M/V Normandy
Normandy has been operated by Irish Ferries between 1998 and 2007 on the France - Ireland service. Her name comes from her former name, Stena Normandy, which has been shortened by Irish Ferries.
| M/V Normandy (1998 - 2002) | |
|---|---|
| The Ship | |
| Launch | 1982 |
| Shipyard | Götaverken (SWE) |
| Owner | Irish Continental Group |
| Operator | Irish Ferries |
| Routes | Rosslare (IRL) - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (FRA) | Roscoff (FRA) |
| IMO | 7901772 |
| Call Sign | EINF (1998 - 2005); C6UD3 (2005 - 2007) |
| Port of Registry | Nassau (BHS) |
| Technical Datas | |
| Length | 149.03 m |
| Breadth | 28.00 m |
| Draught | 6.12 m |
| Tonnage | |
| Gross Tonnage | 17,043 GT |
| Net Tonnage | 10,104 NT |
| Deadweight | 3,315 DWT |
| Engines specifications | |
| Engines | 4 engines Wärtislä Vasa type 12V32A with 12 cylinders each |
| Power | 15,520 kW (20,600 CH DIN) |
| Maximum Speed | 20.5 knots (max) - 19.5 knots (service) |
| Passengers & Cargo | |
| Passengers | 2,060 passengers |
| Cabins | 1,142 berths |
| Garage |
2,000 lanemeters of car decks 450 cars (@4.5m x 2.5m) |
Service History
Normandy's Genesis
Normandy is one of two sister ships ordered in 1980 by Rederi Ab Göteborg – Frederishavn. However, whilst she was still being built, building was suspended. Indeed, the shipyard was over-crowded at the time and was not able to built all of the ships it has been ordered. Therefore, she was temporary named GV 909, 909 referring to her Hull number. Works resumed at Spring 1981, after the delivery of two other ships to Tor Lines, whilst those ordered by Stena Line were put on stand-by. GV 909 was eventually launched on 22nd May 1981. Ready for delivery in December 1981, she however remained laid up in Arendals shipyard, still named GV 909.
On 3rd May 1982, the ship was eventually sold to Stena Sessan Line Ab, before being introduced on the route she has been designed for on 03rd June 1982: Göteborg – Frederikshavn. She was christened on 7th June as Prinsessan Birgitta by Princess Birgitta.
Saint Nicholas
On 28th February 1983, Prinsessan Birgitta ceased service to be turned into a night ferry. Therefore, Prinsessan Birgitta was added a lot cabins, of which day ferries does not have so much. On the same day, she was chartered to Sealink UK, which renamed her Saint Nicholas. Once these works have been completed, Saint Nicholas left the shipyard on 9th June 1983, and introduced the following day on the Hook von Holland – Harwich service the following day. Meanwhile, Saint Nicholas was sold to Hill Samuel Trading Ltd.
In July 1984, following Sealink UK’s sale to Sea Containers Ltd, her charter was transferred to Sealink Brittish Ferries. However, before this operation has been completed, the ship had already been repainted in March in Dunkirk to Sealink Brittish Ferries’ livery.
Between 1986 and 1988, Saint Nicholas has been sold a few times, although she remained managed by Stena Ferry Ab Manager. Her management was only given to Sealink Brittish Ferries in 1988, when she was sold to a Bahamas-registered company. She was therefore re-registered in Nassau.
Saint Nicholas was sold once again in December 1989 to Rederi Ab Gotland for $57 millions, before being sold again to Stena Line in January 1990. Saint Nicholas was therefore transferred to the freshly-established company Sealink Stena Line, since Sealink British Ferries has been purchased by Stena Line.
In January 1991, Saint Nicholas was renamed Stena Normandy during a refit at Lloyd Werft. On 28th June 1991, Stena Normandy was transferred to the Southampton – Cherbourg-en-Cotentin service from the Hook von Holland service. Her last sailing on the Southampton – Cherbourg-en-Cotentin service took place on 29th November 1996. She was then overhauled in Falmouth before being laid up in Dunkirk.
In January 1997, Stena Nomandy was chartered to Tallink which renamed her Normandy for service on their Tallinn – Helsingfords route that began in April.
