HSC High Speed Jet

ex Cosmos Jet, Sea Runner, Speedrunner 1, Emeraude GB, Hoverspeed Great Britain, Christopher Columbus

Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd)

Aluminium catamaran built in 1990 by Incat (International Catamarans) Australia Pty. Ltd., Hobart, Australia (Yard No. 025) for Hoverspeed Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas as a car and passenger ferry. Launched January 28th 1990

Technical Data

• Length: 74.00m
• Breadth: 26.00m
• Draught: 2.40m
• Tonnage: 3,003 gross, 201 deadweight
• Engines: Four 16-cyl, Ruston 16RK270 diesels.
• Power: 14,592 kW.
• Speed: 35 knots
• Capacity: 450 passengers, 80 cars
• Call Sign: C6IW4 (1990 – 2004), MWJT7 (current 2007)
• IMO Number: 8900000
• Registry: Greece
• Sister Vessels: Patricia Olivia, Hoverspeed Boulogne, Seacat Tasmania, Hoverspeed France, Seacat Scotland, Stena Sea Lynx, Condor 10, Juan L

History

January 28th 1990: Launched and named CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. The name was subsequently changed to HOVERSPEED GREAT BRITAIN prior to delivery.

Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd)

April 1990: First sea-trials on the Derwent river, Tasmania.

Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd)

May 1990: Delivered to Hoverspeed, Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas.

May 1990: Left builders yard Punta Arenas – Rio De Janeiro – Nassau bound for New York.

© Chris Howell (Bluff NZ, 10/5/1990. She arrived 0330 from Hobart and departed 1330 for the UK).

June 11th 1990: Arrived in New York.

Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd)

June 19th 1990: Left New York bound for Falmouth. Entered the Hales Trophy challenge and broke SS UNITED STATES 38 year old record. The craft established the record of three days, seven hours and 52 minutes averaging 36.65 knots and in so doing won the “Blue Riband” and the trophy.

June 23rd 1990: Arrived at Falmouth.

August 14th 1990: Maiden voyage from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, but plagued by technical problems during her first season.

© Fotoflite, Ray Goodfellow Collection

November 1990: Publicity sailing to Isle Of Man.

November 6th 1990: Crossed to Heysham.

November 20th 1990: To Dover where she made crossings to Boulogne and Calais before sailing to the Pool of London for the presentation of the Hales Trophy.

Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd), left and © Andreas Wörteler, right

January 8th 1991: A final crossing between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. Then to Cherbourg for extensive refit.

June 2nd 1991: Projected re-entry in to service.

July 20th 1991: Entered service Dover – Calais/Boulogne.

© Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection

© Ken Larwood

© Andreas Wörteler (Boulogne 28/06/1992)

December 1992 – March 1993: Charted out to Ferrylineas Argentinas S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina. Commence service between Buenos Aires – Colonia, at he same time transferred to the Argentinian flag.

Hoverspeed Great Britain on the river Thames. Justin Merrigan (Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd)

1993: Commenced service between Stranraer – Belfast.

© Aubrey Dale

November 1993: Introduced between Dover – Calais/ Boulogne.

© Andreas Wörteler

March 1994 – December 24th 1994: Service between Folkestone – Boulogne.

© Stéphane Poulain (left) and © Fotoflite, Stéphane Poulain Collection (right)

January 1st 1995: Commenced service between Dover – Calais.

© Ray Goodfellow

March 31st 1995: Commenced service between Folkestone – Boulogne.

© Stéphane Poulain

© Andreas Wörteler

November 1st 1996 – February 7th 1997: Operated between Dover – Boulogne.

© Stéphane Poulain

1997: Home port Folkestone.

October 10th 1997: Chartered out for a single trip between Folkestone – Le Havre.

© Stéphane Poulain

© Pieter Inpyn (01/09/1999 @ Calais)

March 29th 2001: Commenced service between Belfast – Heysham.

2002: Operated between Dover – Calais.

© Ray Goodfellow

© Pieter Inpyn (Calais 01/09/2002)

© Andreas Wörteler (Calais 09/02/2003)

June 2003: Laid up at A&P Birkenhead, England.

April 2004: Chartered to Emeraude Jersey Ferries.

© Stéphane Poulain

April 12th 2004: Arrived in St Malo.

April 2004: Installed between St Malo – Guernsey/ Jersey.

© Manuel Dhondt

August 2004: Renamed EMERAUDE GREAT BRITAIN.

February 2005: Charter concluded.

February 16th 2005: Left St Malo for Gibraltar

February 2005: Later left for the Mediterranean.

February 2005: Chartered to Aegean SpeedLines, Greece.

2005: Overhaul at Viktor Lenac yard, Croatia.

© Andreas Wörteler

April 22nd 2005: Renamed SPEEDRUNNER I, (but still registered at Folkestone).

© Aleksi Lindstrom

2005: Commenced service between Piraeus – Serifos – Sifnos – Milos (later to Paros).

26th March 2008: Sold to Alpha Ferries, Greece.

© Efoplistis, courtesy Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd

April 2008: Renamed SEA RUNNER

2008: Commenced service between Santorini – Crete.

2010: Arrested.

July 2011: Registered to Speed Maritime Inc, Piraeus, Greece. Manager: Seajets – Athens, Greece. Renamed COSMOS JET.

July 28th 2011: Left Piraeus for Rethymnon.

July 30th 2011: Commenced service between Heraklion – Agios Nikolaos – Santorini.

September 8th 2011: Laid up in Heraklion with engine problems.

September 23rd 2011: Towed to Keratsini for further lay up.

June 2012: Registered Owner: Kalan Shipping Limited, according to RINA out of class and laid up in Greece.

January 2014: Last known to be at Chalkis Shipyards, Evia Island, Greece.

© Dennis Mortimer

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors and omissions. All items included in this article are subject to ©. We would like to thank: Aubrey Dale, Manuel Dhondt, Efoplistis, Chris Howell, Pieter Inpyn, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindstrom, Justin Merrigan, Dennis Mortimer, Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd, Stéphane Poulain and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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