DFDSFerriesLD LinesPast and PresentTransmanche Ferries

MV Seven Sisters – Past and Present

IMO Number: 9320130

MV Seven Sisters

Ex Barreras 1646, Barreras

 © Fernandos Montes

© Fernandos Montes (Vigo, 21/07/2006)

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 2006 by De Hijos De J, Barreras De Vigo, Spain (Yard No. 1646), for Transmanche Ferries, Dieppe

Technical Data

  • Length: 142.63m (overall), 125.00m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth of hull: 24.20m
  • Depth: 13.65m
  • Draught: 5.89m (design)
  • Tonnage: 12,000 gross, 18,564 (69)/ 5,569 net/ 2,900 deadweight
  • Engines: Two Wartsila 8L46C diesels
  • Power: 18900 kW
  • Speed: 22.0 knots
  • Capacity: 600 passengers, 127 cars, 51 trailers)/227 cars, 31 trailers (@ max number of cars)
  • Call Sign: FMJR
  • IMO Number: 9320130
  • MMSI Number: 228244700
  • Registry: Dieppe/France
  • Sister Ship: Cote D’Albatre (1645)


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

May 10th 2004: Recorded as BARRERAS. 

September 6th 2004: Recorded as BARRERAS 1646.

March 31st 2006: Launched.

© Fernandos Montes  © Fernandos Montes  

© Fernandos Montes Vigo, 19/09/2006)

October 2006: Delivered to LD Transmanche Ferries, Dieppe, France.

October 21st 2006: Arrived in Dieppe.

November 2nd 2006: Inaugural service between Dieppe – Newhaven.

November 25th – 26th 2006: Owing to bad weather used Portsmouth instead of Newhaven.

October 3rd 2007: Arrived Remontowa, Gdansk, Poland for refit.

October 15th 2007: Resumed service.

© Frank Lose   

 © Frank Lose (Left)  © “The Ferryman” (Newhaven, 08/05/2007)(Right)

October 2007: Ship Manager; LD Lines.

October 26th – October 28th 2007: Off service owing to “mechanical problems”

February 3rd 2008: Made contact with fendering in the vicinity of West Pier, Newhaven, resulting in damage to the vessel and the fendering.

© Robert Fournier  Dunkerque, 08/02/2008)

February 2008: She was holed below the waterline which resulted in her removal from service for almost two weeks to effect permanent repairs at ARNO, Dunkerque.

© Andy Gilbert  © Andy Gilbert  

© Andy Gilbert (both)

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Newhaven, 01/07/2008)

September 8th 2008: Arrived at Sobrena, Brest. Amongst work carried out was the dismantling and overhaul of two 20-metre engine shafts, weighing 18 tons.

October 5th 2008: Resumed service.

October 8th 2008: Conducted major marine exercise en-route Dieppe – Newhaven.

October 2008: Registered Owner; Lico Leasing SA EFC. Ship Manager; LD Transmanche Ferries.

July 3rd 2009: To ARNO, Dunkerque reported engine problems.

© Robert Fournier (Dunkerque, 13/07/2009)

© Andreas Wörteler  © Andreas Wörteler  

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler (Dunkerque, 11/07/2009)(all)

August 10th 2009: Left ARNO bound for Dieppe.

August 11th 2009: Resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.

August 12th 2009: Returned to service.

May 22nd 2011: Off service in Dieppe with engine problems

June 2011: Back in Service Dieppe – Newhaven.

© Marco Stampehl

© Marco Stampehl (Dieppe, 08/04/2007)

December 23rd 2012: To ARNO, Dunkerque, then to Dieppe for lay up.

May 2013: Replaced COTE D’ALBATRE (suffering engine problems).

June 2013: Laid up in Dieppe

January 21st 2014: Left Dieppe.

January 23rd 2014: Arrived at ARNO, Dunkerque.

February 16th 2014: Sailed from Dunkerque to Le Havre.

March 10th 2014: Entered service for DFDS Seaways between Portsmouth and Le Havre replacing the Norman Voyager.

© The Ferryman  © The Ferryman  

© The Ferryman (Outbound from Le Havre)

October 6th 2015: Sailed from Dieppe to Dunkerque.

    

© Julien Carpentier (Left) and © Robert Fournier (Dunkerque, 07/11/2015)(Right)

February 28th 2016: Left Dunkerque and sailed to Gdansk for refit.

March 16th 2016: Left Gdansk and sailed to Gdansk Anchorage.

March 16th 2016: Left Gdansk Anchorage and sailed to Helsingborg.

March 17th 2016: Left Helsingborg showing destination Dunkerque.

March 19th 2016 (08.18 hrs LT): Arrived in Dunkerque.

© Martin Appleyard  © Martin Appleyard  

© Martin Appleyard

March 24th 2016 (22.10 hrs LT): Left Dunkerque.

March 25th 2016 (06.24 hrs LT): Arrived in Dieppe and continued Dieppe – Newhaven.

© Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer (Dieppe, 15/05/2016)

October 1st 2016: To Dunkerque for Winter lay-up.

© Robert Fournier

    

© Julian Carpentier

January 6th 2017: Left Dunkerque to resume service between Dieppe and Newhaven.

