MV Najd II

ex Abha, Koningin Elizabeth

Arne Pyson Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built and engined by Cockerill’s of Hoboken (Yard no 779) in 1956 for the Belgian Marine Administration’s Ostend-Dover passenger service.

Technical Data

Length on Deck – 114m (374 ft)(overall) 108.56m (356.2 ft) (between perpendiculars)
Breadth of Hull – 15.9m (49.10 ft)(extreme) 14.2m (46.6 ft) (moulded)
Depth – 7.3m (24.11 ft) (moulded)
Draught – 4.45m (13 ft)(maximum)
Tonnage – 3,389 gross, 3,795 /1,510 net, 1,706/476 deadweight
Engines – Two 12-cylinder Cockerill/Sulzer two-stroke single acting diesels.
Power – 11190kW
Speed – 22 knots
Capacity – 1700 passengers, 30 cars (in holds)
Call Sign – ORAM (@1974)
ID Number – 5192949
Registry – Ostend
Sister Ships: Reine Astrid I, Roi Leopold III

History

October 29th 1956: Launched.

May 1957: Delivered to Regie voor Maritiem Transport, Oostende, Belgium.

May 1957: Commenced service between Ostend – Dover.

Roy Thornton Collection

1968: English port became Folkestone.

Roy Thornton Collection

November 1970: Belgian Marine joined the Sealink consortium. Trading as Sealink

November 1st 1971: Belgian Marine became the Belgian Maritime Transport Authority – Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT).

1973: Belgian Sealink livery

Roy Thornton Collection (left) © Brian Fisher (right)

1975: Summer weekends and “specials” only.

October 12th 1977: Final day in service.

December 1st 1977: Laid up in Oostende.

April 14th 1978: Sold to Abha Marine Corp, Limassol, Cyprus. Renamed ABHA.

1978: Rebuilt in Perama, Greece.

1978: Commenced service between Jeddah – Aquaba – Port Suez.

1979: Registered to Najd Shipping Co., Saudi Arabia.

1980: Sold to Najd Trading & Constructions Est, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Renamed NAJD II.

1981: Laid up in Eleusis Bay, Greece.

Roy Thornton Collection

1984: Broken up.

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Brian Fisher, Kevin Hoggett, A G Jones, Ken Larwood, Arne Pyson and Urbain Ureel for their assistance in compiling this feature.