MV Boztepe

ex Cap Afrique, Saint Charles, Catherine Schiaffino

© John Jones

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built by Tokushima Zosen Sangyo K.K., Komatsushima, Japan (Yard No. 530) in 1978 for the Soc. d’Arm. & de Nav. C. Schiaffino, France

Technical Data

• Length on deck: 108.64m (overall), 98.51m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth of hull: 16.01m (extreme)
• Depth: 10.32m
• Draught: 4.98m (maximum)
• Tonnage: 1,583 gross/743 net/2,401 deadweight
• Engines: Piestick 8PC25L diesel
• Power: 5,200 bhp/3,574kW
• Speed: 15.75 knots (service), 17.0 knots (max)
• Capacity: 12 passengers, 50 x 12m commercial trailers
• Call sign: FPCT, HMXA9
• IMO Number: 7709796
• Registry: Sete/France 🇫🇷, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸, Port Aux Français/French Southern and Antarctic Islands 🇹🇫, Tbilisi/Georgia 🇬🇪, Panama 🇵🇦, Freetown/Sierra Leone 🇸🇱, Korean Democratic Republic 🇰🇵
• Sister Ships: Malika (1520), Marina ( )

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History

September 15th 1977: Launched.

1978: Delivered to  Soc. d’Arm. & de Nav. C. Schiaffino, France.

1978: Commenced service between Ostend and Dover in the same year.

© Gordon Wise

June 30th 1978: Operated between Dieppe – Dover.

© Derek Longly (Dover, 12/07/1980)

  

Nigel Thornton Collection

© Simonwp (Ostend, 01/12/1983)

March 1st 1984: Transferred to Ostend – Ramsgate.

© Ken Larwood (April 1984)

© Simonwp (July 1986)

© John Jones 

© Fotoflite

© Urbain Ureel (Ostend, 1987)

1989: Renamed  SAINT CHARLES and re-registered in the Bahamas, with a home port of  Nassau.

 

© Ted Ingham (Left) © Ken Larwood (Right)

1990: Sold to Delom S.A., Port aux Français, and renamed CAP AFRIQUE.

Not much is known about the vessel’s history until in June 1996 records indicate that she was bare-boat chartered to Estline, Stockholm for two weeks when she ran between Stockholm – Tallinn.

🆕 © Dirk Jankowsky (inbound Stockholm, Estline-charter, 17/06/1996)

  

Internet Source

July 1998: Bare-boat chartered to Farmers Ferries Ltd and introduced between Dover – Dunkerque, primarily for livestock carrying.

© Mike Jackson

  

© Ted Ingham (Left) Nigel Thornton Collection (Right)

2001: Laid-up in Dunkerque

  

© Jean-Guy Hagelstein

🆕 © Deck 5

April 26th 2004: Recorded as being owned by Lider Maritime Inc, Majuro, Marshall Islands and renamed BOZTEPE.

© Philip Galagan

2006: Registered in Georgia.

2006: Registered in Panama.

2007: Registered in Sierra Leone, home port Freetown.

August 3rd 2007: On her way to Sochi, Russia, a fire broke out in her on board garage. She blocked the entrance to Sochi and had to be removed by port authorities. She was burnt out and declared a total loss.

August 25th 2007: Arrived in Aliaga for breaking.

© Selim San (all)

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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: Deck 5, Philip Galagan, Jean-Guy Hagelstein, Ted Ingham, Dirk Jankowsky, John Jones, Ken Larwood, Mike Jackson, Selim San, Simonwp, Urbain Ureel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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