MS C.T.M.A. Vacancier

MS C.T.M.A. Vacancier is a car/passenger ferry operated by Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien (CTMA) on their Montreal–Cap-aux-Meules service. She was built in 1973 by the J.J. Sietas Schiffswerft in Hamburg, West Germany as Aurella for SF Line for use on Viking Line traffic. Between 1982 and 1998 she sailed as Saint Patrick II, between 1998 and 2000 as Egnatia II, in 2000 as Ville de Séte and between 2001 and 2002 as City of Cork, before being sold to her current owners.[1][4]

History
Name:
  • 1973–1982: Aurella
  • 1982–1998: Saint Patrick II
  • 1998–2000: Egnatia II
  • 2000–2001: Ville de Séte
  • 2001–2002: City of Cork
  • 2002 onwards: C.T.M.A. Vacancier
Owner:
Operator:
Port of registry:
Route: Montreal – Quebec City – Chandler – Cap-aux-Meules (as of April 2008)[3]
Ordered: 27 May 1972[1]
Builder: J. J. Sietas Schiffswerft, Hamburg, West Germany[1]
Cost: 33 million DEM[1]
Yard number: 702[1]
Launched: 17 March 1973[1]
Christened: 30 June 1973 by Saga Grönberg[1]
Acquired: 30 June 1973[1]
In service: 3 July 1973[1]
Identification: IMO number: 7310260[1]
Status: In service
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Type: ropax ferry
Tonnage: 7,210 GRT
Displacement: 1,893 t DWT
Length: 125.22 m (410 ft 10 in)
Beam: 21.53 m (70 ft 8 in)
Draught: 8.27 m (27 ft 2 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × Stork-Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels
  • combined 15445 kW
Speed: 21.5 kn (39.82 km/h)
Capacity:
  • 1500 passengers
  • 330 berths
  • 420 cars
General characteristics (after 2003 refit)[1]
Tonnage: 7,984 GRT
Displacement: 1,325 t DWT
Capacity:
  • 1612 passengers
  • 812 berths
  • 300 cars
Notes: Otherwise the same as built

History

Aurella was ordered by SF Line, Finland on 27 May 1972. She was delivered on 30 June 1973, and entered service three days later on Viking Line's Naantali–Mariehamn–Kapellskär -route. She was the largest ship in the services across the Sea of Åland at the time.[1]

Aurella continued in Viking Line service until September 1981, when she was laid up at Mariehamn. The following January she was sold to Irish Ferries and renamed Saint Patrick II,[1] to provide extra capacity on the Ireland-France route in the summer months. The lack of traffic during the winter saw her chartered to other operators. During the winter 1982–1983 she was chartered to North Sea Ferries and Belfast Car Ferries, 1984–1985 to B&I Line, 1985–1986 to DFDS Seaways and Stena Line, 1987–1988 and 1988–1989 again to B&I Line, 1989–1990 to Sealink, and 1990–1991 to P&O European Ferries. From 1992 until 1995 she spent the winters sailing for Tallink. During the Tallink charters she was also re-registered to Estonia, but returned to the Irish registry during the summer service with her owners. On 4 March 1994, while under charter to Tallink, Saint Patrick II participated in the evacuation of the sinking cruise ship MS Sally Albatross near Porkkala, Finland. Falling passenger numbers caused Irish Ferries to withdraw Saint Patrick II from service in September 1997.[1]

In May 1998, Saint Patrick II was chartered to Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, renamed Egnatia II and placed on Brindisi–Patras service.[1][4] In May 2000 she was chartered to Balear Express, Spain and renamed Ville de Séte for Sète–Palma service. Balear Express went bankrupt in September 2000, and Ville de Séte was laid up. Between March and December 2001 she was chartered to Swansea Cork Ferries as City of Cork.[1]

In March 2002, City of Cork was sold to the Government of Canada and registered to Navigation Madeleine Inc, a subsidiary of Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien (CTMA).[2] In June she was renamed C.T.M.A. Vacancier and placed on CTMA's service between Montreal and Cap-aux-Meules. In 2003 she was rebuilt at Les Mechins Dry Dock, Quebec with covered bridge wings.[1]

In January 2020, C.T.M.A. Vacancier was hired by the Société des traversiers du Québec to cover the Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout route across the Saint Lawrence River, while the M.V. F.-A.-Gauthier's engines are repaired and the MV Saaremaa I is altered to meet Transport Canada standards.[5]

gollark: not currently.
gollark: ++remind 10hs risk of rain (2) soundtrack
gollark: I'll look into it.
gollark: No, it's only 2 hours, for electromagnetic radio I want AT LEAST four.
gollark: > y start electromagnetic radio with ONLY this music for now.a haeskellian spyToday at 18:39no.

References
  1. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Aurella (1973)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  2. "C.T.M.A. Vacancier". Vessel Registration Query System. Transport Canada. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. "Stopover and itinerary". CTMA official website. 2008-04-05. Archived from the original on 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
  4. Boyle, Ian. "Aurella - St Patrick II - Egnatia II - Ville de Sete - City of Cork". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  5. https://www.ilesdelamadeleine.com/2020/01/le-vacancier-prend-la-releve-a-la-traverse-matane-cote-nord/
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