MV Barbat

ex Lider Samsun, Taurine, Anglian Way, Thomas Wehr, Hornlink, Fuldatal, Santa Maria, Mana, Thomas Wehr, Dana Germania, Tor Neerlandia, Thomas Wehr, Wacro Express, Thomas Wehr

© Simonwp (Immingham, 21/04/1981)

Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1977 by Rickmers Werft, GmbH, Bremerhaven, Germany. (Yard No. 388) as a RoRo Cargo ship.

Technical Data

• Length: 116.1 – 141.07 m (overall), 103.41 – 133.20m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth of hull: 17.42m
• Depth: 12.22 m
• Draught: 5.281 – 5.22 m
• Tonnage: 1599- 2185-7628 gross/627-1162-2888 net /2900-4190-4320t deadweight
• Engines: 2 Oil 4 SA  8-cylinder Atlas-MaK 8M453AK diesels
• Power: 6,000 bhp/4,413 kW
• Speed: 15.0 knots (17.5 knots max)
• Capacity: 12 passengers, cars 40, TEU 140-341, Containers 140-20’/180-20’
• Crew: 20
• Call Sign: DHNW, H9KQ, 9HIB9,T8A2173, S43TK, TJMoo93
• MMSI Number: 613481700
• IMO Number: 7613404
• Official Number:
• Registry: Hamburg/Germany 🇩🇪, Saint John’s/Antigua 🇦🇬, Hamburg/Germany 🇩🇪, Port Funafuti/Tuvalu 🇹🇻, Panama City/Panama 🇵🇦, Valletta/Malta 🇲🇹, Belize City/Belize 🇧🇿, Freetown/Sierra Leone 🇸🇱, Zanzibar/Tanzania 🇹🇿, Malakal Harbour/Palau 🇵🇼, Kribi/Cameroon 🇨🇲
• Sister Ships: Emadala (395), Mashala (389), Salahala (390), Gabriele Wehr (391)

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Current AIS Location

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History

August 30th 1976: Keel laid.

© Rickmers Werft

January 18th 1977: Launched as THOMAS WEHR

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

© Simonwp (With GABRIELE WEHR )

April 22nd 1977: Delivered to Oskar Wehr KG, Hamburg, Germany and immediately chartered to Wacro Lines. Renamed WACRO EXPRESS.

1977: Service Europe – West Africa.

April 17th 1978: Chartered completed and renamed THOMAS WEHR.

1978 – 1979: Chartered to Stena Line, Gothenburg for services Kiel – Gothenburg.

1980: Chartered to Lübeck Linie AG, Lübeck for services Lubeck – Halmstad.

1982: Lengthened at Werft Nobiskrug, Rendsburg, Germany.

August 23rd 1982: Chartered to Tor Lloyd renamed TOR NEERLANDIA for services Rotterdam – Immingham.

© Simonwp (Immingham, 15/09/1982)

September 1984: Chartered to NATO for a few trips between Zeebrugge – Harwich.

March 1985: Chartered to NATO for a trip between Southampton – Dundee – Norway.

   

© Brian Fisher

March 1985: Chartered to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark and renamed DANA GERMANIA.  Services between Harwich – Hamburg – Esbjerg.

© Simonwp

December 1985 – January 5th 1986: Refit in Bremerhaven.

December 17th 1985: Chartered having been completed she was renamed THOMAS WEHR.

January 7th 1986 – July 1st 1987: Chartered to North Sea Ferries B.V., Rozenburg for services between  Zeebrugge – Hull.

© Simonwp (Zeebrugge, 16/06/1986)

1988: Chartered to Cobelfret for services between Belgium and UK.

1989: Chartered to Elbe Humber Roline for service between Cuxhaven – Immingham and Bremerhaven – Harwich.

September 26th 1990 –  April 26th 1991: Chartered to North Sea Ferries B.V., Rozenburg for services  Rotterdam – Hull.

April 1991: Chartered to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen Denmark for services Helsingborg – Immingham.

May 7th 1991 – September 12th 1991: Chartered to North Sea Ferries B.V., Rozenburg for services between Zeebrugge – Middlesbrough.

June 1992 – August 1992: Chartered to Irish Ferries, Dublin, Ireland for services between Cherbourg – Rosslare.

March 31st 1993: Renamed MANA.

1993: Renamed SANTA MARIA.

October 4th 1993: Renamed FULDATAL.

February 1994: Chartered to Horn Line and renamed HORNLINK,. Services between Hamburg – Felixstowe.

© Simonwp (Hamburg, 01/06/1994)

1994: Renamed THOMAS WEHR.

