British Transport Commission (BTC)Past and PresentSealink

MV Hibernia (IV) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 5150111

MV Express Apollon

ex Hibernia (IV)

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection (Trials)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1949 by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast (Yard No 1367) for British Transport Commission as Passenger/General Cargo/Ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 121.006 m (overall) 114.64 m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 17.16 m
  • Depth: 8.412 – 8.329 m
  • Draught: 4.30 m
  • Tonnage:  5284 gross/2849 net/802 – 815 deadweight
  • Engines: 2 SA 8-cylinder B&W (Harland & Wolff) diesels
  • Power: 7982 kW/9600 – 10700 HP
  • Speed: 18 knots (service) 20 knots (loaded trials)
  • Capacity: 2,361/1,900 passengers
  • Crew: 82
  • Call Sign: MBMT, SVFW
  • IMO Number: 5150111
  • Official Number: 182995
  • Port of Registry: London/UK 🇬🇧, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷
  • Sister-Ship: Cambria (138)

History

July 22nd 1948: Launched.

Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

  Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby (Trials)

April 1949: Delivered to British Transport Commission, London, England.

April 5th 1949: Arrived in Holyhead.

April 14th 1949: Commenced service between Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire.

Nigel Thornton Collection Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

© John Hendy

© John Hendy

Interior (prior to modernisation)

Courtesy of Jim Ashby   Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby   Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby   Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby   Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby   Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

1951: Fitted with Denny Brown stabilisers.

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

Courtesy of Jim Ashby

1964: Modernised. Included renewal of her passenger accommodation and also the removal of passenger cabins on “C“ deck which were replaced with a new second class lounge. On “D” deck a new second class “smoke room” and “cafeteria” were introduced and on “B” deck the former “smoke rooms” of both classes became a “tea room”. Both her and her sister returned to Holyhead in the new BR livery of red funnels and blue hulls.

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

December 1967: For a short while served Heysham – Belfast to cover DUKE OF ARGYLL‘s dry docking.

© John Hendy © William MacDonald  

Hibernia (IV) – © John Hendy (Belfast, 29/12/1967) (Left) and © William MacDonald (Right)

October 27th 1968 – October 30th 1968: Served Harwich – Hoek van Holland to cover the overhaul of the ST GEORGE.

May 1971: Commenced service between Heysham – Dun Laoghaire.

May 31st 1972: Commenced service between Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire, serving as overnight passenger only vessels.

October 3rd 1976 (00.15 hrs): Final service between Holyhead – Dun Laoghaire.

October 5th 1976: Laid up in Barrow.

December 1st 1976: Sold to Agapitos Bros, Piraeus, Greece and renamed EXPRESS APOLLON. Left Holyhead for the Mersey, to take on bunkers, and then sailed for Piraeus.

© Steffen Weirauch

© Steffen Weirauch

December 15th 1976: Arrived in Piraeus.

December 18th 1980: Arrived in Bombay, India.

January 12th 1981: Arrived at Solid Steel Traders, Darukhana, India for scrapping.


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, John Hendy, William MacDonald, Justin Merrigan and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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