MV Hebridean Sky
Ex Sea Explorer I, Sea Explorer, Corinthian II, Island Sun, Sun, Ranai I, Renaissance Seven
© Dennis Mortimer (Piraeus, 17/07/2011)
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
History
1991: Launched for Yachtship Italy, Italy.
December 2nd 1991: Delivered to Renaissance Cruises, Palermo, Italy and named REGINA RENAISSANCE.
© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 13/05/1994)
1998: Renamed RENAISSANCE SEVEN.
© Carlo Martinelli (Livorno, 04/10/1998)
© Aleksi Lindström (1999)
© Simonwp (Amsterdam 01/07/2000)
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.
© John Mavin (Dover, 18/08/2004)
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.
© Dennis Mortimer (Naplion, 17/11/2009) & (Piraeus, 28/06/2010)
March 2013: Renamed SEA EXPLORER.
© Robbie Cox (Dublin, 15/05/2013)
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.
© Cees Bustraan (Willemstad, 24/04/2017)
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.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