October 8th 1994: Chartered to P&O European Ferries for services between Le Havre – Portsmouth.

October 1995 – October 1999: Services between Felixstowe – Zeebrugge.

© Simonwp (Zeebrugge, 01/08/1999)

October 1999: Charter completed and laid up in Hamburg.

November 1999: Laid up in Wilhelmshaven.

February 7th 2000: Chartered to Ferryways, Ostend, Belgium for services Ostend – Ipswich.

July 2001: Sold to Ferryways NV, Panama and renamed ANGLIAN WAY.

© Simonwp (Europoort, 05/05/2002)

   

© Pieter Inpyn (Ostend, 01/09/2002)

© Andreas Wörteler (Ostend, 14/11/2002)

Saturday, February 22nd 2003:

RO-RO VESSELS COLLIDE AT ENTRANCE TO RIVER ORWELL

At a quarter to eleven yesterday evening Thames Coastguard were informed of a collision between two Ro-Ro cargo vessels in the entrance to the River Orwell. Both vessels were on passage between Ipswich and Ostend, with one inbound to Ipswich and one outbound. The inbound vessel the “SAPPHIRE” went aground at the entrance to the River in the vicinity of No1 Buoy, Trimley Marshes, after the collision. The outbound vessel the “ANGLIAN WAY” continued on her passage to Ostend.

The Harwich Harbour Authorities were on scene very quickly with their Tug “MELTON” and their counter pollution vessel “HARWICH HAWK” and were able to establish quickly that there were no injuries to either crew and no pollution. The “SAPPHIRE” was refloated on the rising tide and after discharging her cargo in Ipswich, sailed to Ostend just before 6.00 am.

The “SAPPHIRE” is 6,568 gross registered tonnes and is registered in Sweden. The “ANGLIAN WAY” is 7,628 gross registered tonnes and is registered in Panama.

The weather at the time was light winds, fog with poor visibility and the sea state was smooth to slight. Thames Coastguard Duty Watch Manager Anthony Mayhew said: “Following the incident the Marine Accident Investigation Branch was informed, and they will make a decision as to whether to launch an investigation. The Belgian authorities have been contacted to conduct surveys on both vessels in Ostend.”

   

© Pieter Inpyn (Ostend, 01/08/2004)

   

© Aleksi Lindström (Kiel Canal, en-route to refit, 22/07/2006)

July 2006 – August 2006: Refit in Szczecin, Poland.

   

© Andreas Wörteler (Ostend, 14/10/2006)

June 13th 2007: Ferryways went bankrupt and the vessel was arrested in Ostend.

July 2007: Managed by Roroco NV (subsidiary of  Cobelfret) therefore avoided the bankruptcy.

July 8th 2007: Services for Roroco NV/Cobelfret Ferries between Ostend – Dartford/Killingholme.

August 29th 2007: Services between Ostend – Harwich.

December 2007: Services between Ostend – Killingholme.

January 2008: Registered to Roroco NV, Antwerp, Belgium.

February 2008 – March 25th 2008: Services for Dart Line/ Cobelfret between Ostend – Dartford.

March 25th 2008: Services for Dart Line/ Cobelfret between  Ostend – Harwich.

June 1st 2008: Services for Cobelfret between Zeebrügge – Purfleet.

   

© Ken Smith (Gravesend, 01/07/2008)

February 2009: Services for Dart Line/Cobelfret between Ostend – Ipswich.

April 2009: Renamed TAURINE.

June 29th 2009: Services between Zeebrügge – Purfleet.

   

© Simonwp (Zeebrugge, 10/03/2010)

April 28th 2010: Sold to Kanita Shipping Co, Ltd, Istanbul, Turkey and renamed LIDER SAMSUN.

April 30th 2010: Left Zeebrügge for Ipswich.

May 7th 2010: Left Ipswich for Famagusta.

2010: Began trading in the Black Sea.

July 16th 2010: Registered to Blackmore Shipping Co Ltd, Istanbul, Turkey.

© Evgeniy (Novorossiysk, 30/11/2016)

© Evgeniy (Novorossiysk, 04/07/2017)

June 2019: Manager: Avrasya Shipping Co Ltd.

2020: Still operating in the Black Sea.

October 20th 2020: Renamed BARBAT for Manager: Samsun Shipping Ltd and believed still operating in the “Black Sea”.

September 2023: Known to be operating between Samsun (Turkey) – Novorossiysk (Russia).

 

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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: Evgeniy, Brian Fisher, Pieter Inpyn, Aleksi Lindström, Simonwp, Ken Smith and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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