MV Superstar
ex Superferry II, Ionian Express, Prince Laurent
Nigel Thornton Collection (© Mike Louagie)
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: 13240 kW
- Speed: 22 knots
- Capacity: 1,302 passengers, 189 cars (1974)/2,440 passengers, 271 cars (1992)
- Call Sign: ORAH , SWKV
- IMO Number: 7346221
- MMSI Number: 237001000
- Registry: Ostend/Belgium 🇧🇪, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷
- Sister Ships: Prins Philippe (1477)
Current AIS Location
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History
The second of a pair of similar multi-purpose ferries with larger freight capacity from the Boelwerf in Temse (formerly Jos Boel & Sons). The first was PRINS PHILIPPE which, although similar in appearance, did not have hoistable mezzanine decks..
February 6th 1974: Launched.
© Jean François Berden, Courtesy of Boelwerf Blog
© Ronald Steenacker
July 1974: Delivered to Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RMT), Ostend, Belgium.
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.
© Urbain Ureel
© A G Jones (Left) and © Ken Larwood (Right)
July 15th 1974: Commenced service between Ostend – Dover.
© Ken Larwood (Left) and © Brian Fisher (Right)
© Kevin Hoggett (Left) © Michal Woodland (Right)
Postcard (Left) © Karel Goutsmit (Right)
February 2nd 1978: Collided with the quayside in Dover and repaired in Ostend.
© John Jones (Left) © Simonwp (Dover Western Docks 12/09/1978)(Right)
© Nigel Thornton
© Simonwp (Ostend, August 1981)
🆕 © Mike Louagie (May, 1982)
© A G Jones (Dover, 01/11/1984)
October 25th 1985: An agreement with Townsend Thoresen (The European Ferries Group) was successfully concluded and completely excluded Sealink UK Ltd.
© John F Hendy
© 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.
© John F Hendy (November 1985 @ Ostend prior to entering service with new livery)
© Ken Larwood
© Brian Fisher (Left) and © Ted Ingham (Right)
© Pieter Inpyn
© Fotoflite
Postcard (© Mike Louagie) (Both)
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.
© Urbain Ureel
Nigel Thornton Collection (© Mike Louagie)
Nigel Thornton Collection (© Mike Louagie) (Left) and © Brian Fisher (Right)
© Ken Larwood
© Fotoflite
🆕 © Mike Louagie
February 4th 1990 – May 1990: Chartered to Sealink Dieppe Ferries. Operated between Dieppe – Newhaven.
Anderson Collection
1991: Fourth new livery in seven years under the official trading name, The Dover – Ostend Line.
© Julien Tahon
© Mike Louagie (May 1991 after livery change)
© Andreas Wörteler (Left) and © David Ingham (Right)
Courtesy of Michael Woodland
1991: In the autumn she was laid up.
July 6th 1992 -July 10th 1992: Dry-docked at Vlissingen.
Edmund Ziegler Collection
July 29th 1992: Sold to Strintzis Line, Piraeus, Greece and renamed IONIAN EXPRESS leaving Ostend for Perama and rebuilding.
Tasos Papanastasiou Collection
May 1993: Renamed SUPERFERRY II, and introduced between Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Mykonos – Syros.
© Ton Grootenboer (Left) and © Carsten Dettmer (Right)
© 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.
© Ton Grootenboer (Left) and © Andreas Wörteler (Right)
© 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.
© 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.
© Tasos Papanastasiou
August 25th 2016: Noted as still being in service.
© Dimitris Mentakis
© 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
© Carsten Dettmer (Rafina 07/08/2020)
April 30th 2021: “Reportedly sold to Seajets, owned by the Greek flamboyant shipowner Marios Iliopoulos, who operates the largest high-speed ferry fleet in Greek waters, but also has some conventional ro-pax ferries. Together with the SUPERFERRY II, Seajets will also take over three fast ferries from Golden Star Ferries, whose fleet will now be reduced to two ships. Seajets / Iliopoulos also bought several cruise ships last year after the cruise market collapsed in the wake of COVID-19 and cruise ship market value collapsed.”.
© Carsten Dettmer (Rafina 11/08/2021)
October 10th 2021: Anticipated change of ownership to Seajet.
October 11th 2021: Sold to Sgoni Shipping, Ltd, Limassol, Cyprus and renamed SUPERSTAR for Seajets services.
October 12th 2021: Delivered to Seajets in Rafina for services Rafina – Andros, Tinos and Mykonos. Rebranded in Rafina.
© Tony Davis
December 8th 2021: To Chalkida Shipyards.
December 23rd 2021: Sailed to Rafina and laid up.
February 7th 2022: Left Rafina for Mykonos.
April 8th 2022: Services Rafina – Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Paros.
October 30th 2022: Lay-up in Drapetsonas.
December 31st 2022 – October 31st 2023: Services Paros – Mykonos – Tinos – Andros – Rafina.
February 28th 2023:
“The Port Authorities of Lavrio, Kymi, Andros and Karystos were informed in the early morning about a damage to the port side main engine of the ‘Superstar’ 3,5 nautical miles west of Agios Efstratiou, without the Master requesting assistance. The ferry sailed under its own power at a reduced speed to the port of Lavrio, where it safely berthed at 11.40 a.m. UTC and disembarked the 140 passengers and loaded vehicles. The Central Port Authority of Lavrio banned the ship from sailing until the repair of the damage and the presentation of a certificate of maintenance of class by the monitoring classification society. The ship left the port again on March 1 at 10.45 a.m.”
May 23rd 2023: Refit at Koros Shipyard, Salamina.
May 30th 2023: Left Salamina and sailed to Lavrio.
June 22nd 2023: Left Lavrio for Volos and took up services ( Northern Sporades) Volos – Skiathos – Skopelos – Alonissos.
© Strike7 (Alonnisos, 22/08/2024)
January 22nd 2025: Dry-docked in Salamis.
March 20th 2025: Resumed service ( Northern Sporades) Volos – Skiathos – Skopelos – Alonissos, sporting new livery.
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, Tony Davis, Carsten Dettmer, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Karel Goutsmit, Ton Grootenboer, John F Hendy, Kevin Hoggett, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyn, A G Jones, John Jones, Ken Larwood, Mike Louagie, Dimitris Mentakis, Tasos Papanastasiou, Simonwp, Ronald Steenacker, Strike7, 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.
Remember from my days with Sealink wonderful ship could hear her miles away caught out a few times her sheer speed entering port. thing that left an impression is that it always smelt different on her car deck compared to a british ship. Glad she still earning her keep. Not many left now from my Sealink days only her & Bari ex St Anselm.
She’s now sailing between skiathos, skopelos and Alonissos. Saw her today!. Its quite funny seeing the lorries reversing up the ramp in skiathos. They take a few attempts as they slide on the hot floors. All this happening outside the tavernas in skiathos Town.
Sailed on her today, better than most modern ferries
De bouw en proefreis mede gemaakt te TEMSE.
5 jaar op gevaren als elektricien.
Was mijn favoriet .
“The construction and test trip were also made in TEMSE.
5 years of experience as an electrician.
Was my favorite.”