MV Pelagitis

Ex Atlantic Freighter, Stena Grecia, Tor Felicia, Merzario Grecia, Tor Felicia

Pelagitis – © Dennis Mortimer (Drapetsona, 06/09/2018)

Steel twin screw “Stena Searunner” class motor vessel built in 1978 by Hyundai Shipbuilders & Heavy Industries, Ulsan, South Korea (Yard No 647) as a RoRo Cargo vessel .

• Length: 151.01 m (overall) 137.01 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 21.67 m
• Depth: 14.66 m
• Draught: 7.319 m
• Tonnage: 5466 – 5363 gross/2485 – 3995 net/8672 – 8661t deadweight
• Engines: Two Pielstick 12 -cylinder 12PC2-5V-400 V-diesels
• Power: 11475 kW/15600 bhp
• Speed:  17 knots.
• Capacity: Passengers 12/1650 lane metres/TEU; 562/C Ho; 82 x 20’, C RoRo Dk; 242 x20’, C Dk; 238 x 20’
• Call Sign: GZHJ, C6CB9, EXK4, SVBC8
• MMSI Number: 241053000
• IMO Number: 7528611
• Official Number (LR: 1984 – 85): 377614
• Port of Registry: London/UK 🇬🇧, George Town/Cayman Islands 🇰🇾, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸, Panama City/Panama 🇵🇦, Chios/Greece 🇬🇷
• Sister-Ship:

  1977; Merzario Ausonia, Stena Freighter, Jolly Giallo, Jolly Turchese, Stena Freighter, Global Freighter (642)

  1977; Stena Runner, Alpha Progress, Hellas, Doric Ferry, European Tideway, Ideway, Stena Transfer, Transfer (643)

  1977; Launched Stena Shipper, Norsky, Stena Shipper, Merzario Ionia, Constellation Enterprise, Stena Shipper, N+T 700, Graip, Chong Ming Dao, Kilmore (644)

  1977; Elk, Tor Baltica, Balticum (645)

  1978; Stena Prosper, Atlantic Prosper, Merzario Ionia, Stena Ionia, Stena Gothica, Bore Gothica, Finnbirch (646)

  1978; Stena Project, Atlantic Project, Merzario Hispania, Stena Hispania, Kotka Violet, Stena Hispania, Stena Britannica, Bore Britannica, Finnforest (648)

  1978; Alpha Enterprise, Syria, Stena Transporter, Cerdic Ferry, European  Freeway, Freeway, Stena Partner, Sea Partner (649)

  1978; Imparca Express I, Stena Carrier, Imparca Miami, Stena Carrier, Jolly Bruno, Jolly Smeraldo, Stena Carrier, Global Carrier (650)  

  1978; Merzario Espania, Merzario Hispania, Nordic Ferry, Pride of Flanders, Flanders, Stena Transporter, Strada Corsa, La Paz Star, Med Star, Star (651)

  1978; Stena Trader, Finnrose, Stena Transporter, Baltic Ferry, Pride of Suffolk, European Diplomat, Diplomat, Pavilion (652)

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Current AIS Location

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History

In total, 11 vessels of the Stena Searunner design were built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea, and the first vessel was delivered in 1977. Those vessels remaining in service are operated by a number of operators around the world and as a group they are considered to be one of the most successful classes of RoRo vessels ever built.

December 22^nd 1977: Launched.

May 8^th1978: Delivered to Stena Line Ltd, London.

June 1^st 1978: Left Yokohama for Europe via Cape Town – Abidajan.

July 1978: Chartered to Tor Line as TOR FELICIA for services between Rotterdam – Immingham.

Tor Felicia – © Simonwp (1978/1979)

1978: Two year sub-charter to Merzario Lines, Italy and renamed MERZARIO GRECIA.

Merzario Grecia – © Simonwp (Genoa, 1978/1979)

1978: Services between Italy – Mediterranean.

1979: Returned to Tor Line and renamed TOR FELICIA

Tor Felicia – © Simonwp (New Waterway, 01/09/1979)

Tor Felicia – © Simonwp (Immingham, 11/07/1979)

Tor Felicia – © Simonwp (Immingham, 22/04/1980)

1983: Transferred to Stena Gulf Line Ltd, Cayman Island. (Swedish Caledonian Marine Managers). Renamed STENA GRECIA for Stena Portlink services between Esbjerg – Great Britain.

Stena Grecia –   © Simonwp (Felixstowe, May 1984)

Stena Grecia – © Simonwp (Immingham, 22/06/1985)

1986: Stena Ab becomes manager. Services between Gothenburg – Travemünde.

March 27^th 1986: Left Gothenburg for North Sydney (Canada).

April 4^th 1987: Arrived in North Sydney for trials. She the then returned to Gothenburg for further services between Gothenburg – Travemünde.

April 1987: Chartered to Marine Atlantic for services between North Sydney – Port Aux Basques.

1987: Sold to Marine Atlantic Inc, Nassau, Bahamas and renamed ATLANTIC FREIGHTER.

Atlantic Freighter – © Michel Rathwell

April 1^st 1987: Caught fire and taken out of service for repairs.

June 7^th 1987: Returned to service.

December 1990 – April 1991: Chartered to the US Navy for the transport of equipment to Dessert Storm. Made two trips between the USA – the Persian Gulf.

December 1994 – May 1995: Chartered to P&O Pandoro for services between Liverpool – Dublin.

June 1995:To Marine Atlantic, again, for services between North Sydney – Port Aux Basques.

Atlantic Freighter – © Jarrod David (North Sydney,N.S.Canada, 17/06/2006)

Atlantic Freighter – © Jarrod David (Port Aux Basques, NFLD, Canada. 24/10/2009)

December 2008: Laid up in Port Aux Basques and put up for sale.

March 2010: Sold to Navibulk Enterprise SA, Piraeus, Greece and renamed PELAGITIS.

April 9^th 2010: Left Port Aux Basques for Piraeus.

April 24^th 2010: Arrived at Keratsini.

April 28^th 2010: Arrived at Chalkis shipyard for survey.

November 2^nd 2010: Services between Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene.

June 2011: Registered to Ainaftis Shipping Co, Athens, Greece.

August 3^rd 2011: Laid up in Chalkis.

October 26^th 2011: Services between Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene.

Pelagitis – © Dennis Mortimer (Drapetsona, 16/09/2014)

Pelagitis – © Dimitris Mentakisis (Drapetsona, 25/02/2020)

2022: Still in service in the Greek Islands.

 

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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: Jarrod David, Dimitris Mentakis, Dennis Mortimer, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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