October 1st 2017: Sailed from Newhaven to Dunkerque.

© Julian Carpentier (Dunkerque 17/12/2017)

January 15th 2018: Left Dunkerque bound for Dieppe. Then resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.

October 1st 2018: Stood down from service at sailed for Calais.

October 2nd 2018: After having been at Dunkerque Anchorage arrived in Calais (believed to have berthing trials)

October 2nd 2018: Sailed to Dunkerque East for winter lay up.

    

    

© Julian Carpentier (Calais 02/10/2018)

October 2nd 2018: Arrived Dunkerque East.

 

    

© Julian Carpentier (17/10/2018)

October 22nd 2018: Dry-docked at Damen, Dunkerque.

© Julien Carpentier  © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier

November 14th 2018: Seen with livery change, having “www & .com” removed.

© Julien Carpentier

January 24th 2019: Left lay up and sailed to Dieppe.

January 24th 2019: Arrived Dieppe then resumed services Dieppe – Newhaven.

October 1st 2019: Arrived at Newhaven and came off service. She then sailed for Dunkerque.

October 1st 2019: Arrived Dunkerque East.

January 28th 2020; Sailed from Dunkerque, destination Odense (Denmark) for installation of exhaust scrubbers.

March 23rd 2020: Left Lindoe (Denmark) destination showing as Dunkerque.

March 29th 2020: Arrived in Dunkerque East.

April 21st 2020: Sailed to Dieppe to resume service Dieppe – Newhaven.

September 9th 2020: Came off service and sailed to Dunkerque East.

September 9th 2020: Arrived Dunkerque East.

 

   

© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque, 02/09/2020)

October 16th 2020: Dunkirk to Dieppe and resume Dieppe – Newhaven.

October 2021: Still in service Dieppe – Newhaven.

October 10th 2021: Came off service at Dieppe and sailed to Dunkerque East.

October 11th 2021: Arrived in Dunkerque East for lay-up.

© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 11/10/2021)

January 14th 2022: Left Dunkerque East and sailed to Dunkerque West.

January 14th 2022: Sailed as relief vessel (VISBY refit) Dunkerque – Rosslare service.

January 15th 2022: Inaugural arrival Rosslare, then continued service.

© The Coffee Dock © The Coffee Dock

© “The Coffee Dock” (Rosslare, 15/01/2022)

© Brian Boyce

© Brian Boyce (Rosslare, 22/01/2022)

February 2nd 2022: Arrived in Dunkerque West and came off service.

February 3rd 2022: Sailed to Dunkerque East and resumed lay-up.

February 5th 2022: Left Dunkerque East for Dieppe.

© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 05/02/2022)

February 5th 2022: Arrived in Dieppe.

February 6th 2022: Took up service Dieppe – Newhaven.

© Darren Holdaway © Darren Holdaway

© Darren Holdaway (Dieppe, 30/07/2022)

October 1st 2022: Came off service at Dieppe.

October 2nd 2022: Arrived Dunkerque East for winter lay-up.

© Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier (03/10/2022)

October 14th 2022: Announcement made that “The next five year Joint Syndicate for the Promotion of Cross-Channel Activity (SMPAT) choice will be made 17/10/2022”.

October 17th 2022: 

“The cross-Channel line between Dieppe and Newhaven remains in the hands of the operator DFDS Seaways”

“The Department of Seine-Maritime has confirmed the company DFDS Seaways, the current operator of the Dieppe Newhaven cross-Channel line, in its functions until 2027.

The two ferries Côte d’Albâtre and Seven Sisters will continue to operate between Dieppe and Newhaven under the responsibility of the current operator DFDS Seaways.The Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de l’Activité Transmanche, which brings together the Seine-Maritime Department, the Rouen-Métropole CCI and the Dieppe-Maritime urban community, took over the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry line in 2001 following the disengagement of the operators private. Since then, the SMPAT had entrusted the public service delegation to DFDS Seaways until December 2022. And has therefore just renewed its confidence in it until 2027.

The two ferries operated under the “Transmanche Ferries” brand and which belong to SMPAT, provide daily connections between Dieppe and Newhaven, near Brighton, the famous English seaside resort. The two very beautiful ships have a capacity of 600 passengers each, and have cabins, relaxation lounges and panoramic bars to make the trip more pleasant.  

Connected to the British bus and train networks to reach the south of the country or the capital of London, the port of Newhaven offers a good entry into English territory. The Department of Seine-Maritime is keeping its sights set on England!”

News Link

February 10th 2023: Left lay up at Dunkerque and sailed to Dieppe Resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.

September 30th 2023: Came off service at Newhaven and sailed to Lindoe (Denmark) (eta 03/10/2023) for refit.

October 21st 2023: Left Lindoe for Dieppe.

October 23rd 2023: Arrived Dieppe for refurbishment.


                                                             

© DFDS

February 1st 2024: Refurbishment completed and took up service Dieppe – Newhaven.


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: Martin Appleyard, Brian Boyce, Carsten Dettmer, Julien Carpentier, “The Coffee Dock“, The Ferryman, Robert Fournier, Andy Gilbert, Darren Holdaway, Frank Lose, Fernandos Montes, Simonwp, Marco Stampehl and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

 

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