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MV Abu Karim I (ex Commodore Clipper -1991) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 7120768

MV Abu Karim I

ex Hascosay, Sea Clipper, Transbaltica, Sea Clipper, Commodore Clipper, Euro Nor, Misida, Normandia, Juno

© Ivan Meshkov

© Ivan Meshkov (Suez, 09/05/2019)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1971 at Kristiansands Mek. Verk. A/S, Kristiansand, Norway (Yard No 217)  as a Passenger and RORO car/commercial vehicle ferry Finska Ångfartygs Ab, Helsinki, Finland.

Technical Data

  • Length: 42 m (overall) 106.89 m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 16.06 m
  • Depth: 12.81 m
  • Draught: 5.950 m
  • Tonnage: 1951 – 2311 gross/848 net/4171t deadweight
  • Engines: 2 Oil 4SA 9ZH49 6 cylinder Pielstick diesels
  • Power: 6620 kW/9000bHP
  • Speed: 19.0 knots (max) 14 knots (service)
  • Capacity: 12 passengers, 30 x 12 metre trailers (Main), 15 x 12 metre trailers (Top), 38 cars (Lower), 636 lane metres/TEU 218
  • Call Sign: FNLG, LDBR3, VSRH4, OGYX
  • IMO Number: 7120768
  • Official Number:
  • Port of Registry: Helsinki/Finland 🇫🇮, Caen/France 🇫🇷, Unknown, Tallinn/Estonia 🇪🇪, Oslo/Norway 🇳🇴, Lerwick/UK 🇬🇧, Beirut/Lebanon 🇱🇧
  • Sister Ships: Holmia (216), Leo (218)

History

July 2nd 1971: Launched.

December 3rd 1971: Delivered as JUNO to Finska Ångfartygs Ab, Helsinki, Finland.

December 7th 1971: Services Finland – Lübeck.

© Fotoflite Image Ref 266763  © Fotoflite Image Ref 346525

© Fotoflite (06/06/1978)

September 1978 – November 1978: Chartered to OY Bore Lines AB, Åbo for services Finland – Terneuzen – Rouen.

November 20th 1978 – December 3rd 1978: Chartered to North Sea Ferries B.V., Rozenburg for services Zeebrugge – Hull.

March 30th 1979: Sold to Compagnie Franco-Finlandaise (Société Navale Caennaise, Anct. B. Lemy & Cie), Caen, France and renamed NORMANDIA.

1979: Chartered to Brittany Ferries for services Roscoff/ St Malo – Cork.

© Fotoflite Image Ref 323151  © Fotoflite Image Ref 361043

© Fotoflite (06/06/1980)

1982: Chartered to Sudcargo for services France – Algeria – Middle East.

November 1986: Sold to Misida Sea Co Ltd, Valletta, Malta (Godby Shipping AB, Godby, Finland) and renamed MISIDA.

November 1986: Left Marseilles.

November 1986: Chartered to Transfennica.

© Capt Jan Melchers

© Capt Jan Melchers (Baltic, 25/09/1989)

1990: Sold to A/S Christiania Eiendomsselskap (Euro Nord Line A/S, Tromsö), Oslo, Norway and renamed EURO NOR.

© Dirk Jankowsky

© Dirk Jankowsky (Bremerhaven, March 1990)

January 23rd 1991: Chartered to Commodore Ferries, Guernsey for services Guernsey – Jersey – Portsmouth. Renamed COMMODORE CLIPPER.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Portsmouth, 01/02/1991)

© Patrick Hill  © Patrick Hill

© Patrick Hill (St Helier, 20/08/1991)

© Fotoflite

© Fotoflite (Ray Goodfellow Collection)

December 30th 1994: Ran aground at Jersey and repaired in Newcastle.

© Fotoflite Image Ref 169845  © Fotoflite Image Ref 169846

© Fotoflite (08/02/1995)

March 3rd 1996: Charter completed and made her final trip for Commodore Ferries.

May 1996: Chartered to Pandoro Ltd., Fleetwood for services Liverpool – Dublin.

October 1996: Chartered to Gulf Stream for services Lorient – Casablanca. Renamed SEA CLIPPER.

© Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn (Dunkerque, 01/05/1997)

May 13th 1997: Chartered to ScanFra Lines for services Wallhamn – Dunkerque.

October 10th 1997: Chartered to Amber Line A/S (Scandlines) for services Karlshamn – Liepaja.

January 1998: Chartered to Estonian Shipping Co, Tallinn, Estland (ESCO) and renamed TRANSBALTICA.

© Patrick Hill  Simonwp Collection

Hull, 10/01/1999 © Patrick Hill (left) and Simonwp Collection (Right)

February 1998: Services Tallinn – Kiel.

© Aleksi Lindström

© Aleksi Lindström (Helsinki, July 2000)

June 2001: Charter completed and renamed SEA CLIPPER.

July 2001: Chartered to Fjord Line for services Hanstholm – Bergen – Newcastle.

February 2002: Sold to NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland.

February 2002: Arrived at Polish shipbuilders for refit. Renamed HASCOSAY.

May 8th 2002 – August 2002: Chartered to Caledonian MacBrayne for services between Ullapool – Stornoway.

October 1st 2002: NorthLink Ferries services between Aberdeen – Kirkwall – Stromness.

© Ken Lubi  © Ken Lubi

© Ken Lubi (Aberdeen, 25/09/2009)

February 2010: Laid up in Kirkwall.

March 2010: Sold to Lahham Livestock & Meat Trading Co, Beirut, Lebanon.

March 15th 2010: Left Kirkwall for Lebanon.

November 2010: Registered to Khalifeh Shipping Line Co, Beirut, Lebanon and renamed ABOU KARIM I.

2011: Converted to a livestock Carrier.

June 23rd 2015: Laid up in Beirut.

© Ivan Meshkov

© Ivan Meshkov (Suez, 09/05/2019)

August 4th 2021: While in Beirut suffered severe damage when 2.750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which was being stored in a warehouse on the quayside after being taken off an impounded ship, exploded. She was so badly damaged that she later capsized and sank.

Internet source  Internet source

Internet Source

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: Nigel Scutt (Fotoflite), Patrick Hill, Aleksi Lindström, Ken Lubi, Pieter Inpyn, Dirk Jankowsky, Capt Jan Melchers, Ivan Meshkov, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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


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