MV Côte D’Albatre
ex Barreras 1645
© Fernando Montes
Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 2005 by De Hijos De J Barreras De Vigo, Spain (Yard No. 1645), for the Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de L’Activité Transmanche (SMPAT), trading as Transmanche Ferries, Dieppe.
Technical Data
- Length: 142.45m (overall), 125.00m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth of hull: 24.20m
- Depth: 13.55m
- Draught: 5.70m (design)
- Tonnage: 12,000 gross/ 5,569 net/ 2,800 deadweight
- Engines: Two Wartsila 8L46C diesels
- Power: 16800 kW
- Speed: 22.0 knots
- Capacity: 600 passengers, 127 cars, 51 trailers)/227 cars, 31 trailers (@ max number of cars)
- Call Sign: FMHO
- IMO Number: 9320128
- MMSI Number: 228233600
- Registry: Rouen/France 🇫🇷, Dieppe/France 🇫🇷
- Sister Ship: Seven Sisters (1646)
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 1645
© Carlos Moreno Trobat Trobat (both)
July 22nd 2005: Christened and launched.
© Fernando Montes
October 2005: Anticipated delivery to Transmanche Ferries, Dieppe, France for services between Dieppe – Newhaven.
February 27th 2006: Arrived in Dieppe.
© Andy Gilbert (all)
March 5th 2006: Berthing trials in Newhaven.
March 6th 2006: Maiden voyage Dieppe – Newhaven.
Interior
© Nigel Thornton (all)
March 9th 2006: Berthing trials in Portsmouth.
© Andreas Wörteler (02/10/2006 Dieppe)
© The ‘Ferry Man’ (Left) and © Robert Fournier (Right)
March 6th 2008: Visited Dover for berthing trials. Then to ARNO Dunkerque for repairs and refit.
© Nigel Thornton (all)
November 24th 2008: Arrived at Dover ED2 for berthing trials.
November 27th 2008: Arrived in Gdansk for refit.
December 15th 2008: Conducted berthing trials in Boulogne.
© Nicolas Lévy (both)
December 18th 2008: Anticipated return to service Newhaven – Dieppe.
February 12th 2009: Took up service Dover – Boulogne.
© Robert Fournier (both)
July 3rd 2009: Reverted to Newhaven – Dieppe.
August 12th 2009: Conducted berthing trials at Le Havre.
August 13th 2009: To ARNO, Dunkerque.
© Robert Fournier (both)
© Andreas Wörteler
October 19th 2009: Commenced Le Havre – Portsmouth.
January 5th 2011 – January 29th 2011: Operated between Dieppe – Newhaven.
January 2011: Taken out of service for refit in Poland.
May 2nd 2011: Laid up in Le Havre.
May 22nd 2011: Operated between Dieppe – Newhaven.
November 20th 2011: Laid up in Dieppe.
November 27th 2012: Arrived at ARNO, Dunkerque.
December 27th 2012: Arrived in Dieppe and resumed service, Dieppe – Newhaven.
© Andreas Wörteler (Le Havre 10/05/2013)
May 2013: Suffered engine problems and withdrawn for repairs at Le Havre.
June 2013: Resumed service.
© Carsten Dettmer (October 2013)
June 2013: Registered to DFDS Seaways, Rouen, France.
April 1st 2015: Sailed to Dunkerque.
© Julien Carpentier (Damen shipyard, Dunkerque 04/04/2015)
May 14th 2015: Sailed to Dieppe and resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.
March 25th 2016: Arrived in Dunkerque for her annual survey.
April 7th 2016: Left Dunkerque and sailed to Dieppe to resume service.
© Carsten Dettmer (Dieppe 14/05/2016)
© Carsten Dettmer
January 6th 2017: Arrived in Dunkerque for lay-up
© Julien Carpentier
April 30th 2017: Left Dunkerque and sailed to Dieppe.
May 1st 2017: Resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.
January 15th 2018: Came off service at Dieppe and then sailed to Dunkerque (East).
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque, 11/02/18)
April 7th 2018: Left Dunkerque bound for refit in Santander
April 9th 2018: Arrived in Santander
© Prieto (Approaching Astander shipyard, Santander, 09/04/2018)
April 25th 2018: Left Astander shipyard (with livery change, having “www & .com” removed) and sailed to Santander.
© Prieto
April 28th 2018: Left Santander, destination Dieppe.
May 1st 2018: Arrived Dieppe and resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.
January 24th 2019: Came off service at Dieppe and sailed to Calais.
© Julien Carpentier
January 25th 2019: Took part in SAR (Search and Rescue Exercises) at Calais.
January 25th 2019: Sailed to Dunkerque (East) for lay up.
© Julien Carpentier
April 30th 2019: Departed Dunkerque for Newhaven and resumed service Newhaven – Dieppe.
December 14th 2019: “Collided with the pier at Newhaven Harbour. She is said to have struck East Pier and East Quay while exiting Newhaven Harbour in strong winds at around 10:30 am. The ship suffered some damage and returned to her berth. Cote D’Albatre was checked over and weathered the storm until 2:30 p.m. when she set off for France having had a 4,5-hour delay.
According to a spokesperson for the Newhaven Port Authority, strong winds caused the ferry to touch the east pier and “a little bit of damage was done.”
© Martin Sinnock
April 22nd 2020: Came off service at Dieppe and sailed to Dunkerque.
April 22nd 2020: Arrived Dunkerque East for lay-up.
July 10th 2020: Sailed from Dunkerque East to Dieppe and resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 10/07/2020)
October 16th 2020: Came off service and sailed to Odense for refit and fitting of “exhaust scrubber”.
December 11th 2020: Sailed from Odense showing destination as Dunkerque East.
December 13th 2020: Arrived in Dunkerque East.
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 15/12/2020)
September 2021: Remains in service Dippe – Newhaven.
February 6th 2022: Came off service at Newhaven and sailed to Dunkerque East.
February 7th 2022: Arrived Dunkerque East and laid-up.
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 15/12/2020)
March 31st 2022: Left dry-dock.
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque East, 31/03/2022)
April 29th 2022: Left Dunkerque.
May 12st 2022: Arrived Newhaven.
May 1st 2022: Resumed Newhaven – Dieppe.
© Darren Holdaway (Newhaven, 30/07/2022)
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!”
February 10th 2023: Came off service at Dieppe and sailed to Dunkerque East for winter lay up.
© Cedric Hacke (Dunkerque, 14/02/2023)(shifting berths for MES deployment)
March 24th 2023: Left Dunkerque and sailed to Odense.
March 26th 2023: Arrived Odense for refit.
© Peter Therkildsen (Fayard Shipyard)
April 14th 2023: Left Odense (Showing destination as Dieppe, eta 16/04/2023)
© Peter Therkildsen (Odense, 14/04/2023)
April 16th 2023: Arrived Dieppe.
April 30th 2023: Resumed service Dieppe – Newhaven.
February 20th 2024: Came off service at Dieppe and moved within the port to lay up.
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 thank: Julien Carpentier, Carsten Dettmer, The ‘Ferry-Man’, Robert Fournier, Andy Gilbert, Cedric Hacke, Darren Holdaway, Nicolas Lévy, Fernando Montes, Prieto, Martin Sinnock, Peter Therkildsen, Carlos Moreno Trobat and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
I did a Dover-Dieppe round-trip on her when Boulougne was closed due to strike action. I was an Immigration Officer and we cleared the traffic on the way back. Easiest and best shift ever!