FerriesNorth Sea FerriesP&O FerriesPast and PresentPeninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O)RequestsVentouris Ferries

MV Norwave – Past and Present

MV Italia Express

ex Norwave

© Patrick Hill

Norwave – © Patrick Hill (Hull, 30/06/1987)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1966 by A.G.”Weser” Werk Seebeck, Bremerhaven, (Yard No 898) as a Passenger/RoRo Cargo/Ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 108.82 m (overall) 97.34m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 19.26m
  • Depth: 13.70m
  • Draught: 4.979m
  • Tonnage: 3540 gross/ 1544net/1914t deadweight
  • Engines: Two 14-cylinder Smit & Bolnes diesels
  • Power: 3879 kW/5200 bHP
  • Speed: 15 knots
  • Capacity: 235 passengers/70 cars/47 commercial trailers
  • Call Sign: GRYM
  • IMO Number: 6519455
  • Official Number: 305799
  • Port of Registry: Hull/UK, Piraeus/Greece
  • Sister Ships: Norwind

History

July 2nd 1965: Launched

December 1965: Delivered to North Sea Ferries Ltd, Hull, England.

© Fotoflite

© Fotoflite

December 17th 1965: Commenced service between Hull – Rotterdam.

June 1974: Commenced service between Hull – Zeebrugge.

1978 (LR): Registered owner; North Sea Ferries Ltd. Registered manager; P&O Ferries.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Hull, 10/05/1981)

September 11th 1983: While en-route between Hull and Zeebrugge vessel caught fire and had to be towed to Immingham.

September 1983: Towed to Amsterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Amsterdam, Holland for repairs.

November 11th 1983: Resumed in service.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Hull, 06/05/1984)

© Corveleyn Roger (Hull, 01/11/1985)

© Robert J Smith

© Robert J Smith (Zeebrugge, 09/08/1985)

May 23rd 1987: Sold to Ventouris Lines, Piraeus, Greece for delivery in July 1987.

 © J K Byass

© Corveleyn Roger (Zeebrugge, 11/06/1987) (Left) and © J K Byass (Right)

June 30th 1987: Final day in service between Hull – Zeebrugge.

June 30th 1987: Taken over by the new owner and renamed  ITALIA EXPRESS. (Registered to Gitanic Shipping Co., Honduras).

July 2nd 1987: Left Zeebrugge for the Mediterranean.

1987: Commenced service between Patras – Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Bari.

March 24th 1988: Whilst being rebuilt at Drapetsona near Piraeus there was an unexplained explosion causing severe damage. Declared a total loss.


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: J K Byass, Patrick Hill, Corveleyn Roger, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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