MV Hebridean Sky

Ex Sea Explorer I, Sea Explorer, Corinthian II, Island Sun, Sun, Ranai I, Renaissance Seven

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1991 by Nuovi Cantieri Apuania, Marina di Carrara, Italy (Yard no 1146) for Renaissance Cruises, Palermo, Italy.

Technical Data

Length: 90.60 m (overall)78.780 m (between perpendiculars)
Breadth: 15.30 m
Depth: 8.55 m
Draught: 3.950 m
Tonnage: 4280 gross/1284 net/450 – 550 deadweight
Engines: 2 Oil SA 8-cylinder MAN – B & W 8L28/32A-FHO diesels
Power: 3520 kW/4785 BHP
Speed: 15.5 knots
Passenger Decks: 5
Capacity: 114 passengers
Crew: 72
Call Sign: ICPG, 9HCO8, V7WD8, C6BG2
IMO Number: 8802882
Official Number: 1174
Port of Registry: Palermo/Italy, Monrovia/Liberia, Nassau/Bahamas, Valletta/Malta, Majuro/Marshall Islands, Nassau/Bahamas
Sister-Ship: Renaissance Five, Renaissance Six, Renaissance Eight

[sc:ais mmsi=311000253]

History

1991: Launched for Yachtship Italy, Italy.

December 2nd 1991: Delivered to Renaissance Cruises, Palermo, Italy and named REGINA RENAISSANCE.

1998: Renamed RENAISSANCE SEVEN.

October 2001: Arrested in Gibraltar.

December 2001: Laid up in Marseille.

December 2001: Sold to Grand Seaways, Palermo and renamed RENAI I.

November 2003: Arrived in Barcelona for refit.

November 2003: Sold to Sun Shipholding Ltd-Ber, Nassau, Bahamas and renamed SUN.

2004: Arrived in Drammen, Norway for conversion.

May 2004: Sold to Mauritius Island Cruises, Port Louis, Mauritius and renamed ISLAND SUN.

June 2004: Chartered to Noble Caledonian, London.

June 26th 2004: Maiden cruise from Dover to Travemünde.

June 2004: Baltic cruising from Travemünde.

September 2004: Cruising the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

November 2004: Cruising around Mauritius.

November 8th 2004: Maiden cruise from Port Louis to La Reunion and the Cargados Islands, but the Coastguard forbade passengers to land there so the remaining cruises were cancelled.

December 4th 2004: Arrived in Freemantle to do two and three day cruises, but only one was completed.

January 2005: Laid up in Singapore.

February 23rd 2005: Sold to Corinthian II Owner Ltd, Valletta, Malta and renamed CORINTHIAN II.

March 2005: Chartered to Travel Dynamics.

March 2013: Renamed SEA EXPLORER.

October 2014: Renamed EXPLORER I.

October 2014: Sold to Hebridean Sky Shipping Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas. Management Salen Ship Management.

April 13th 2016: Arrived at Öresund Drydocks for refit.

April 2016: Renamed HEBRIDEAN SKY.

May 4th 2016: Trials in Öresund.

May 5th 2016: Left Landskrona for Kirkwall.

April 21st 2018: Ran aground in northern central Cuba waters off the Cayo Media Luna islet. The ship became stuck on sandy bottom and re-floated by her own means early the same evening. She reached safe waters and resumed sailing. The vessel was en route from Havana to Antilla.

October 1st 2019: Due at Dover.

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: Cees Bustraan, Robbie Cox, Aleksi Lindström, Carlo Martinelli, John Mavin, and Simonwp for their assistance in producing this feature.