FerriesPast and PresentRegie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT)SealinkTownsend Thoresen

GTS (20) Prinses Stephanie – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7932070

GTS Seven Island Yume

ex Seajet Kristen, Adler Wizard, Prinses Stephanie

© Mike Sartin

© Mike Sartin

Aluminium 929-115 series Jetfoil high speed passenger ferry built in 1981 by Boeing Jetfoil Industries, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. (Yard No 20) for Regie voor Maritiem Transport, Ostend, Belgium.

Technical Data

  • Length: 27.40m (overall)
  • Breadth: 9.50m (across foils)
  • Draught: 4.30m
  • Tonnage:329 gross/50 deadweight
  • Engines: Two Allison 501 K20 gas turbines
  • Power: 5,590 kW
  • Speed: 43 knots (service), 50 knots (maximum)
  • Capacity: 250-300 passengers
  • Call Sign: JG5665
  • IMO Number: 7932070
  • Registry: Oostende/Belgium 🇧🇪, Germany 🇩🇪, Bahamas 🇧🇸, Japan 🇯🇵
  • Sisters: GTS 929 – 115’s 11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/21/22/23/24/25/26

History

“The 929 series Jetfoil high speed passenger ferry was initially designed and constructed by the Marine Division of the Boeing Company of Seattle, Washington. Latterly, the licence to develop and build the type passed to Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan. The craft is a direct descendant of a research and development programme carried out by the United States Navy during the 1960’s.”

Roy Thornton Collection Roy Thornton Collection Roy Thornton Collection Roy Thornton Collection

Roy Thornton Collection (all)

1981: Delivered to Regie voor Maritiem Transport, Ostend, Belgium.

© Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin

© Mike Sartin (all)

July 27th 1981: Commenced service between Ostend – Dover.

October 25th 1985: Regie voor Maritiem Transport entered into negotiations with Townsend Thoresen and an agreement was concluded.

© Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin

© Mike Sartin (all)

© Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood  

© Ken Larwood (both)

1987/1988: A completely new livery, reflecting that carried by the P&O European Ferries fleet.

© Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin

© Mike Sartin (all)

1990/1991: Fourth new livery in seven years under the official trading name, The Dover – Ostend Line.

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

1993 (end): Announced that the Belgian company did not intend to renew its marketing agreement with P&O European Ferries, instead concluded a deal with Sally Line. With effect from the following January RMT became known simply as Oostende Lines, transferring all its Ostend services, including Jetfoil operations from Dover to Sally’s base at the Port of Ramsgate.

April 12th 1994: Commenced service between Ostend – Ramsgate.

© Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin © Mike Sartin

© Mike Sartin (all)

February 28th 1997: Final day in service between Ostend – Ramsgate, the laid-up in Ostend.

© Robert J Smith

© Robert J Smith

July 10th 1998: Sold to Adler Blizzard GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg, Hamburg. Renamed ADLER WIZARD.

© Bram Provost

🆕© Bram Provost

June 12th 1999: Loaded onto THOR SIMBA for transporting to Florida.

Simplon Postcard

Simplon Postcard

© Christian Eckardt

© Christan Eckardt

July 1999: Renamed SEAJET KRISTEN. Suffered mechanical problems prior to entering service.

November 1999: Commenced service between West Palm Beach – Freeport.

October 2001: Sold to Tokai Kisen, Tokyo, Japan.

April 1st 2002: Commenced service between Tokyo – Oshima – Toshima – Shikinejima – Kozushima.

October 17th 2002: Renamed SEVEN ISLAND YUME.

Roy Thornton Collection Roy Thornton Collection  

Roy Thornton Collection

© Raisuke Numata © Raisuke Numata  

© Raisuke Numata

September 16th 2014: Out of service, laid up at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyard

©  Marc Pingoud

🆕©  Marc Pingoud (Shipspotting) (Kobe, 24/10/2018)

© Google Earth

© Google Earth

We would like to thank: Christian Eckardt, Raisuke Numata, Bram Provost, Mike Sartin, Robert J Smith and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature. All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. A special thanks goes to the World Ship Society (East Kent Branch).

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

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