F/B Superferry II

Official STRINTZIS LINES postcard

Ship	Superferry II (1993)	Building Spec.	1974 at Boelwerf Vlandereen yard, Tamise, Belgium N° 1477
Call Sign	SWKV	IMO Number	7346221
GRT	5.052	DWT	1.029
Dimensions	118,01 x 19,21 x 4,3	Engines	2 Atlantique - Pielstick, 13.240 kW
Speed	22 nodi	Passengers	2.400
Beds	63 in 22 cabins	Cars	300
Lane Metres	380	Sister Ships	Express Athina
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	R.M.T. 1974-92	Former Names	Prince Laurent 1974-92 Ionian Express 1992-93
New Owners	Blue Star Ferries 2000à	New Names
Line

According to the notices received by the friends of the site “Oostend Ferry Page”, the “Prince Laurent” was one of the best ships in “R.M.T.” fleet, very fast and sometimes capable to cover the distance between Ostend and Dover in only 2 hours and 15 minutes. Strintzis Lines bought her in 1991, after the order of R.M.T. for the “Prins Filip”, renamed “Ionian Express” and refitted. The refit had a great success (look at the ship in actual livery and as “Prince Laurent”), and involved the bow, of a new design (the former one was awful!!), the new decks on the bow at the end of superstructure, the end of the superstructure at the stern and the new superstructure between the wheelhouse and the funnel. Probably acquired for service between Ionian islands, was instead deployed on Rafina –Cyclades line substituting the “Superferry”, which was sent in Irish seas to sail for Swansea Cork Ferries which was already bought by Strintzis; so the “Ionian Express” was renamed “Superferry II”. An example of that also a little ferry for a short route could be converted as a splendid cruise-ferry, being considered also better of the original “Superferry”. Until 1998 was a member of “Rafina Consortium”, with Agoudimos lines’s “Penelope A” and Ventouris Ferries’s “Bari Express”, a joint-operation from Rafina to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Syros, Paros, Naxos and Amorgos where the three ferries didn’t compete with one and other and the profits were redistribuited among the operators; when the consortium came to an end, it seems due to the introduction of “Ionian Sun” on Rafina, the “Superferry II” continued being appreciated and carrying a good number of passengers; in 2000 she was the last Strintzis ferry to be repainted in Blue Star Ferries’s colours.

R.M.T. TOWNSEND THORESEN F/B Prince Laurent Photo © Ostend Ferry Page

Photo © Pieter Inpijn

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