MV Guernsey Express

ex Viking IV

Viking IV – © Breken of Cowes postcard from the Roy Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1967 by Trosvik Verksted A/S, Brevik, Norway, (Yard No. 87) for Otto Thoresen Shipping Co. A/S, Oslo, Norway, as a passenger and commercial vehicle/trailer ferry

Technical Data

• Length: 92.00m (overall), 80.42m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth of Hull: 17.40m (extreme)
• Draught: 4.74m (maximum)
• Tonnage: 1,152 gross/574 net/1,575 deadweight
• Engines: Two oil 4SA Atlas-MaK 8-cylinder diesels.
• Power: 2070/1259 kW/2800 bhp
• Speed: 15 knots
• Capacity: 480 Lane metres
• Call Sign: LKYC, DZSY/H05449
• IMO Number: 6713049
• Official Number: 226098 (LR 1984 – 85)
• Registry: Oslo/Norway, Manila/Philippines
• Sister Ship: Mandeville

History

January 21st 1967: Launched.

June 1967: Delivered to Otto Thoresen Shipping Co. A/S, Oslo, Norway.

June 12th 1967: Commenced service between Southampton – Cherbourg.

Viking IV – © Ken Larwood (both)

Viking IV – 🆕 © Philippe P. Brébant (1967 – 1968)

September 12th 1968: Registered to Thoresen Car Ferries A/S, Oslo and chartered for 20 years to Thoresen Car Ferries Ltd., Southampton. Merger of Otto Thoresen Shipping Co, A/S, Oslo and Townsend Car Ferries, Dover. Companies named changed to Townsend Thoresen Car Ferries.

Viking IV – Roy Thornton Collection

1971: Service from Dover – Zeebrügge, then laid up.

Viking IV – © Bob Scott (left) and © Ted Ingham (right)

1977: Operated between Felixstowe – Europoort.

Viking IV – © Gordon Dalzell (Left)

June 1981: Sold to Vroon Shipping Co., Breskens, Holland. Renamed GUERNSEY EXPRESS.

1981: Rebuilt as a livestock carrier.

Guernsey Express

1981: Registered to Philippine Pacific Ocean Lines Inc. (Vroon B.V.), Manila, Philippines.

Guernsey Express –  © René Beauchamp (Contrecoeur, Canada 17/09/1989)

November 9th 1996: On a journey from Brisbane to Osaka ran into a hurricane and sank in position 13.02N, 144.01E.

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: René Beauchamp, Philippe P. Brébant, Gordon Dalzell, Ted Ingham, Ken Larwood and Bob Scott for their assistance in compiling this feature.

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