MV Istanbul N
ex Ipswich Way, Rodona, Balder Dona
© Andreas Wörteler (Departing Ostend)
Steel twin screw motor vessel, built in 1980 by Karlskronavarvet AB, Karlskrona, Sweden (Yard No 397) as a Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) commercial vehicle ferry for Ivar Lundh & Co Ab, Stockholm, Sweden
Technical Data
- Length: 136.05 m (overall) 110.22 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 16.51 m
- Depth: 11.41 m
- Draught: 4.741 m
- Tonnage: 1599 – 1582 – 5262 gross/669 – 833 net/4538 – 3085 – 4550 deadweight
- Engines: Two 16-cylinder Nohab-Polar F216V-A diesels
- Power: 2207 kW/3000 HP
- Speed: 16 knots
- Capacity: 1,145 lane metres, 12 – 6 passengers (Bale 10500 cu.m, 332 TEU)
- Call Sign: SHWB, HPHX, 9HIT9, TCWO4
- IMO Number: 7816496
- MMSI Number: 271040024
- Port of Registry: Lysekil/Sweden 🇸🇪, Panama City/Panama 🇵🇦, Valletta/Malta 🇲🇹, Odessa/Ukraine 🇺🇦, Istanbul/Turkey 🇹🇷
- Sister-Ships: Balder Press, Balder Print, Balder Vinga (398), Breant (403)
History
June 20th 1979: Keel struck.
© Rickard Sahlsten (Andreas Wörteler Collection)
March 1980: Delivered to Engström & Larson, Lysekil, Sweden.
March 1980: Chartered for services in the Caribbean.
September 1982: Lengthened at Finnboda Varv, Nacka.
January 1984: Sold to Dag Engström Rederi A/B, Lysekil and renamed RODONA.
1987: Chartered to Cobelfret/Ford for services between Zeebrugge – Dagenham/Purfleet.
© Ted Ingham
© Pieter Inpyn (left) and © Ken Smith (right)
October 1999 – July 6th 2002: Chartered to P&O North Sea Ferries Ltd for services between Zeebrugge – Felixstowe.
© Tim Becker
July 2002: Chartered to Ferryways, Belgium for services between Ostend – Ipswich.
March 28th 2003: In thick fog she missed the harbour entrance of Ostend and collided with the pier. She was refloated soon after by the Belgian government tug ZEEHOND.
© Urbain Ureel
July 15th 2003: Sold to Ipswich Way, Ltd (Ferryways), Panama and renamed IPSWICH WAY. Operated services between Ostend – Ipswich.
© Pieter Inpyn
© Ken Smith
© Andreas Wörteler
© Andreas Wörteler
June 13th 2007: Ferryways went bankrupt and she was laid up in Ostend.
June 28th 2007: Registered to Management Roroco NV, Antwerp, Belgium.
July 9th 2007: Commenced services for Cobelfret Ferries between Ostend – Dartford.
© Ken Smith
January 23rd 2008: Registered to Roroco NV, Valletta, Malta.
May 2009: Sold to Hidiv Denizcilik Ltd Sti, Istanbul, Turkey (Istanbul Lines) and renamed ISTANBUL N for service across the Marmara Sea between Bandirma (Turkey) and Ambarli (Turkey).
© Evgeniy (Shipspotting.com)
October 2023: Still in service.
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: Tim Becker, Evgeniy, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyn, Bram Provost, Ken Smith, Urbain Ureel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
