MV Niobe I

ex Nour I, Transcontainer I

Matt Murtland Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1968 at Cons. Nav. & Ind. De la Mediterranean (CNIM), La Seyne , France (Yard No. 1381)as a passenger and train ferry.

Technical Data

• Length: 104.20m (overall)
• Breadth: 18.70m (moulded)
• Draught: 5.20m (maximum)
• Tonnage: 2760 gross (1968), 2289 (1991)/759 net (1968)(1991)/1829 deadweight (1968)(1991)
• Engines: Two 8-cylinder MWM diesels
• Power: 4400bhp/ 3326kW
• Speed: 16 knots
• Capacity: 36 passengers (1968) 1,000 (1991), and 36 railway wagons
• Call sign: FNZN, 3ETZ8
• IMO Number: 6904478
• Registry: Dunkerque/France 🇫🇷, Dieppe/France 🇫🇷, Panama 🇵🇦

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History

November 30th 1968: Launched. Part container ship.

February 1969: Delivered to Societe Nationale de Chemins der Fer Francais (SNCF) and introduced into service between Dunkerque – Harwich.

March 11th 1969: Maiden voyage sailing halted by strike.

© Ted Ingham

March 13th 1969: First sailing to Harwich.

   

© Brian Fisher (Left) © Fotoflite (Right)

   

© Ken Larwood (Left) Courtesy of Michael Woodland (Right)

1972/1973: All vessels were painted in the new house colours “Sealink” being added.

© Jim Ashby

October 24th 1974: Re-entered service (on Dunkirk – Dover or Dunkirk – Harwich) having been altered to a train ferry.

© Fotoflite

November 10th 1974 – January 8th 1975: Operated between Calais and Dover switching back to Dunkerque – Harwich immediately afterwards.

   

© A G Jones (both) (01/02/1975)

January 8th 1975: Inaugurated the new West Dunkirk (Gravelines) – Felixstowe 3 x weekly service.

   

© Peter Coupland

January 9th 1978: Collided with STENA NORDICA, outside Felixstowe and was subsequently repaired in Dunkerque.

© Bob Scott (1980)

© Derek Sands (Parkeston Quay, 27/01/1984)

April 1984: Her loss making route was terminated.

   

© A G Jones (05/12/1984)

1984 : Laid up in Dunkerque

March 9th 1985: Covered the Dieppe – Portsmouth route until her last run in October.

🆕© Simonwp (Portsmouth, March 1985)

February 1986 – July 1986: Returned to Dover – Dunkerque.

1986: Sold to Pireo Cia. Nav. S.A., Piraeus.

1987: Operated between Piraeus – Ravenna .

1991: Sold to Corporation Trans. S.A., Panama, and renamed NOUR I when she was rebuilt as a passenger ferry in Jordan.

Bernt Anderson Collection

1991: Introduced into service between Acaba and Nuwaiba.

© Yvon Perchoc (Suez Canal, 01/06/1995)

1995: Sold again to Kassimeris Arab Bridge, Panama (registered to Seatower Shipping Co. Ltd., Panama) and renamed NIOBE I.

 

Nigel Thornton Collection (Left) © Andreas Wörteler (Right)

December 1995: Sold to Rainbow Lines and rebuilt before serving between Otrantoi – Durres in 1996 then Brindisi – Durres and Igouenitsa in 1997.

© Frank Heine (Otrantoi, 13/07/1996)

1997: Laid up in Igoumenitsa before being introduced for Ikaria Lines between Brindsis – Otrantoi and Valona.

1998: Registered to Cascade Navigation Corp., Panama.

December 27th 2000: Reportedly arrived in Alang, India for scrapping.

 

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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: Bernt Anderson, Jim Ashby, Peter Coupland, Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Frank Heine, Ted Ingham, A G Jones, Ken Larwood, Matt Murtland, Yvon Perchoc, Derek Sands, Bob Scott, Michael Woodland and Andreas Wörteler.

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