MV Samothraki
ex Barlovento, Banaderos, Pride of Cherbourg II, Pride of Cherbourg, Viking Voyager
Nigel Thornton Collection
Steel triple screw motor vessel built in 1975 by Aalborg Værft A/S, Aalborg, Denmark (Yard no 205) for Townsend Thoresen European Ferries as a passenger and vehicle ferry
Technical Data
- Length: 128.71m (overall), 119.87m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 20.22 m (extreme), 19.81m (moulded)
- Depth: 11.61m
- Draught: 4.53m (maximum)
- Tonnage: 6,386 – 6,079 gross/2,918 net/1,616 deadweight
- Engines: Two 8-cylinder Werkspoor 8TM410 “Wing” diesels, one 9-cylinder TM410 “centre” diesel
- Power: 10,655 kW
- Speed: 19.0 knots (service)
- Capacity: 1,200 passengers, 275 cars
- Call Sign: GUYP, EAEL, SYTU
- IMO Number: 7358303
- Official Number: 362870
- Port of Registry: Dover/UK 🇬🇧, Le Havre/France 🇫🇷, Dover/UK 🇬🇧, Canary Islands/Spain 🇪🇸, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷
- Sister ships: Viking Valiant (204), Viking Venturer (203), Viking Viscount (208)
History
“The third in a quartet of Townsend Thoresen’s Aalborg-built ‘Super Viking’ class”
June 13th 1975: Launched by Mrs Josephine Briggs, wife of the commercial director of European Ferries.
January 15th 1976: Delivered to Townsend Thoresen European Ferries, Dover, England.
Nigel Thornton Collection
© Peter Longhurst (Left) and © Bob Scott (Right)
January 20th 1976: Maiden voyage between Felixstowe – Zeebrugge.
© Peter Wearing (Left) © Brian Fisher (Right)
© Robert Bertel (Left) © Simonwp (Zeebrugge, Sept 1978) (Right)
1984: A new TT logo, in white, was introduced on the funnels.
May 22nd 1986: Commenced service between Southampton – Le Havre/Cherbourg.
© Brian Fisher (both)
May 27th 1986: Re-registered under the French flag.
October 1st 1986: Transferred back to the British flag.
December 31st 1987: Registered to P&O European Ferries, Ltd, Portsmouth, England.
1987: Following the “HERALD” disaster, from spring onwards, pale blue funnels with P&O flag logo became the norm.
© Brian Fisher (Left) and © Fotoflite (Right)
🆕 © Ron Richardsen (Both)
October 1987: There was a change to P&O European Ferries navy blue hull and funnel.
© Tony Garner (Left) and © Brian Fisher (Right)
© Robert J Smith
1989: Modernised passenger accommodation.
May 1989: Renamed PRIDE OF CHERBOURG.
© Simonwp (06/05/1989)
1990: Portsmouth – Cherbourg route.
© Ken Larwood (Left) and © Andreas Wörteler (Right)
March 18th 1994: Sold to Howill Shipping, England. Bareboat-chartered to P&O.
May 1994: Renamed PRIDE OF CHERBOURG II.
© Andreas Wörteler (all)
July 9th 1994: Final day operating between Portsmouth – Cherbourg.
July 10th 1994 – September 16th 1994: Introduced, freight only, between Portsmouth – Le Havre.
October 15th 1994: Sold to Fred. Olsen S.A., Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. Renamed BANADEROS.
1994: Introduced by Lineas Fred Olsen between Santa Cruz – Agaete.
Nigel Thornton Collection (Left) and © Ton Grootenboer (Right)
© Tony Garner (Left) and © Ulrich Streich (Right)
2000: Renamed BARLOVENTO. Commenced service between Los Cristianos – Santa Cruz – San Sebastian – Valverde
2001: Recorded owner/recorded manager; Olsen Lineas, Canary Island
© Andreas Wörteler
August 1st 2004: Reported sold to Saos Ferries with handover scheduled for October 2004. Her new owners are planning to run her either between Piraeus, Chios and Lesvos or between Laurio, Chios and Samos.
April 2005: Taken over by her new owners. Renamed SAMOTHRAKI.
April 11th 2005: Arrived in Piraeus for refurbishment.
Bernt Anderson Collection
July 13th 2005: Refit/dry-docking completed and introduced between Piraeus – Chios/ Piraeus – Chios – Mytilene – Limnos – Kavala.
© Andreas Wörteler
© Carsten Dettmer
2006: Change of livery.
August 17th 2006: Collided with the quayside in Mytilene and suffered minor damage.
© Aleksi Lindström
September 10th 2006: Suffered engine problems.
September 11th 2006: Arrived under tow in Piraeus.
November 4th 2006: Towed to Kynosoura.
January 17th 2007: Towed to Eleusis Bay for further lay-up.
2007: Towed to Piraeus.
© Frank Lose
2007: Returned to service.
October 13th 2007: Collided with a fishing boat.
December 3rd 2008: Off service and laying at Kavala.
June 29th 2009: Towed to Alexandroupolis for further lay-up.
July 2011: Sold to Turkish breakers.
July 23rd 2011: Arrived at Aliaga.
© Selim San
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: Robert Bertel, Carsten Dettmer, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Tony Garner, Ton Grootenboer, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindström, Peter Longhurst, Frank Lose, Ron Richardsen, Bob Scott, Robert J Smith, Ulrich Streich, Peter Wearing, Selim San, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
