CLdN RoRo (Cobelfret)FerriesFerrywaysP&O North Sea FerriesPast and Present

MV Istanbul N (ex Ipswich Way, Rodona) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7816496

MV Istanbul N

ex Ipswich Way, Rodona, Balder Dona

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler (Departing Ostend)

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1980 by Karlskronavarvet AB, Karlskrona, Sweden (Yard No 397) as a Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) commercial vehicle ferry for Ivar Lundh & Co Ab, Stockholm, Sweden

Technical Data

  • Length: 136.05 m (overall) 110.22 m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 16.51 m
  • Depth: 11.41 m
  • Draught: 4.741 m
  • Tonnage:  1599 – 1582 – 5262 gross/669 – 833 net/4538 – 3085 – 4550 deadweight
  • Engines: Two 16-cylinder Nohab-Polar F216V-A diesels
  • Power: 2207 kW/3000 HP
  • Speed: 16 knots
  • Capacity: 1,145 lane metres, 12 – 6 passengers (Bale 10500 cu.m, 332 TEU)
  • Call Sign: SHWB, HPHX, 9HIT9, TCWO4
  • IMO Number: 7816496
  • MMSI Number: 271040024
  • Port of Registry: Lysekil/Sweden 🇸🇪, Panama City/Panama 🇵🇦, Valletta/Malta 🇲🇹, Odessa/Ukraine 🇺🇦, Istanbul/Turkey 🇹🇷
  • Sister-Ships: Balder Press, Balder Print, Balder Vinga (398), Breant (403)


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

June 20th 1979: Keel struck.

© Rickard Sahlsten

© Rickard Sahlsten (Andreas Wörteler Collection)

March 1980: Delivered to Engström & Larson, Lysekil, Sweden.

March 1980: Chartered for services in the Caribbean.

September 1982: Lengthened at Finnboda Varv, Nacka.

January 1984: Sold to Dag Engström Rederi A/B, Lysekil and renamed RODONA.

1987: Chartered to Cobelfret/Ford for services between Zeebrugge – Dagenham/Purfleet.

© Ted Ingham   © Ted Ingham

© Ted Ingham

© Pieter Inpyn   © Ken Smith

© Pieter Inpyn (left) and © Ken Smith (right)

October 1999 – July 6th 2002: Chartered to P&O North Sea Ferries Ltd for services between Zeebrugge – Felixstowe.

© Tim Becker

© Tim Becker

July 2002: Chartered to Ferryways, Belgium for services between Ostend – Ipswich.

March 28th 2003: In thick fog she missed the harbour entrance of Ostend and collided with the pier. She was refloated soon after by the Belgian government tug ZEEHOND.

  

© Urbain Ureel

July 15th 2003: Sold to Ipswich Way, Ltd (Ferryways), Panama and renamed IPSWICH WAY. Operated services between Ostend – Ipswich.

© Pieter Inpyn  © Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn

© Ken Smith  © Ken Smith

© Ken Smith

© Ken Smith

© Andreas Wörteler  © Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler  © Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

June 13th 2007: Ferryways went bankrupt and she was laid up in Ostend.

June 28th 2007: Registered to Management Roroco NV, Antwerp, Belgium.

July 9th 2007: Commenced services for Cobelfret Ferries between Ostend – Dartford.

© Ken Smith  © Ken Smith

© Ken Smith

January 23rd 2008: Registered to Roroco NV, Valletta, Malta.

May 2009: Sold to Hidiv Denizcilik Ltd Sti, Istanbul, Turkey (Istanbul Lines) and renamed ISTANBUL N for service across the Marmara Sea between Bandirma (Turkey) and Ambarli (Turkey).

© Evgeniy 

© Evgeniy (Shipspotting.com)

October 2023: Still in service.


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: Tim Becker, Evgeniy, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyn, Bram Provost, Ken Smith, Urbain Ureel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button