MV Beiteddine
ex City of Limassol, Rapallo
Courtesy of Chris Howell
Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1960 by Henry Robb Ltd., Leith (Yard No 472) as a General Cargo ship
Technical Data
- Length: 111.51 m (overall) 103.64 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 16.59 m
- Depth: 9.44 m
- Draught: 6.13 m
- Tonnage: 3047 – 4405 gross/1302 – 2453 net/ deadweight
- Engines: 2 stroke 7 cylinder 7SD60 Sulzer oil engine built by G. Clark and North Eastern Marine (Sunderland) Ltd
- Power: 2574 kW/3500 bhp
- Speed: 13.5 knots
- Capacity: ft³ G: 245550 B:226550 In: 29500
- Call Sign: GFTA (Rapallo) ODQD (Beitedenne)
- IMO Number: 5290337
- Official Number: B4027
- Port of Registry: Hull/ UK, Beirut/Lebanon
- Sister-Ship: Arcadian
History
December 30th 1959: Launched.
April 1960: Completed. Originally named RAPALLO, the first vessel to bear this name.
1960: Delivered to Ellerman Wilson Line. Served on the North American run.
Courtesy of Chris Howell
November 21st 1961: “While lying at buoys at Istanbul she was struck and damaged by the Italian motor vessel, SAN MARCO of “Adriatica” Società per Azioni di Navigazione, Venice, and the Turkish steamer, MEHMET IPAR of Ipar Transport Co. Ltd., Istanbul when both were out of control due to high winds.
1968: “Under command of Captain F.Meetham performed one of the finest feats of deep-sea towage in modern history towing the Harrison Line’s TACTICIAN (IMO 5348419) (which had suffered an engine room fire) over 1000 miles to the Azores. The tow took two weeks arriving at Ponta Delgada on 04 July 1968; he received the Council of the Royal Society of Art’s Silver Medal for a deed of professional merit performed at sea on the recommendation of the Thomas Grey Memorial Trust Committee”.
“Tactician” (Courtesy of Chris Howell)
June 1st 1972: Sold by Ellerman Wilson Ltd. to Mossgiel SS Co. Ltd., Glasgow with Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd., Liverpool as Managers.
Courtesy of Malcolm Cranfield
April 3rd 1973: Transferred to Ellerman City Liners.
January 10th 1975: Renamed CITY OF LIMASSOL.
(Kiel Canal in 1977 by Gerhard Fiebiger) (Courtesy of Malcolm Cranfield)
May 1977: Sold to Associated Levant Lines Ltd. (SAL) of Beirut.
June 10th 1977: Delivered to her new owners at Jarrow-on-Tyne and renamed BEITEDDINE.
(Off Cuxhaven by Gerhard Fiebiger in 1984) (Courtesy of Malcolm Cranfield)
(Dover, © “ToptoToe”)
1986: Sold to Spanish shipbreakers by Associated Levant Lines (Cyprus) Ltd., Lebanon.
July 14th 1986: Arrived at Aviles, Spain for demolition
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: Malcolm Cranfield, Chris Howell and “ToptoToe” for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
