MS Viking Voyager

The Viking Voyager was built by Aalborg Værft AS, Denmark [1] in 1975 [2] for European Ferries Group Plc who traded as Townsend Thoresen. European Ferries Group was purchased by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and became P&O European Ferries and the ship was renamed Pride of Cherbourg in 1989.

For other ships with the same name, see Pride of Cherbourg.
History
Name:
  • Samothraki (2005-Present)
  • Barlovento (2000-2005)
  • Banaderos (1994-2000)
  • Pride of Cherbourg II (1994)
  • Pride Of Cherbourg (1989-1994)
  • Viking Voyager (1975-1989) [1]
Owner:
Operator:
  • SAOS Ferries (2005-Present)
  • Fred Olsen Lines (1994-2005)
  • P&O Ferries (1987-1994)
  • European Ferries (1975-1987) [1]
Port of registry:  Greece [1]
Builder: Aalborg Værft AS [1]
Yard number: 205 [1]
Launched: 14 June 1975 [2]
Maiden voyage: 20 January 1976 [2]
Identification: IMO number: 7358303 [1]
General characteristics
Tonnage: 6,386 [1]
Length: 128.81 m [1]
Beam: 19.81 m [1]
Draught: 4.54 m [1]
Speed: 19 knots [1]
Capacity:
  • 918 passengers
  • 280 cars [1]

Early years

The vessel was launched on 14 June 1975, having been christened by the wife of European Ferries's Commercial Freight Director. She arrived in Felixstowe in January 1976 and began a service to Zeebrugge. She continued on this route until being transferred to the Southampton-Le Havre and Southampton-Cherbourg routes in 1986.[3] In 1987 European Ferries was acquired by P&O, following which, under P&O's new branding scheme she was renamed Pride Of Cherbourg.[3] In 1994 she was again renamed Pride of Cherbourg II to release the name for the Pride of Le Havre 1 which was being transferred to the Portsmouth-Cherbourg route following P&O's chartering of the Pride of Le Havre 2 and Pride of Portsmouth. Later in 1994 the vessel was sold by P&O to Fred Olsen Lines

Post P&O

In 1994 P&O sold the Pride of Cherbourg II to Fred Olsen Lines, the vessel was brought into service as the Bañaderos in the Canary Islands, she continued in this role, being renamed to Barlovento in 2000.[3] In 2005 the Barlovento was replaced by the Benchijigua Express 3, she was consequently sold to SAOS Ferries where she now runs a ferry service supporting the Greek Islands.[1] She was laid up at Alexandroupoli port, after the closure of Saos Ferries, and she was auctioned to be removed from the port in the summer of 2011. She left the Alexandroupoli bound for Aliaga, to be broken up on 23/7/2011.

Sister Ships

Viking Voyager was one of four sister ships [1] ordered by Townsend Thoresen.

The other three were:

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References

Notes
  1. "Ferry-Site.dk 7358303". Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. "Merchantnavyofficers.com Townsend Thoresen". Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  3. "Simplonpc.co.uk Viking Voyager". Retrieved 20 June 2010.

Bibliography
  • Cowsill, Miles; Hendy, John (2007). Remembering the Thoresen Vikings: Townsend Thoresen trend setters. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947731.
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