MV Ajman Glory

ex Afrodite II, European Freighter, Europic Ferry

Dover Ferry Photos Library

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1968 at Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend, England (Yard No 2025) for Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, England as a Passenger/RoRo Cargo/Ferry.

Technical Data

• Length: 137.57 m (overall) 129.85 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 21.01 m
• Depth: 11.59 m
• Draught: 4.573 m
• Tonnage: 4190 – 3778 – 10310 gross/1499 net/ 2784 – 2823 – 1986 deadweight
• Engines: Two Vee Oil 4SA 16-cylinder Pielstick-Lindholmens diesels
• Power: 9967 kW/13360 bHP
• Speed:  19.25 knots
• Capacity: 160, passengers (later reclassified to 60), 550 passengers (after rebuild 1982), 627 passengers (after rebuild 1996), 295 metres of cargo, 50 – 272 cars, 200 (after rebuild), 40 Commercial trailers
• Call Sign: GYCD, P3DJ5, JYA02
• IMO Number: 6728563
• Official Number: 334739 (LR 1978 -79)
• Port of Registry: London/United Kingdom 🇬🇧, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾, Aqaba/Jordan 🇯🇴

---

History

April 1966: Ordered.

October 3rd 1967: Launched

Dover Ferry Photos Library

Dover Ferry Photos Library

December 29th 1967: Delivered to Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, England.

Jurgen Stein Collection (Left) and Dover Ferry Photos Library (Right)

January 18th 1968: Commenced service between Felixstowe – Europoort.

   

© Bob Scott (Tilbury Dock, London 14/01/1968)(Left) © Ken Larwood

© A G Jones (Felixstowe, 14/10/1971)(Left) 🆕 © Simonwp (Right)

November 18th 1971: Sale of Atlantic Steam Navigation to European Ferries Group, London, England (Townsend Thoresen).

© Derek Longly (Felixstowe, 01/10/1977)

© Wolfgang Fricke (Rotterdam, 01/08/1979)

1981: Introduced between Southampton – Le Havre.

Dover Ferry Photos Library

April 19th 1982: Requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence for the Falklands War. Rebuilt at Southampton as a logistic/troop transport. Fitted with RAS gear, satnav and satcom equipment, freshwater generating plant and additional quarters/domestic facilities.

April 22nd 1982: Sailed from Portland to Falkland.

Dover Ferry Photos Library (© Townsend Thoresen)

May 7th 1982: Left Ascension with the task group which joined with the carrier battle group before the landings at San Carlos.

May 20th 1982: Arrived Port Stanley. Operated between Port Stanley – Ascension.

Imperial War Museum (Ref: FD 189)

May 21st 1982: Anchored in San Carlos Water. Unloaded under air attack and on completion rejoined the carrier group. She was the only merchant ship to attempt to disguise herself with “do-it-yourself” mottled grey camouflage.

Dover Ferry Photos Library (© Townsend Thoresen)

May 25th 1982: Discharged all remaining personnel and stores in San Carlos.

June 23rd 1982: Entered Port Stanley and loaded for home, then left for Southampton.

July 17th 1982: Arrived at Southampton.

Dover Ferry Photos Library

© Ray Perry (Andreas Wörteler Collection)

© John Jones

August 26th 1982: After refit returned to commercial traffic between Southampton – Le Havre.

 

© Simonwp 🆕 (Left) (Southampton, 01/10/1982) (Right)

December 1982: Operated between Felixstowe – Europoort.

March 1983: Commenced service between Cairnryan – Larne.

© Kenneth Whyte (Cairnryan)

1984: A new TT logo, in white, was introduced on the funnels.

© Aubrey Dale (Left) and © Brian Fisher (Right)

© Ken Larwood

1987: Following the “HERALD” disaster, from spring onwards, pale blue funnels with P&O flag logo became the norm.

© Joe Canavan

December 31st 1987: Registered to P&O European Ferries (Felixstowe) Ltd., London.

April 1991: Sold to Howill Shipping, London, England then chartered to P&O.

© Brian Fisher

© Aubrey Dale (all)

March 1992: Renamed EUROPEAN FREIGHTER.

© Aubrey Dale

🆕 © Fotoflite

April 23rd 1993: Final day operating between Cairnryan – Larne.

April 4th 1993: Laid up for sale.

April 1993: Sold to Namora Shipping, Greece. Manager; Med Link Line, Limassol, Cyprus. Renamed AFRODITE II.

1993: Commenced service operating between Patras – Brindisi as a cargo ferry.

© Frank Heine (Patras 12/07/1994)

1994: Rebuilt to a combined passenger/cargo ferry.

Bernt Anderson Collection

© Andreas Wörteler

July 24th 1999: Ran aground near to Igoumenitsa, re-floated and repaired in Piraeus.

🆕 © Bernd Crause

October 2002: Laid up in Astakos, Greece.

November 2003: Vessel retired. After dry docking in Dubai sold to Marwan Shipping & Trading, Moroni, Komorema, renamed AJMAN GLORY and entered service between India and Iraq.

April 26th 2004: Registered in Jordan.

February 2005: Beached at Alang, India for scrapping.

© Zahan

 

---

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: Joe Canavan, Bernd Crause, Aubrey Dale, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Wolgang Fricke, Frank Heine, A G Jones, John Jones, Ken Larwood, Derek Longly, Ray Perry, Bob Scott, Simonwp, Jurgen Stein, Kenneth Whyte, Andreas Wörteler and Zahan for their assistance in producing this feature.

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