Dart LineEurolink FerriesFerriesPast and Present

MV Euromantique (Ex Union Hobart) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7431090

MV Taxiarchis

Ex Euromantique, Agia Methodia, Seaway I, Seaway Hobart, Union Hobart

Postcard

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1976 by Framnæs Mekaniske Verksted, Sandefjord, Norway (Yard No 186) as RoRo Cargo/Container Ship.

Technical Data

  • Length: 135.79 m (overall) 120.00 m (between perpendiculars)
    Breadth: 26.73 m
    Depth: 14.71 m
    Draught: 7.176 m
    Tonnage:  4376 – 10749 gross/1748 – 3237 net/7299t – 4333t deadweight
    Engines: 2 Vee Oil 4SA 12-cylinder Pielstick/Lindholmen diesels
    Power: 8827 kW/12000 BHP
    Speed: 18.5 knots (max)
    Capacity: 12 – 550/800 passengers/300 cars
    Call Sign: GVIH, VKSH, SWYM
    IMO Number: 7431090
    Official Number: 36624/10644
    Port of Registry: London/UK 🇬🇧, Sydney/Australia 🇦🇺, Melbourne/Australia 🇦🇺, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷
    Sister-Ship: Fichtelberg (222), Melbourne Trader (183), Tor Belgia (179), Tor Caledonia (189), Tor Dania (181), Tor Finlandia (182), Tor Gothia (178), Tor Nerlandia (180), Union Lyttelton (187)

History

February 12th 1976: Launched.

1976: Delivered to Union Whitminster Co. Ltd., London, England.

© Keith Wood (Courtesy of Chris Howell) © Keith Wood 

© Keith Wood (Courtesy of Chris Howell)

1976: Commenced services for Union Shipping Australia Pty. Ltd. Between Sydney – Australia – New Zealand.

1984: Renamed SEAWAY HOBART for Union S.A/ Coastal Express Lines services between Melbourne – Hobart.

Dover Ferry Photos Archives

Dover Ferry Photos Archives

January 17th 1993: Final day in service between Melbourne – Hobart.

1993: Sold to AK Ventouris Group, Piraeus, Greece and renamed SEAWAY I for the journey to Europe.

1993: Arrived Perama Yard in Greece for re-building.

1994: Renamed AGIA METHODIA for services between Patras – Brindisi.

April 1995: Chartered to Eurolink Ferry Service.

April 1995: Registered to Icemare Shipping Co. SA, Nassau, Bahamas.

© Leo Johannes © Leo Johannes

© Leo Johannes (Medway, 03/04/1995)

© Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood (Medway, May 1995)

April 12th 1995: Services between Sheerness – Vlissingen.

June 19th 1995: Renamed EUROMANTIQUE.

© Gerolf Drebes

© Gerolf Drebes (Flushing, 05/07/1995)

© Pieter Inpyn © Pieter Inpyn © Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn (Flushing, 01/04/1996)

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (01/06/1996)

December 1st 1996: Services terminated owing to the parent company, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, making heavy financial losses.

December 1996: Chartered to Dart Line for services between Dartford – Vlissingen.

June 1997: Chartered to ISNASA , Spain for services between Algeciras – Tangier.

May 1998: ISNASA went bankrupt and she was laid up in Algeciras, being moved later to Piraeus for further lay-up.

January 1999: Sold to Maritime Company of Lesvos S.A. Mytilene, Greece.

June 1999: Renamed TAXIARCHIS. Operated services for NEL Lines between Levos – Piraeus.

© Aleksi Lindström

© Aleksi Lindström © Aleksi Lindström 

© Aleksi Lindström (Perama, 15/04/2004)

© Carsten Dettmer © Carsten Dettmer 

© Carsten Dettmer (01/07/2005)

January 2006: Collided in Lemnos, causing propeller damage.

May 2007: Chartered to El Salam, Egypt.

May 18th 2007: Left Piraeus for Safaga (Egypt).

2007: Red Sea services.

October 2007: Returned to Greece.

November 1st 2007: Services between Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene.

October 15th 2008: Laid up in Drapetsona.

© Aleksi Lindström © Aleksi Lindström

© Aleksi Lindström (Piraeus, 27-29/05/2008)

February 17th 2009: Left Drapetsona for Lavrion.

February 19th 2009: Services between Lavrion – Agios Eftratios – Lemnos – Kavala.

© Dennis Mortimer © Dennis Mortimer 

© Dennis Mortimer (Perama, 16/06/2014)

April 15th 2015: Taken over by her unpaid crew in Lavrion.

July 31st 2018: Arrived in Paloukia (Greece)

© Fabian Vornholt

© Fabian Vornholt (Perama, 15/05/2019)

2023: Sold to Aliaga breakers.

September 23rd 2023: Towed by tug PROTUG 42 to Aliaga.

September 25th 2023: Beached at Aliaga.


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: Carsten Dettmer, Gerolf Drebes, Pieter Inpyn, Leo Johannes, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindström, Dennis Mortimer, Simonwp, Fabian Vornholt and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

2 Comments

  1. I sailed as Chief Officer from Oct. 1990 to Dec. 1991 when she was “Seaway Hobart”. I keep a record of all the ships and their fates that I sailed on. I am amazed at her longevity, the extensive additions to her structure and the different areas in which she sailed. She was a hard worked ship when I was on her.

    1. I worked with USSCo when she was delivered as Union Hobart and her sister Union Lyttelton which followed. They were nice ships

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