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MV Mashala (Ex Sally Eurobridge/Riverdance) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7635361

MV Riverdance

ex Sally Eurobridge, Eurobridge, Sally Eurobridge, Schiaffino (II), Tikal, Halla, Mashala

© Carlo Martinelli

© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 20/05/1980)

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1977 by Rickmers Werft, GmbH, Bremerhaven, Germany (Yard No. 389), for Oskar Wehr KG, Hamburg as a passenger and commercial vehicle ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 116.31m (overall), 103.41m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth of hull: 18.22m
  • Depth: 12.22m
  • Draught: 5.38m
  • Tonnage: 1,599 – 6,041 gross/640 – 1,764 net /3,046 deadweight
  • Engines: Two MaK 8M452AK diesels
  • Power: 6000 bhp/4,413 – 4536 kW
  • Speed: 16.0 knots (max) 15 knots (service)
  • Capacity: 12 passengers, cars 40. 65 trailers, TEU 140, Containers 140/20′
  • Call Sign: 2CLL, C6CG3,
  • IMO Number: 7635361
  • Official Number: 373251 (LR 1984 – 85)
  • Registry: Hamilton/Bermuda 🇧🇲, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸, Rouen/France 🇫🇷, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸
  • Sister Ships: Emadala (395), Salahala (390), Gabriele Wehr (391), Thomas Wehr (388)

History

April 15th 1977: Launched.

“Second in a series of five RoRo Ferries built by Rickmers Werft, GmbH, Bremerhaven and all built for chartering to operators”

June 30th 1977: Delivered to Mashala Shipping Co., Hamilton, Bermuda.

1977: Chartered to Gilnavi Societa di Navigazione per Azoni, Genoa, for services between Genoa – Malta – Piraeus – Alexandria.

November 18th 1982: En-route Piraeus – Alexandria (Leghorn to Lattakia) ran aground near Crete (35 ° 12’N, long. 26 ° 17’E ). With a threat of sinking, she was abandoned and her crew was safely picked up by local fishing vessels.

November 1982: Re-floated and towed to Mirabello Gulf, Crete for repairs.

© Simonwp © Simonwp  

© Simonwp (Piraeus, 1984)

1987: Having been declared as a “Total Loss”, she was purchased from the insurance company, price USD 365000, and repaired in Karras Dock, Perama.

September 1987: Registered to Langford Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas and renamed HALLA.

1987: Registered to Caravanti Shipping Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas.

1988: Registered to Manor Shipping Co. S.A., Nassau, Bahamas. Renamed TIKAL and operating services in the Caribbean.

1989: Sold to Soc. D’Arm. et Nav. C. Schiaffino, Rouen, France and renamed SCHIAFFINO. Services between Ostend – Ramsgate.

© Ted Ingham © Ted Ingham © Ted Ingham

© Ted Ingham (all)
© Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood
© Ken Larwood (all)

© Urbain Ureel © Urbain Ureel  

© Urbain Ureel (both)

1990: Route taken over by Sally Lines and she was registered to International Trailer Service, Nassau, Bahamas.

© Ken Larwood © Urbain Ureel

© Ken Larwood (Left) and © Urbain Ureel (Right)

1991: Chartered to Belfast Freight Ferries, Belfast, Northern Ireland for services between Heysham – Belfast.

© Alan Geddes

© Alan Geddes (Belfast, 23/06/1992)

1993: Sold to Capital Leasing Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas and renamed SALLY EUROBRIDGE.

© Alan Geddes

© Alan Geddes (Belfast, 29/09/1993)

October 9th 1993: Chartered for six weeks to Dag Engström Rederi AB, Lysekil for services between Zeebrugge – Dagenham.

January 11th 1994 – June 21st 1994: Chartered to North Sea Ferries and renamed EUROBRIDGE. Operated services between Hull – Zeebrugge.

© Patrick Hill  © Simonwp

© Patrick Hill (Hull 19/03/1994)(Left) and © Simonwp (Hull 21/05/1994)

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Hull, 01/06/1994)

June 22nd 1994: Services for Sally Line between Vlissingen – Ramsgate. Renamed SALLY EUROBRIDGE.

© Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood  

© Ken Larwood

October 1994: Services between Vlissingen – Dartford.

June 19th 1995 – June 29th 1995: Chartered to Norfolk Line B.V., Scheveningen for services between Scheveningen – Felixstowe.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Scheveningen, 29/06/1995)

October 7th 1995 – 1996: Again chartered to Norfolk Line B.V, Scheveningen for services between Scheveningen – Felixstowe.

© Pieter Inpyn © Pieter Inpyn © Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn (Scheveningen, 01/11/1995)

January 1996: Chartered to North Sea Ferries for services between Zeebrugge – Middlesbrough.

© Tony Garner

© Tony Garner (Felixstowe, 27/05/1996)

July 1996: Registered to Starship Co. Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas. Chartered to Seatruck Ferries for services between Heysham – Warrenpoint and renamed RIVERDANCE.

February 1997: Sold to Seatruck Ferries.

© Aubrey Dale © Trevor Kidd  

© Aubrey Dale (Left) and © Trevor Kidd (Right)

May 28th 2002: One trip for Isle Of Man Steam Packet between Heysham – Douglas.

November 9th 2002: One trip for Isle Of Man Steam Packet between Heysham – Douglas.

January 13th 2003: One trip for Isle Of Man Steam Packet between Heysham – Douglas.

May 6th 2007: Chartered to Isle Of Man Steam Packet for two trips between Heysham – Douglas.

January 30th 2008: Grounded and became stranded on the Shell Flats, off Cleveleys Beach, Lancashire. The prevailing severe weather conditions prevented the vessel from being re-floated, and subsequent attempts to salvage her failed. No casualties

Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) Riverdance Report

© Robert J Smith © Robert J Smith

© Robert J Smith (April 2008)

Having been deemed a “Constructive Loss” she was finally cut up in-situ.

October 10th 2008: The wreck was reduced to the level of the beach.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Aubrey Dale, Tony Garner, Alan Geddes, Patrick Hill, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyn, Trevor Kidd, Ken Larwood, Carlo Martinelli, Simonwp, Robert J Smith, Urbain Ureel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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