MV Norbank
© Robert J Smith (Liverpool, 28/10/2014)
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1993 by Van der Giessen-De Noord, Holland (Yard No 961) for North Sea Ferries, Hull, England
Technical Data
- Length: 166.7m (overall) m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 23.89 m
- Depth: m
- Draught: 6.01 m
- Tonnage: 17464 gross/5239 net/6791t deadweight
- Engines: Two 9-cylinder and Two 8-cylinder Sulzer – Zgoda diesels
- Power: 24500 kW/HP
- Speed: 23 knots (max)
- Capacity: 114 passengers/ 156 x 12m freight units/2040 lane metres
- Call Sign: PGIS
- IMO Number: 9056583
- Official Number: 18395ZR
- MMSI Number: 246213000
- Port of Registry: Hamilton/Bermuda 🇧🇲, Rotterdam/Netherlands 🇳🇱
- Sister-Ship: Norbay (962)
Current AIS Location
Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.
History
NORBANK and NORBAY (962) are the first of a new generation of ‘super freighters’ built in the 1990’s and are an evolution of the design used for 5 freight ferries built by Finacantieri (in Italy) and Van der Giessen (the Netherlands) for Italy’s Viamare sea motorway project.
June 5th 1993: Launched.
© Simonwp (Rotterdam, 01/08/1993)
© Fotoflite, Sea trials in the North Sea
October 29th 1993: Delivered to Noordzee Verdiensten B.V., Rotterdam, Holland.
🆕 © Simonwp (Naming Ceremony, Rotterdam October 1993)
October 31st 1993: Commenced service between Rotterdam – Hull.
© Bernd Crause (Europoort, 1994)
© Pieter Inpyn (Europoort, 01/07/1995)
January 1st 1997: Registered to Norships CV, Rotterdam, Holland. Bareboat chartered to P&O Group, London, England, under the company name of P&O North Sea Ferries.
© Simonwp (Europoort, 01/09/1998)
May 2001: Introduced into service between Rotterdam – Felixstowe.
December 2001: Last month on the Rotterdam – Felixstowe route.
July 7th 2002: Commenced service for P&O Irish Ferries between Liverpool – Dublin.
August 7th 2006: Called at Larne, Co Antrim for an underwater survey.
© Aubrey Dale (Larne, 07/08/2006)
November 2009: Registered to P&O European Ferries Irish Sea, Dover, U.K.
© Leo Johannes (Dublin, 07/07/2009)
© Robbie Cox ( Dublin, 07/12/2011)
© Robbie Cox (Dublin, 26/05/2014)
© Robbie Cox (Dublin 03/04/2015) Seen wearing the revised P&O Ferries livery
May 2018: Remains in service on the Irish Sea operating between Liverpool and Dublin.
March 24th 2019: Left Liverpool for refit in Gdansk.
April 22nd 2019: Resumed service Dublin – Liverpool.
April 19th 2020: Trial service between Dublin – Mostyn.
April 22nd 2020: A High Court judge ordered the arrest of the ‘Norbank’ which docked in Dublin Port. The warrant for the arrest was sought over an alleged debt of €381,000 owed in relation to charter fees on another vessel. Seatruck Ferries Ltd with registered offices at North Quay, Port of Heysham, Morecambe in Lancashire, UK had sought the arrest warrant. The matter was later resolved and the vessel continued service.
April 1st 2021: Left Dublin for Larne.
April 1st 2021: Relief at Larne – Cairnryan, covering for EUOPEAN HIGHLANDER at refit.
© Gary Andrews
© Trevor Kidd (Larne, 06/04/2021)
April 23rd 2021: Completed service and sailed to Tyne for refit.
April 24th 2021: Arrived A & P, Tyne for refit.
May 10th 2021: Left Tyne for Larne.
May 11th 2021: Relief at Larne – Cairnryan, covering for EUROPEAN CAUSEWAY at refit.
© Stephen Brown
© Trevor Kidd (Larne, 23/05/2021)
May 31st 2021: Resumed service Dublin – Liverpool.
© Eddie Walker (Liverpool, 10/08/2021)
December 31st 2021: Left Dublin for Rotterdam.
January 4th 2022: Relief cover for PRIDE OF ROTTERDAM and PRIDE OF HULL (refits) between Hull – Europoort.
January 22nd 2022: Came off service at Rotterdam and sailed to Dublin.
March 17th 2022: P&O ordered all its ships back into port to sack the 800 crew members and replace them by agency workers.
March 20th 2022: Resumed sailings Liverpool – Dublin.
© Malcom Cranfield (Liverpool, August/March 2022)
August 22nd 2023: P&O Ferries internal announcement of route closure Liverpool – Dublin where Peel Ports (Liverpool) stated current berth would no longer be available after the end of 2023.
© Trevor Kidd (Dublin, 12/11/2023)
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: Stephen Brown, Robbie Cox, Bernd Crause, Aubrey Dale, Fotoflite, Pieter Inpyn, Leo Johannes, Simonwp, Robert J Smith, Eddie Walker and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Special thanks to Trevor Kidd
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
Superb photos and information.