MV Epsilon
ex Cartour Epsilon
© Carsten Dettmer (Cherbourg, 15/02/2015)
Steel twin screw “NAOS 271” motor vessel, built in 2011 by Cantiere Navale Visentini, Donada, Italy (Yard No 228) as a Ro-Ro Passenger ship for Visemar Di Navigazione SRL, Bari, Italy
Technical Data
- Length: 186.50 m (overall) 177.40 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 25.60 m
- Depth: 9.14 m
- Draught: 6.85 m
- Tonnage: 26375 gross/8138 net/8615t deadweight
- Engines: Two MAN B&W 9L48/60B diesels.
- Power: 21600 kW/14500 bHP
- Speed: 24 knots (service)
- Capacity: 500 passengers (max), 2860 lane meters, 70 cars, 100 Reefer Plugs
- Call Sign: ICRB
- MMSI Number: 210425000
- IMO Number: 9539054
- Official Number: 90798
- Port of Registry: Bari/Italy 🇮🇹, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾
- Sister Ships: Cartour Delta (227), Visemar One (223)
Current AIS Location
Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.
History
2011: Launched as CARTOUR EPSILON
April 11th 2011: Delivered to Visemar Di Navigazione S.R.L., Bari, Italy.
April 12th 2011: Sold to Caronte SRL, Bari, Italy (Management Caronte & Tourist SPA).
© Cantiere Navale Visentini
April 29th 2011: Left Chioggia for Termini Imerese.
May 3rd 2011: Services between Termini Imerese – Salerno.
November 19th 2012: Bare-boat chartered to GNV/ Caronte & Tourist for services between Civitavecchia – Termini Imerese.
June 21st 2013 – September 15th 2013: Services between Genoa – Palermo.
September 2013: Laid up in Messina.
December 2013: Sub-chartered to Irish Ferries.
December 3rd 2013 – December 9th 2013: Sailed from Messina to Cherbourg.
December 2013: Services between Dublin – Holyhead.
January 18th 2014: Added weekend service between Dublin – Cherbourg.
February 2014: Registered to Irish Ferries Ltd, Dublin, Ireland and renamed EPSILON.
May 2014: Collided with berth 51A in Dublin Port.
© Robbie Cox
© Ray Goodfellow (Dublin, 11/10/14)
February 11th 2016: Sustained damage to her cargo (several trucks and cars), after sailing into Storm Imogen while en route from Cherbourg to Dublin. The ship met steady forecasted wind speeds of 60 knots, with gusts of up to 105 knots (almost 200 km/h) at times and had to divert into safer waters. She was forced to take shelter off the north Devon coast.
© Ray Goodfellow (Cherbourg, 25/06/2017)
February 7th 2018: Arrived Harland and Wolff Belfast Dry Dock (BDD) for survey and maintenance work.
February 17th 2018: Resumed service.
March 2019: Sold to Caronte & Tourist SPA but still chartered to Irish Ferries
© Pieter Inpyn (Dublin, 10/09/2019)
January 2020: Transferred Dublin – Holyhead service (weekends Dublin – Cherbourg)
© Dogan (Cherbourg, 11/10/2020)
May 30th 2022: Reported to have been sold to Euroafrica Shipping Lines (Hass Holding Group, Cyprus). The current bareboat charter to Irish Ferries can continue to no later than November 2023. Following a brief refit she will eventually see service with Unity Line between Poland and Sweden.
August 2022: Registered owner: Morani Shipping Co Ltd. Manager/Commercial manager: Irish Ferries Ltd.
© Stephen Brown (Dublin, 04/06/2023)
November 7th 2023: Took up services Dublin – Cherbourg as relief for W B YEATS (refit).
© Trevor Kidd (Dublin, 02/12/2023)
December 4th 2023: Came off service in Dublin and sailed to Belfast. Schedule replaced by W B YEATS
December 5th 2023: Arrived in Belfast.
© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 05/12/2023)
© Trevor Kidd (Belfast, 05/12/2923)
November 7th 2023: Shifted to dry dock.
© Trevor Kidd (Belfast, 07/12/2923)
December 2023: Management Euroafrica Service Ltd.
December 18th 2023: Shifted out of dry dock.
© Trevor Kidd (Belfast, 18/12/2023)
© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 18/12/2023)
December 23rd 2023: Left Belfast for Trelleborg and services for Unity Line.
© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 23/12/2023)
December 27th 2023: Arrived Trelleborg.
December 27th 2023: Left Trelleborg.
December 30th 2023: Arrived Swinoujscie.
December 30th 2023: Szczecin Shipyard where it will be refitted and painted in UL colours.
January 22nd 2024: Maiden departure from Swinoujscie. – Trelleborg.
January 30th 2024: Collided with a pier in Trelleborg.
“We would like to inform that due to technical reasons ferry m/f EPSILON as from today will be out of service until further notice. We kindly apologize for any inconveniences related to above matter.”
January 31st 2024: Left Trelleborg for Swinoujscie.
February 8th 2024: Left Swinoujscie for repairs in Szczecin.
February 18th 2024: Left Szezecin for Swinoujscie.
February 20th 2024: Resumed service Swinoujscie. – Trelleborg.
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: Stephen Brown, Robbie Cox, Carsten Dettmer, Dogan, Gerolf Drebes, Pieter Inpyn, Luke Wilson and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Special thanks go to Trevor Kidd
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
Hi Nigel,
I would be really delighted in reading a post about the Tug “Pacific” of the Bugsier company.
Do you have some documents about this tug?
Kind regards.
Thierry Troadec
Hi Thierry,
I don’t believe she ever came to Dover, but I’ll give it a try!
Rgds
Nigel T
Hi Nigel,
it would be great if you succeed in publishing her history because she had been involved in many salvage oprérations.
Thank you very much for your efforts.
Kind regards.
Thierry