F/B Crown M - Limassol

F/B CROWN m

Foto © Michele Lulurgas, Ancona, 16/08/93

Ship	Crown M(1991)	Building Spec.	1966 at Flender, Lubeck, Germany N°560
Call Sign	P3RW4	IMO Number	6609834
GRT	11.497	DWT	3.043
Dimensions	141,7 x 20,25 x 6,7	Engines	2 Crossley Pielstick, 16.740 hp
Speed	23 knots	Passengers	1.800
Beds	595 in 231 cabins	Cars	350
Lane Metres		Sister Ships	Black Prince Discovery I
Registry Port	Limassol	Flag	Cyprus
Former Owners	Fred Olsen/DBS 1966-86 Norway Line 1986-90 Color Line 1990	Former Names	Black Watch / Jupiter 1966-86 Jupiter 1986-90
New Owners		New Names	Byblos 2000à
Line	Laid up at Eleusis bay, Greece, under “Byblos” name

A very well known ship when in north European service, was in service for 20 years for Fred Olsen and DBS. She sailed for Fred Olsen during the winter from London to Canary Islands (cruises) and for DBS during summertime from Bergen to England. In 1986 was sold to Norway Line as “Jupiter” for services from Norway to Germany. In 1990 the company enters in Color Line, but the new company decided for the laid up of “Jupiter” waiting for her sale. Five months later was sold to Marlines, which used for the first time the ship in 1991 without any notice, replacing “Duchess M” and “Baroness M” on their routes from Ancona to Patras, Heraklion and Turkey, departing from Ancona every Friday at 22.00 to Igoumenitsa, Patras, Heraklion, Rhodes (both these islands on Monday) and arriving to Limassol in Cyprus Tuesday at 07.00, jumping the call at Patras coming back to Italy. I saw “Crown M” for the first time in 1991 at Heraklion, unfortunately not photographing her, and I remember again my first impression: “What has felt down on the funnel?”, catching the worst looking part of this ship. From 1993 this service ended in Heraklion, sailing two times a-week, once to Crete and once to Patras, sometimes stopping at Igoumenitsa. One of the most interesting departures was one on Friday from Ancona at 20.00 arriving in Patras the following day at 23.00. In 1994 was unexpectedly diverted on Bari line, then was again on Ancona, serving Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras along with “Dame M” on 1995 and 1996 and “Duchess M” in 1997, then was laid up in Eleusis. Was renamed “Byblos” in 2000, probably waiting to be sold, but this never happened; was chartered for the Genoa G8 summit of 2001, but since her return from Italy she didn’t ever moved from Eleusis. On Summer 2004 there was a plan to use her as a floating hotel in Corinth for Athens 2004 Olympic Games, but that project was quitted. It’s a big pity to notice her laid up when there are some worst ships serving Bari and Brindisi…

FRED OLSEN F/B Black Watch, photo by courtesy of Micke Asklander

BDS F/B Jupiter, photo by courtesy of Micke Asklander

NORWAY LINE F/B Jupiter, photo by courtesy of Micke Asklander

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Corfu, 29/07/94

A very interesting photo from my friend Pieter Inpijn: the “Byblos” between the “Balbek” / “Duchess M” and the never used “Felicia” / “Grace M”

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