Corsica Ferries - Sardinia FerriesFerriesPast and PresentSeabridgeStena LineStena RoRoTransmanche Ferries

MV Sardinia Vera (Ex Stena Atlantica) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7360617

MV Sardinia Vera

ex Corsica Vera, Marine Atlantica, Stena Nautica, Stena Atlantica

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Newhaven, 01/06/2005)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built by Rickmers Werft. GmbH, Bremerhaven in 1974 (Yard No. 381) for Stena Ab, Goteborg as a roll-on roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 120.88m (overall), 107.02m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 19.51m (moulded)
  • Draught: 5.90m (maximum)
  • Depth: 12.35m
  • Tonnage: 5,441 gross, 11,637 (1994), 12,107 (1998)/2,759 net/2,840 deadweight
  • Engines: Two 12 cylinder Atlas-MAK diesels
  • Power: 10,504 kW/14,080 bhp
  • Speed: 20.25 knots/18.0 knots
  • Capacity: 1,460 passengers 500 cars or 112 commercial trailers
  • Call Sign: SEGT, IBWV
  • IMO Number: 7360617
  • MMSI Number: 247392000
  • Registry: Gothenburg/Sweden 🇸🇪, Nassau/Bahamas 🇧🇸, Olbia/Italy 🇮🇹
  • Sister Ships: Stena Normandica (380), Stena Nordica (382), Stena Nautica (379)

History

“A unit in a series of four extremely load efficient short distance ferries, the so called Rickmers  (Seabridge) design by Knud E. Hansen, which the Stena companies had built in Germany between 1974 and 1975”.

1974: Keel struck as STENA ATLANTICA.

December 18th 1974: Launched as STENA NAUTICA.

May 30th 1975: Delivered to Stena Line Ab, Göteborg.

May 30th 1975: Bareboat chartered to Marine Atlantic, Canada and immediately renamed MARINE ATLANTICA.

Marine Atlantic

© K.H. Böttcher

© K.H. Böttcher

June 1975: Commenced service between North Sydney – Port aux Basques/ Argentina.

Postcard

October 1979: Sold to Roylease Ltd, Montreal, Canada. (Registered in the Bahamas, home port Nassau).

June 1986: Sold to Tourship Co S.A, Nassau, Bahamas.

October 15th 1986: Arrived in La Spezia, Italy.

1987: Registered to Medinvest S.A, Genoa, Italy. Renamed CORSICA VERA.

June 30th 1987: Sold to Nuova Trans Tirreno Express SrL, Olbia, Italy. Renamed SARDINIA VERA.

1987: Commenced service for Sardinia Ferries between Livorno – Golfo Aranci.

1996: Introduced between Civitavecchia – Golfo Aranci.

March 4th 2001: Bareboat chartered to Conseil Général de Seine Maritime, Dieppe, France.

March 2001: Arrived in Dieppe and laid up.

April 11th 2001: Introduced by Transmanche Ferries for services between Dieppe – Newhaven.

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

November 29th 2001: Dieppe/Newhaven vessel prevented from sailing under breach of safety regulations.

December 17th 2001: Prevention Order, listing 30 recorded deficiencies, lifted (Fire drill unsatisfactory, access allowed to car decks while the vessel at sea). Defects outstanding from previous inspection.

  

© George Holland

February 1st 2002: Grounded on approach to Newhaven. Minor damage sustained, but re-floated and able to proceed into Newhaven harbour.

Accident date: 20/11/02
Details
Ship grounded in the approach channel to Newhaven

Action taken
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has made recommendations to the port manager with reference to:

  • The introduction of procedures to ensure that depths in the approach channel, and other areas prone to silting, are frequently monitored
  • Increasing the frequency of dredging operations in the approach channel
  • The adoption of measures to reduce silting
  • The prompt dissemination of depth information
  • The production of written operational procedures

Recommendations were also made to the ship manager regarding:

  • The conducting of risk assessment of all ports visited by its ships
  • Raising the awareness of the fact that the approach channel to Newhaven is prone to silting
  • The provision of guidance on the use of voyage data recorders
  • The need for periodic confirmation of the accuracy of GPS receivers fitted

January 11th 2005: Grounded whilst approaching Newhaven. No injuries and only minor damage. Vessel refloated and entered Newhaven.

  

© George Holland

March 31st 2006: Completion of charter to Transmanche Ferries.

     

© Andrew Gilbert (Last day @ Newhaven and final sailing)

April 6th 2006: Arrived Genoa.

May 27th 2006: Commenced service between Civitavecchia – Golfo Aranci.

November 13th 2007: Arrived in Piraeus.

November 19th 2007: Laid up in Keratsini.

March 21st 2008: Due to commence services for Kallisti Ferries, but legal argument prevented this and she was laid up in Piraeus.

June 25th 2008: Commenced service between Piraeus – Naxos – Ikaria – Fourni – Samos.

    

© Aleksi Lindström (all)

July 2009: Taken out of service.

July 24th 2009: Towed to Savona for lay up.

June 24th 2010: Commenced services between Toulon/ Nice – Ile Rousse/ Calvi.

Summer 2012: Laid up in Vado Ligure due to a reduction in traffic.

January 2013: It was announced that the SARDINIA VERA would join the MEGA EXPRESS THREE on the Olbia – Golfo Aranci service.

Summer 2014: Served between Livorno and Golfo Aranci.

© Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy

© Nicolas Lévy

January 2017: Dry docking in Genoa.

January 25th 2017: Departed Genoa for Vado Ligure. She is due to service routes from Piombino to Porto-Vecchio, Bastia and Golfo Aranci this Summer.

January 26th 2017: It was announced that the Sardinia Vera had been chartered to the Spanish operator Balearia for 3 months to provide refit cover.

January 28th 2017: Departed Vado Ligure for Valencia, Spain.

© Manuel Hernández Lafuente © Manuel Hernández Lafuente 

© Manuel Hernández Lafuente (Valencia)

February 1st 2017: Entered service for Balearia between Valencia and Mostaganem.

2017: Service routes from Piombino to Porto-Vecchio, Bastia and Golfo Aranci this Summer.

© Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer (Livorno, 11/10/2020)

2022: In service from Livorno – Bastia.

© Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy

© Nicolas Lévy (Bastia, 23/07/2022)

2023: Remains in service from Livorno – Bastia.

© Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy © Nicolas Lévy

© Nicolas Lévy (Bastia, 23/07/2023)

September 1st 2023: Came off service in Livorno.

September 2nd 2023: Sailed to Genoa. for refit and lay up

November 8th 2023: Left Genoa.

November 9th 2023: Arrived Vado Ligure, Italy for further lay up.

February 9th 2024: Announcement made that she would be sold for scrap.

February 24th 2024: Sailed to Savona.

March 7th 2024: Returned to Vado Ligure and continued lay up.

April 26th 2024: Left Vado Ligure for Aliaga ( eta: 02/05/2024).

© Tomasello Letterio

© Tomasello Letterio (Messina, 29/04/2024)

May 2nd 2024: Arrived Aliaga.

May 4th 2024: Beached.

© Ship Breaking

🆕 © Ship Breaking

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: Carsten Dettmer, Fotoflite, Andrew Gilbert, George Holland, Nicolas Lévy, Manuel Hernández Lafuente, Tomasello Letterio, Aleksi Lindström, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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