MV Shelf Explorer
Ex Transocean Shelf Explorer, Shelf Explorer, Shearwater Bay, Zwartkops, Lohengrin
© Hans-Wilhelm Delfs
Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1964 by Fr Lürssen Werft, Bremen-Vegesack, West Germany (Yard No 13328) as General Cargo/RoRo.
Technical Data
- Length: 83.19 m (overall) 75.04 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 12.91 m
- Depth: 7.29 m
- Draught: 3.61/5.398 m
- Tonnage: 810 – 1725 – 1197 – 2017 gross/379 – 1213 – 1485 – 16507 net/1073 – 1888 – 2480 – 912t deadweight
- Engines: 1 x 8-cyl, Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz diesel.
- Power: 1417 kW/1900 bHP
- Speed: 13.5 knots
- Capacity: Grain 169.112 cubft – Bale 154.970 cubft/300 cars/No passenger certificate. Fitted with bow and stern dors
- Call Sign: DDUW, ZSJN, V3OZ3
- IMO Number: 6409430
- Official Number: 351101//11932055
- Port of Registry: Bremen/Germany 🇩🇪, Durban/South Africa 🇿🇦, Cape Town/ South Africa 🇿🇦, Belize/Belize 🇧🇿, Honduras 🇭🇳
History
March 1964: Delivered as LOHENGRIN to Wallenius Bremen, GmbH, Bremen, West Germany.
January 19th 1965: Caledonian Steam Packet Co (Irish Services) Ltd announced her charter.
June 7th 1965 – September 26th 1965: One daily round-trip service Larne – Stranraer to supplement CALEDONIAN PRINCESS. She carried only vehicles, having no passenger certificate and required up to 3 hours for a single crossing.
© Fortepan_Andothers (Left)
© Fotoflite (01/06/1965_
February 1966: Services taken over by STENA NORDICA (I).
October 1969: Sold to Thesen’s Steamship Co Ltd, Durban, South Africa and renamed ZWARTKOPS .
1970: Inaugurated South Africa’s first car ferry service.
1979: Sold to Marine Diamond Co, Cape Town, South Africa. Rebuilt as a diamond dredger. Renamed SHEARWATER BAY .
1981: Sold to CDM Pty Ltd, Cape Town, South Africa. Manager: De Beers Marine (Pty) Ltd
1994: Sold to Caraway Ltd, Belize City, Belize and renamed SHELF EXPLORER .
1985: Converted to a suction dredger in 1985.
1998: Renamed TRANSOCEAN SHELF EXPLORER .
1999: Sold to Shelf Explorer Ltd, San Lorenzo, Honduras and renamed SHELF EXPLORER .
April 11th 2002: Wrecked at position 27.30S/ 15.24E.
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: Fortepan_Andothers, Fotoflite and Hans-Wilhelm Delfs for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
