MV Silver River
ex Nathurn, Sea Trent, Seacon
© Jurgen Braker (Kiel Canal, 21/04/2009)
Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1968 by Gebr. Schlömer Schiffswerft, Oldersum, Germany (Yard No 185) as General Cargo ship for Sea & Continental Waterways Transport Ltd, London
Technical Data
- Length: 44.72 m (overall) 40.02 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 7.18 m
- Depth: 3.09 m
- Draught: 2.664 m
- Tonnage: 209 – 277 gross/135 – 138 net/376 – 373t deadweight
- Engines: Oil 4SA 6-cylinder Atlas MAK Masch diesel/ Caterpillar 3412 DIT diesel
- Power: kW/400 – 475 bHP
- Speed: 10.5 knots
- Capacity: G: 18450 cu.ft/B: 17050 cu.ft
- Callsign: GOYH, MEVM4
- MMSI Number: 232003561
- IMO Number: 6825218
- Official Number (LR 1974-75): 335848
- DNV id: G30530
- Port of Registry: London/UK 🇬🇧, Guernsey/UK 🇬🇧, Ramsey/Isle of Man
Current AIS Location
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History
February 1st 1968: Keel laid.
May 1st 1968: Launched.
July 6th 1968: Completed as SEACON for Sea & Continental Waterways Transport Ltd, London.
01/06/1969 © Fotoflite (Ref: BW692047) (Left)
October 7th 1970:
“SEACON was heading towards Dover Harbour for repairs. She had a cargo of 120 tons of bone meal and was on a voyage from Amsterdam to Cardiff. Cinque Ports pilot Peter Russell was already out in the launch KING JOHN II to guide the SEACON in to port and hearing the lifeboat maroons go off, said jocularly, “ I hope that’s not my ship!”. Peter’s fears were soon realised, for on arrival at the SEACON’s position he found the four crew members aboard a rubber boat.
It was an incredibly clear night, but in spite of such good visibility the ship had been run down by the Belgian car ferry ARTEVELDE some three-quarters of a mile from the harbour entrance, causing it to capsize and sink rapidly. Captain Claud Stubbs and his three companions were brought safely to harbour by the launch and landed on the Eastern Arm, However, the story did not finish there.
The consequences of what appeared to be a relatively minor marine accident had not been foreseen, for the sunken vessel had retained a certain amount of residual buoyancy and, during the days following, it drifted gradually closer to Dover’s eastern entrance, eventually closing it to navigation. Salvage work soon commenced but the ferries were forced to use the western entrance, suffering the occasional alarming experience during strong winds and spring tides.
Diving conditions were extremely difficult in the position of where the wreck lay, and it was not until December 12th that a lifting raft was able to raise the vessel, bring her into the harbour and beach her opposite the Dover Harbour Board offices, where the cargo was removed. The SEACON was finally moved to the Wellington Dock for repairs and later towed to Emden, Germany. After further work the two-year-old ship sailed again as the SEA TRENT; very few, if any, of the many other Channel casualties have sailed again after being sunk. “
Source: “Front Line Harbour” A history of the Port of Dover, Anthony Lane ISBN 978-1-4456-0030-7
© John G Callis
© Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping)
August 1971: Repairs completed, renamed SEA TRENT
1973: SEA TRENT for Freight Express Seacon Ltd., London.
© Charlie Hill (Courtesy of PWR)
1974: SEA TRENT for Alderney Shipping Ltd., London.1975: Home port Guernsey.
December 1979: Charter to Curnow Freight Services, route Plymouth – Alderney.
01/06/1980 © Fotoflite (Ref: 198938)
1982: NATHURN for Harry Keiken OHG (Helgoland Fracht Kontor GmbH), Helgoland, Germany.
April 1985: NATHURN for Hans Walter Gerdes, Elsfleth, Germany.
February 14th 1986: SILVER RIVER for Mezeron Ltd, Ramsey, Isle of Man.
1990: Renewed main engine, now Caterpillar 3412DIT.
1995: Remeasured, now 277 GT, 373 dwt
© Jurgen Braker (Kiel Canal, 21/04/2009)
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: Jurgen Braker, John G Callis, Nigel Scutt (Dover Strait Shipping/Fotoflite), Charlie Hill and PWR for their assistance in producing this feature.