MV Shelf Explorer

Ex Transocean Shelf Explorer, Shelf Explorer, Shearwater Bay, Zwartkops, Lohengrin

© Hans-Wilhelm Delfs

Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1964 by Fr Lürssen Werft, Bremen-Vegesack, West Germany (Yard No 13328) as General Cargo/RoRo.

Technical Data

• Length: 83.19 m (overall) 75.04 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 12.91 m
• Depth: 7.29 m
• Draught: 3.61/5.398 m
• Tonnage: 810 – 1725 –  1197 – 2017 gross/379 – 1213 – 1485 – 16507 net/1073 – 1888 – 2480 – 912t deadweight
• Engines: 1 x 8-cyl, Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz diesel.
• Power: 1417 kW/1900 bHP
• Speed: 13.5 knots
• Capacity: Grain 169.112 cubft – Bale 154.970 cubft/300 cars/No passenger certificate. Fitted with bow and stern dors
• Call Sign: DDUW, ZSJN, V3OZ3
• IMO Number: 6409430
• Official Number: 351101//11932055
• Port of Registry: Bremen/Germany 🇩🇪, Durban/South Africa 🇿🇦, Cape Town/ South Africa 🇿🇦, Belize/Belize 🇧🇿,  Honduras 🇭🇳

History

March 1964: Delivered as LOHENGRIN to Wallenius Bremen, GmbH, Bremen, West Germany.

January 19th 1965: Caledonian Steam Packet Co (Irish Services) Ltd announced her charter.

June 7th 1965 – September 26th 1965: One daily round-trip service Larne – Stranraer to supplement CALEDONIAN PRINCESS. She carried only vehicles, having no passenger certificate and required up to 3 hours for a single crossing.

© Fortepan_Andothers (Left) 

© Fotoflite (01/06/1965_

February 1966: Services taken over by STENA NORDICA (I).

October 1969: Sold to Thesen’s Steamship Co Ltd, Durban, South Africa and renamed ZWARTKOPS .

1970: Inaugurated South Africa’s first car ferry service.

1979: Sold to Marine Diamond Co, Cape Town, South Africa. Rebuilt as a diamond dredger. Renamed SHEARWATER BAY .

1981:  Sold to CDM Pty Ltd, Cape Town, South Africa. Manager: De Beers Marine (Pty) Ltd

1994: Sold to Caraway Ltd, Belize City, Belize and renamed SHELF EXPLORER .

1985: Converted to a suction dredger in 1985.

1998: Renamed TRANSOCEAN SHELF EXPLORER .

1999: Sold to Shelf Explorer Ltd, San Lorenzo, Honduras and renamed SHELF EXPLORER .

April 11th 2002: Wrecked at position 27.30S/ 15.24E.

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: Fortepan_Andothers, Fotoflite and Hans-Wilhelm Delfs for their assistance in producing this feature.

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