MV GNV Antares
ex Pride of Bruges, Norsun
Norsun – © Andreas Wörteler
Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1987 by NKK, Tsurumi, Japan (Yard No. 1033 ), for North Sea Ferries (Nedlloyd), Rotterdam, Holland as a passenger and vehicle ferry.
Technical Data
- Length: 179.35m (overall) 169.50m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 25.35m (extreme)
- Depth: 17.91m
- Draught: 6.187m
- Tonnage: 31,598 gross/18,174 net/6,403 deadweight
- Engines: Two 9-cylinder and two 6-cylinder Sulzer-Wartsila ZA40 diesels.
- Power: 19,200kW/HP
- Speed: 19.0 knots
- Capacity: 1,250 passengers, 850 cars
- Call Sign: PGJW, 5BTT5, IBDC
- MMSI Number: 247435800
- IMO Number: 8503797
- LR Number: 175682
- Port of Registry: Rotterdam/Netherlands, Limassol/Cyprus, Naples/Italy
- Sister-Ship: Norsea
Location Data
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History
August 29th 1986: Launched without ceremony.
March 31st 1987: Delivered to North Sea Ferries (Nedlloyd), Rotterdam, Holland.
Norsun – © Patrick Hill
April 2nd 1987: Left Yokohama, Japan carrying 800 Nissan export cars for Amsterdam.
May 12th 1987: Commenced services for North Sea Ferries between Rotterdam – Hull. Registered to Hollandse Vrachtvaart Maats. BV, Rotterdam, Holland.
Norsun – © Capt Jan Melchers (left) Chantry Classic Postcard (right)
January 1st 1997: Registered to Norships CV, Rotterdam, Holland and commenced services for P&O North Sea Ferries between Rotterdam – Hull.
April 29th 2001: Final day in service between Rotterdam – Hull.
May 2001 – June 2001: Refit/rebuild at Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven.
July 2nd 2001: Commenced services between Zeebrugge – Hull.
October 15th 2002: Commenced services for P&O Ferries between Zeebrugge – Hull.
Norsun – © Leo Johannes (left) P&O North Sea Ferries Postcard (right)
January 15th 2003: Renamed PRIDE OF BRUGES.
Pride of Bruges – © Andreas Wörteler
November 14th 2004 – November 25th 2004: Services between Rotterdam – Hull.
November 2004: Services between Zeebrugge – Hull.
Pride of Bruges – © Rob De Visser
January 2007: Services between Rotterdam – Hull.
Pride of Bruges – © Trevor Kidd
Pride of Bruges – © Paul Bilbrough
January 2007: Services between Zeebrugge – Hull.
Pride of Bruges – © Cedric Hacke
Pride of Bruges/Pride of York together (December 2014)
Pride of Bruges – Departure (28/04/2015) © Andrew Atkinson
May 11th 2017: Taken out of service owing to “technical problems” (believed to be associated to gearbox)
May 2017: Received new livery and accommodation refit at Remontowa Shiprepair Yard.
Pride of Bruges – © Cedrick Hacke (Zeebrugge 12/05/2018)
September 30th 2020: Announcement made that the Hull – Zeebrugge route would be closed.
October 22nd 2020: Commenced services Hull – Rotterdam.
January 25th 2021: Left Hull on her final sailing to Rotterdam.
January 26th 2021: Arrived in Rotterdam.
January 27th 2021: Left Rotterdam for Zeebrugge.
January 27th 2021: Arrived Zeebrugge and laid up.
April 13th 2021: Reports circulating suggest she has been sold to to a subsidiary of MSC Group and that she will be chartered to MSC subsidiary Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV). It is anticipated the she will be renamed GNV ANTARES serving Barcelona-Mallorca & Valencia-Mallorca-Ibiza.
April 23rd 2021: Left Zeebrugge bound for Naples.
April 20th 2021: Arrived in Naples.
June 19th 2021: Commenced service Naples – Palermo.
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: Andrew Atkinson, Rob De Visser, Cedric Hacke, Trevor Kidd, Leo Johannes, Patrick Hill, Capt Jan Melchers, Paul Bilbrough and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