Normandy in the Irish Sea
In January 1998, Normandy was chartered to Irish Ferries which introduced her on 19th February on their Rosslare – Pembroke Dock service. Chartered to replace Saint-Killian (2) and Saint-Patrick (2) on the France – Ireland service, Normandy was eventually introduced on this service on 1st April 1998. Normandy has been mainly operated by Irish Ferries on the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin – Rosslare, Roscoff – Rosslare and Roscoff – Cork services.
Irish Ferries purchased her on 10th November 1999, before sending her to Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk in January 2000. During this dry docking period, she was added side sponsons on her sides, to improve her stability.
On 11th January 2005, whilst Normandy was being maintained at Harland & Wolff shipyard, she broke her moorings in 80mph winds, and she crossed pushed by the wind the Lagan in its entire length. Nomandy was then towed back to her berth by two tug boats, however she sustained no damages.
On 27th November 2005, following a general strike set up by Irish Ferries staff, she remained laid up in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin until 14th December.
On 4th November 2007, Normandy performed her last arrival in Rosslare from Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, being replaced on the Ireland – France service by Irish Ferries’ latest addition to its fleet, Oscar Wilde, built in 1987. She was then brang to Fredericia in Denmark to be laid up.
The end of Normandy's life
In January 2008, Normandy was purchased by Equinox Offshore Singapore, which was wanting to turn Normandy into a floating hotel to provide accommodation to offshore workers. Before heading to Asia, she was however chartered for Summer 2008 to Ferrimaroc in March. Re-registered in Chypra in April 2008, Normandy served the Almeira – Nador route.
Normandy headed to Singapour in October 2008, to be transformed into an offshore hotel. However, this transformation has never been made, and in 2012 Normandy was still laid up in a critical condition that kept going worse without maintenance in Singapour. Therefore, Normandy had to be sold to an Indian scrapyard on 31st October 2012. She was beached on 30th November 2012 in Alang, prior to her scrapping. It has been the end of Normandy, launched 30 years before.
Onboard Accommodations
Aboard Dining and Bar
- Boylan's Brasserie - Pub ; Deck 07 ;
- Molly Malones - Bar ; Deck 07 ;
- Café Lafayette - Café ; Deck 07 ;
- Renoir Restaurant - À la carte Restaurant ; Deck 08.
Aboard Shopping
- Toni's - Beauty Lounge ; Deck 07 ;
- Nuance - Duty Free Shop ; Deck 07.
Ships Plan
Passengers Accommodations
- Inside en-suite cabins with 2 berths (Decks 02, 05, 06, 07, 08) ;
- Inside en-suite cabins with 4 berths (Decks 02, 05, 06, 07, 08) ;
- Outside en-suite cabins with 2 berths (Decks 05, 06, 07, 08) ;
- Outside en-suite cabins with 4 berths (Decks 05, 06, 07, 08) ;
- 291 allocated seats (Deck 06).
Entertainment
- Monet and Beckett Lounges - Read Lounge ; Deck 07 ;
- Tuskar Promenade - Outdoor Deck ; Deck 10 ;
- Molly Malones - Live Entertainment ; Deck 07 ;
- Normandy Nights - Night Club ; Deck 07 ;
- Teen Zone - Children and Teenagers Play Room ; Deck 06 ;
- Casino ; Deck 07 ;
- Cinema ; Deck 06 ;
- Game Zone - Video Games lounge ; Deck 07 ;
- Petit Play Area - Children Play Room ; Deck 07.
See Also
References
- "Mv Normandy, Past and Present". In Dover Ferry Photos Forum, ; ; , 2015. [retrieved 27th August 2015]. Available at www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk ;
- "M/F Normandy". In The Ferry Site, , 2015. [retrieved 27th August 2015]. Available at www.ferry-site.dk ;
- "Deckplans". In HHV Ferry, , 2013. [retrieved 27th August 2015]. Available at www.hhvferry.com ;
- "Irish Ferries". In Simplon Postcards, , 2008. [retrieved 27th August 2015]. Available at www.simplonpc.co.uk.