MV Superferry II
ex Ionian Express, Prince Laurent
Prince Laurent – Nigel Thornton Collection
Steel twin screw motor vessel built by N.V. Boelwerf S. A., Temse, (Yard No. 1477) in 1974 for the Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT) Ostend service as a passenger and roll-on roll-off car ferry. Engined by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, St. Nazaire
Technical Data
- Length on deck: 118.01m (387.2 ft)(overall)/111.61m (366.2 ft) (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth of hull: 19.21m (65 ft)(extreme)
- Depth: 11.56m (37.9 ft) (moulded)
- Draught: 4.3m
- Tonnage: 5,052 gross, 8,789/2,407 net, 2,406/1,029 deadweight, 1,495
- Engines: Two 18-cylinder Atlantique/Pielstick four-stroke 18PC2V-400 SA diesels
- Power: 13,240kW
- Speed: 22 knots
- Capacity: 1,302 passengers, 189 cars (1974)/2,440 passengers, 271 cars (1992)
- Call Sign: ORAH , SWKV
- Registry: Oostende/Belgium, Piraeus/Greece
- IMO Number: 7346221
- MMSI Number: 237001000
- Sister Ships: Prins Philippe
Location Data
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History
February 6th 1974: Launched.
Prince Laurent – © Jean François Berden, Courtesy of Boelwerf Blog
Prince Laurent – © Ronald Steenacker
July 1974: Delivered to Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT), Ostend, Belgium.
Prince Laurent – Nigel Thornton Collection (Maiden arrival @ Dover)
June 28th 1974: Entered service at the official opening of the new Admiralty Pier linkspan at the Western Docks, Dover. With the added headroom to her vehicle deck that the folding mezzanine deck afforded, she could carry as many as 24 ro-ro units as opposed to her earlier sister’s 13, but only 189 cars, 54 less than the PRINS PHILIPPE.
Prince Laurent – © Urbain Ureel
Prince Laurent – © A G Jones (left) and © Ken Larwood (right)
July 15th 1974: Commenced service between Ostend – Dover.
Prince Laurent – © Ken Larwood (left) and © Brian Fisher (right)
© Kevin Hoggett (Left) © Michal Woodland (Right)
🆕 Postcard
February 2nd 1978: Collided with the quayside in Dover and repaired in Ostend.
Prince Laurent – © John Jones (left) © Simonwp (Dover Western Docks 12/09/1978)(right)
Prince Laurent – © Nigel Thornton
October 25th 1985: An agreement with Townsend Thoresen (The European Ferries Group) was successfully concluded and completely excluded Sealink UK Ltd.
Prince Laurent – © John F Hendy
Prince Laurent – © Robert Bertel
October 1985: The agreement with Townsend Thoresen (The European Ferries Group) was duly passed on to P&O European Ferries (due to end in December 1990). The Ostend ships all received the Townsend Thoresen orange hulls and carried their trading name.
Prince Laurent
Prince Laurent – © John F Hendy (November 1985 @ Ostend prior to entering service with new livery)
Prince Laurent – © Ken Larwood
Prince Laurent – © Brian Fisher (left) and © Ted Ingham (right)
Prince Laurent – © Pieter Inpyn
Prince Laurent – © Fotoflite
1987/1988: A completely new livery, reflecting that carried by the P&O European Ferries fleet, was adopted during the 1987/88 refits. For the first time in the history of the Dover-Ostend service, the buff (later changed to a lighter shade of yellow) funnels were painted-out in favour of a shade of blue.
Prince Laurent – © Urbain Ureel
Prince Laurent – Nigel Thornton Collection
Prince Laurent – Nigel Thornton Collection (left) and © Brian Fisher (right)
Prince Laurent – © Ken Larwood
Prince Laurent – © Fotoflite
February 4th 1990 – May 1990: Chartered to Sealink Dieppe Ferries. Operated between Dieppe – Newhaven.
Prince Laurent – Anderson Collection
1991: Fourth new livery in seven years under the official trading name, The Dover – Ostend Line.
🆕 Prince Laurent – © Julien Tahon
Prince Laurent – © Andreas Wörteler (left) and © David Ingham (right)
Prince Laurent – Courtesy of Michael Woodland
1991: In the autumn she was laid up.
July 6th 1992 -July 10th 1992: Dry-docked at Vlissingen.
July 29th 1992: Sold to Strintzis Line, Piraeus, Greece and renamed IONIAN EXPRESS leaving Ostend for Perama for rebuilding.
May 1993: Renamed SUPERFERRY II, and introduced between Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Mykonos – Syros.
Superferry II – © Ton Grootenboer (left) and © Carsten Dettmer (right)
Superferry II – © Bernd Crause
1999: During the rush of mergers a large shareholding was sold in Strintzis Ferries and the owners then traded under the name Blue Star Ferries. Although initially the older vessels were styled as Blue Ferries, they are now all marketed under the single strong brand of the main fleet.
Superferry II – © Ton Grootenboer (left) and © Andreas Wörteler (right)
Superferry II – © Andreas Wörteler (left) and June 2004 © Ken Larwood (right)
September 25th 2010: Collided with the pier as she approached the island of Tinos. The Ferry had departed from the island of Andros carrying 124 passengers. No injuries were reported and according to official information, the ferry will not be able to sail until the controlled water inflow is totally stopped. The Coast Guard is further investigating the conditions and causes of the accident, which could have been fatal under different circumstances.
February 27th 2011: Having been sold to new owners made her final sailing under the Blue Star banner.
Superferry II – © John F Hendy (both)
March 4th 2011: Due to start running for her new owners, Golden Star Ferries, Rafina to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos. Not being renamed.
Superferry II – © Tasos Papanastasiou
August 25th 2016: Noted as still being in service.
Superferry II – © Dimitris Mentakis
Superferry II – © Carsten Dettmer (Rafina 24/08/2017)
October 14th 2019: Completed her summer season in Rafina.
October 14th 2019: Sailed to Piraeus for “Winter lay-up”.
August 2020: Still in service Rafina to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos
Superferry II – © Carsten Dettmer (Rafina 07/08/2020)
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: Jean François Berden, Robert Bertel, Bernd Crause, Carsten Dettmer, Brian Fisher, Ton Grootenboer, John F Hendy, Kevin Hoggett, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyn, A G Jones, John Jones, Ken Larwood, Dimitris Mentakis, Tasos Papanastasiou, Simonwp, Ronald Steenacker, Urbain Ureel, Michael Woodland and Andreas Wörteler.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
Nice to see another early seventies ferry still earning its keep
Like others that have gone to the Med, a lot of passenger space has been created aft, but what a stylish bow she has now.
Superferry II is in excelent condition despite its 41 years of age,during summer it still reaches speeds of 21 knots.
Still sailing serenely in the Aegean. Saw her off the East coast of AntiParos, bound for Paros today, 3rd May 2018
Sailling today from Tinos to Rafina in Superferry II, good old school boat in a very decent condition! The ship is doing the 2020 (Covid-19…) summer season, unlike some of the highspeed boat that are not used this year.