (all) (17/04/1997) 🆕© Simonwp (Middlesbrough 01/04/1997) (Where noted)
Reine Astrid

Towing Witch


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Jim Ashby, Robert Bertel, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite , Tony Garner, Kevin Hoggett, Philippe Holtof, Chris Howell, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpijn, A G Jones, Ken Larwood, Derek Longly, Mike Sartin, Bob Scott, Urbain Ureel, Roland Vandenbussche, Kenneth Whyte and Michael Woodland for their assistance in compiling this feature.

Special thanks go to the World Ship Society (East Kent Branch)

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

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