MV St Rognvald

Ex Marino Torre, Rhone, Rhonetal, Norcape, Rhonetal

© Ken Lubi (Aberdeen, 01/06/1996)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1970 by Orestein & Koppel, Lübeck, West Germany (Yard No 671) as RoRo cargo.

Technical Data

• Length: 104.02 m (overall) 92.61 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 18.78 m
• Depth: 12.20 m
• Draught: 5.030 m
• Tonnage:  2465 gross/924 – 1054 net/3160 – 3211t deadweight
• Engines: 2 x 8-cyl, MaK diesels
• Power: 4413 – 4476kW/8750 – 6000bHP
• Speed: 17.5 knots
• Capacity: 26 passengers/696 lane meters
• Call Sign: DKJR, IBWF, GJWT
• IMO Number: 7029275
• Official Number: 729, 714177
• Port of Registry: Lubeck/Germany 🇩🇪, Marseille/France 🇫🇷, Trapani/Italy 🇮🇹, Aberdeen/UK 🇬🇧

History

September 4^th 1970: Launched with the name RHONETAL.

December 19^th 1970: Delivered as NORCAPE to Transcaribia Schiffahrtsgesellschaft Reinecke & Co, Hamburg, Germany and chartered to North Sea Ferries BV, Rozenburg, Holland.

December 23^rd 1970 – November 20^th 1972: Services Rotterdam – Hull.

November 20^th 1972 – January 8^th 1974: Services Zeebrugge – Hull.

March 12^th 1974 – March 21^st 1974: Services Rotterdam – Hull.

May 31^st 1974: Charter completed and renamed RHONETAL .

May 28^th 1975: Sold to Co. Meridionale de Navagition, Marseille, France and renamed RHONE . Taken over in Hamburg.

June 1975: Services Marseille – Bastia.

1977: Sold to Societe Slibail, Marseille, France.

1983: Sold to Compagneine Meridionale de Navigation, Marseille, France.

© Garry2a (Ajaccio, 1985)

1987: Sold to Compagnia Navigazione del Tirreno Conatir SpA, Trapani, Italy and renamed MARINO TORRE .

August 1989: Chartered to P&O Scottish Ferries, Aberdeen, Scotland for services Aberdeen – Lerwick.

1990: Weekly, Aberdeen – Stavanger – Hanstholm.

March 15^th 1990: Sold to P&O Scottish Ferries, Aberdeen, Scotland. 

April 1990: Renamed ST ROGNVALD .

© Simonwp (Aberdeen, May 1990)

© Richard Paton (Lerwick, August 1992)

1993: Chartered to P&O Ferrymaster for services Middlesbrough – Gothenburg.

July 1995 – August 1995: Chartered to Color Line for services Newcastle – Bergen.

© P & O

© Simonwp (Aberdeen, July 2001)

2002: Sold to Gulf Offshore, Aberdeen, Scotland.

October 2^nd 2002: Chartered to Norse Island Ferries for services Aberdeen – Kirkwall/ Aberdeen – Lerwick.

November 20^th 2002: Stranded in Aberdeen for three days owing to a severe storm.

July 7^th 2003: Norse Island Ferries suspended operations.

July 2003: Chartered to Northlink for services Aberdeen – Kirkwall – Lerwick.

December 5^th 2003: Last day in service. 

December 2003: Sold to Indian breakers.

January 24^th 2004: Arrived at Alang, India for scrapping.

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:  Garry2a, Ken Lubi, Richard Paton, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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