MV Norcape
ex Tipperary, Puma
© Trevor Kidd (Larne, 16/07/2011)
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1979 by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Tamano, Japan. (Yard No 1164) as a RoRo cargo ship.
Technical Data
- Length: 150.22 m (overall) 141.0 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 20.73 m
- Depth: 13.01m
- Draught: 5.112 m
- Tonnage: 6310 – 14080 gross/2091 – 4226 net/5024t deadweight
- Engines: 2 Vee Oil 4SA 12 cylinder Mitsui diesels
- Power: 13240 kW/18000 bHP
- Speed: 18.75 knots
- Capacity: 12 passengers/125 x 12m freight units
- Call Sign: EIMZ, PGJL, C6YN8
- IMO Number: 7716086
- Official Number: 401950 (Tipperary), 17850 (Norcape)
- Port of Registry: Dublin/Irish Republic 🇮🇪, Rotterdam/Netherlands 🇳🇱, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸
- Sister Ships: Ibex (1163)
History
April 20th 1979: Launched with the name PUMA for Ensign Tankers (Leasing) Ltd. Leased to P&O Ferries Ltd.
August 1979: Delivered to P&O Ferries Ltd., London, England.
August 24th 1979: Chartered to B&I Line, Dublin, Ireland.
August 30th 1979: Left Yokohama for Europe.
© Paul T (Liverpool, 1980’s)(Right)
1979: Commenced service Dublin – Liverpool.
November 13th 1981: For approximately a week she ran between Dublin – Pembroke because of a strike in her home port of Fleetwood.
🆕 © Simonwp (Fleetwood, April 1986)
February 18th 1988: Collided with Bulker SUMBURGH HEAD in Dublin Bay
© Robbie Cox (Dublin, 22/02/1988)
December 29th 1988: Sold to Norcape Shipping B.V., Rotterdam, Holland. Renamed NORCAPE. Commenced service for North Sea Ferries between Europort – Ipswich.
© Ken Larwood (Harwich, August 1989)
© Ken Larwood (Harwich, April 1990)
© Capt Jan Melchers (Left) and © Simonwp (Rotterdam, 01/09/1990)
© Derek Sands (Ipswich, 01/07/1993)
April 22nd 1995: Commenced service between Zeebrugge – Hull.
1996: P&O took over the Nedlloyd share North Sea Ferries, company became P&O North Sea Ferries. Still registered in the Dutch ships register.
October 15th 2002: Commenced service for P&O Ferries between Zeebrugge – Hull.
© Cees De Bijl (Zeebrugge, 02/02/2008)
© Robert J Smith (Tilbury, 13/03/2009)
May 13th 2010: Services between Liverpool – Dublin.
February 2011: Laid up in Liverpool.
July 2011: Brought out of lay up to replace EUROPEAN MARINER (taken out of service and sent for scrap). Services Larne – Troon.
© Stephen Brown (Larne, 01/11/2011)
November 26th/27th 2011: “Suffered a number of accidents, including windlass damage, grounding and an accident to person while operating in and around Troon harbour, Scotland.”.
December 2011: Sold to Turkish breakers.
December 12th 2011: Left Larne for Aliaga, Turkey.
© Selim San
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: Cees De Bijl, Stephen Brown, Robbie Cox, Trevor Kidd, Ken Larwood, Capt Jan Melchers, Selim San, Derek Sands, Simonwp, Robert J Smith, Paul T and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.