MV Arabi
Ex Slieve Donard (II)
© British Railways Board
Steel single-screw motor vessel built in 1959 at Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. Troon (Yard No 506) for British Transport Commission, (London Midland Region) as a cargo and cattle-carrying vessel.
Technical Data
- Length: 94.57 m (overall) 89.01 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 14.41m
- Depth: 7.65 m
- Draught: 3.976 m
- Tonnage: 1569 gross/567 net/997t deadweight
- Engines: Two x oil, 2 SA, 8-cylinder single-acting diesels (British Polar Engines, Glasgow)
- Power: kW/3000bHP
- Speed: 13.5 knots
- Capacity: 60 cars (service) 151 (max) through side and stern doors, (no passenger certificate) or 30 x 20’ containers or 668 head of cattle or an equivalent mix of both
- Call Sign: GFHF, HZCP
- IMO Number: 5332044
- Official Number: 301045/SA 1358
- Port of Registry: London/UK 🇬🇧, Jeddah/Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
History
October 1st 1959: Launched.
Courtesy of Jim Ashby
January 1960: Completed and built especially for the Holyhead-Dublin general cargo and cattle service. She differed from her predecessors in being propelled by diesel engines, being single screw and in being provided with a stern door to allow the vehicles to be driven on to the main deck. However, this facility was not used owing to labour disputes at Dublin.
Courtesy of Jim Ashby
After only two summers on the Stranraer – Larne route the CALEDONIAN PRINCESS found it impossible to cope with the traffic she had generated, and relief was sought.
1960 (Spring): Relieved GREAT WESTERN (III) Fishguard – Waterford,
March 1964: Caledonian Steam Packet (Irish Sea) announced that the cargo ship SLIEVE DONARD was to be chartered from British Railways Board.
Roy Thornton Collection (Left) Courtesy of Robbie Cox (Right)
July 6th 1964 – August 24th 1964: Commenced a daily round trip between Stranraer and Larne.
The weekend following her withdrawal from Stranraer, CALEDONIAN PRINCESS was required to do an additional sailing.
August 29th 1964: Waterford – Holyhead. Broke new ground when she loaded 52 containers of fresh meat and cheese at Waterford for Holyhead. This was the first Waterford – Holyhead sailing for many years.
Since other ships were employed to supplement the Larne sailings she reverted to the route for which she was intended, this time taking containers, etc., traffic.
July 6th 1966 – August 26th 1966: Fishguard – Rosslare with ‘passengers’ cars.
Roy Thornton Collection (Left) Courtesy of Robbie Cox (Right)
July 1sr 1976: She was sold for £200,000 to Nashar Saudi Lines of Jedah and was towed from Holyhead to Birkenhead. A further £300,000 was spent on refitting the vessel, which was, renamed ARABI for service transporting up to 8,000 sheep between Somalia, India and Saudi Arabia.
1984: To Baaboud Trading & Shipping Co., Jeddah.
Roy Thornton Collection
March 19th 1987: Reportedly broken up at Gadani Beach, Pakistan.
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: Jim Ashby and Robbie Cox for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
