Harwich and Dovercourt History

DFDS

Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab (DFDS) was formed on 11 December 1866 as a merger of the three biggest Danish steamship companies under the leadership of Danish financier Carl Frederik Tietgen. Operations began on 1 January 1867 with 19 ships with Copenhagen as the main starting point. The company’s routes at the time were from Denmark to Norway, the Baltic, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Iceland and The Faeroe Islands, with ships carrying both freight and passengers. As the company grew, new connections were opened to Sweden, France, the Mediterranean and Black Sea, as well as North America and South America. In addition, DFDS operated various domestic services in Denmark. After continued expansion of the fleet in the 1880s, DFDS became one of the world’s ten largest ship owning companies.

 

DFDS approached the Great Eastern Railway Company for permission to call at Harwich instead of the Thames Haven, agreement was reached and Riberhuus was the first vessel to sail to Harwich on the 2nd June 1880. Later that year the new Parkeston Quay was completed and the Esbjerg service terminated there.

For many years, DFDS had marketed their North Sea passenger operations under the Scandinavian Seaways banner. However, with an increasing emphasis on services serving Holland and Germany, the name was no longer appropriate, and they returned to being called DFDS Seaways in 2000.

Alexandra (II) 

• Built. 1930 (IMO 5010309)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs- og Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1931-1964
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 280 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1463
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1965

 

• 30/08/1964: Arrived at Esbjerg from Grimsby for layup.
• 03/12/1964: Sold to Greece.
• 02/02/1965: Stranded off Tripoli, refloated and arrived at Piraeus
• 08/03/1965: Sold to Yugoslavia for demolition.
• 31/07/1965: Left Piraeus in tow for Split.
• 09/1965: Demolition commenced by Brodospas.

A.P. Bernstorff 

• Built. 1913 (IMO 5603462)
• Yard. Elsinoire Shipbuilding, Elsinore
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1913-1957
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1913-1932
• Length. 291 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 2316
• Passengers. 112
• Speed. 15.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 10/09/1957

 

Like her predecessor she was built in the Elsinore shipyard during 1913; this was the first of many modern liners DFDS planned to put into operation but the 1914-1918 war forced the company to shelve their plans. Because of the dread of mines in the North Sea, the port of Esbjerg was virtually closed, Aarhus and Odense into the Scottish port of Leith; the port of Harwich being closed. After hostilities were over, Grimsby was used as a short term measure; and the Esbjerg-Harwich peace time service recommenced with the arrival of the s.s. “A.P. Bernstorff” on the 25^th, October 1919.

She was captured by the Germans in 1944 but returned to DFDS in June 1945. After the war she was mainly on the Newcastle route before being sold for breaking in 1957.

Arcade Eagle

• Built. 1981 (IMO 7826324)
• Yard. Gdansk Shipyard
• Class of Ship. RORO
• Operator. Arcade Shipping (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1995
• Length. 133.5 m
• Gross Tonnage. 9944
• Passengers. 12
• Speed.
• Status. Scrapped 01/06/2009

 

 Global Provider (2009) Ulusoy 4 (2006) Sengela (1996-1997) Arcade Eagle (1994-1996) Autostrada (1990).

Aurora 

• Built. 1982 (IMO 8020599)
• Yard. Rauma Repola OY, Rauma, Finland.
• Class of Ship. Cargo
• Operator. Finncarriers (Charter)
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1995
• Length. 155.02
• Gross Tonnage. 8425
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 18.5 knots
• Status. Viking Land

 

• Chartered by DFDS 15/06/1995 Harwich-Esbjerg.
• Renamed Aurora 15/06/1995

Belinda 

• Built. 1978 (IMO 7389194)
• Yard. Ab Lödöse Varv, Lödöse
• Class of Ship. Cargo
• Operator. DFDS Charter 1986-1987
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg/Hamburg
• Length. 161.37
• Gross Tonnage. 11235
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17.2 knots
• Status. Scrapped 24/01/2012

 

• 1986-1987 – Harwich-Rotterdam.
• 1990-1991 – Harwich-Esbjerg-Hamburg.
• 1995-1996 – Esbjerg-Harwich/Hull.

Bellona (I) 

• Built. 1923 (IMO 1167512)
• Yard. Deutche Werke
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1924-1940
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 241 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 840
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Lost 9/10/1940

 

• October 1940: On voyage Hull – Reykjavik with 300 tons of ice set on fire by a German air attack 4 miles E of Gourden, Kincardineshire. Nine men were lost. Drifted aground at Strathlethan Bay S of Stonehaven and wrecked.

 

Bellona (II) 

• Built. 1955 (IMO 5040029)
• Yard. Frederikshavn Vaerft
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1956-1972
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1956-1972
• Length. 89.31 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1481
• Passengers. 8
• Speed. 13 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1987

 

• 12.04.1972: Sold to William Lines Inc., Cebu.
• 14.04.1972: Renamed Tagbilaran City.
• 1972: Renamed Davao City.
• 1984: Renamed Wilcox IX.
• 18.05.1986: Beached 2 miles off Tulungin Point.
• 07.06.1986: Refloated and towed to Cebu.
• 1987: Sold to be broken up.

Bergenhus (II)

• Built. 1922 (IMO 5605835)
• Yard. A /S Helsingørs Jernskibs- OG Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Passenger & cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1922-1961
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 242 ft.
• Gross Tonnage 1398
• Passengers. 8
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1962

 

• 30/09/1961: Sold to Bruges Scheepssloperij N.V.
• 02/10/1961: Towed to Bruges for breaking.
• 08/01/1962: Demolition commenced at Bruges.

Blenda II

• Built. 1956 (IMO 5046310)
• Yard. Frederikshavn Vaerft
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1956-1972
• Route. Harwich – Copenhagen 1971
• Length. 89.31 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1481
• Passengers. 8
• Speed. 13 Knots
• Status. Sank 24/12/1976

 

In 1971 Blenda entered service between Parkeston Quay and Copenhagen. Sold 17 March 1972 to William Lines Inc. Sank 24 December 1976 when fire broke out on board. 

Botnia (I)

• Built. 1891 (IMO 5600223)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1891-1935
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1892-1904
• Length. 209.5 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1032
• Passengers. 243
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 27/05/1935

 

In service Parkeston Quay from 1892 until 1904, Sold 12 March 1935 to Bolckow Shipbuilding Blyth for Breaking.

Caribbean Endeavour 

• Built. 1971 (IMO 7108904)
• Yard. Ji Sietas
• Class of Ship. Cargo
• Operator. DFDS
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 117.2
• Gross Tonnage. 7782
• Freight Capacity.
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 19/10/2000

 

Seen here as Caribe Trader.

Aristefs (1979) Sucre (1981) Caribe Trader (1985)  Baby I (2000).

Ceres 

• Built. 1882 (IMO 3000321)
• Yard. Kockums Mekaniska Verkstads A/B, Malmö
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1899-1917
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1899-1914
• Length. 237.5. Gross Tonnage. 1166
• Passengers. 300
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Sunk 13/07/1917

 

On voyage Fleetwood – Reykjavik 31/07/1917 with salt and general cargo, torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-88 in the Atlantic. Two men were lost due to the explosion.

Christian IX 

• Built. 1875 (IMO 3005812)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain’s Maskin-
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1875-1916
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 232 ft.
• Passengers. 16
• Speed. 9 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1925

 

• 06/04/1916 Sold to Asgeir Pjetursson, Reykjavik, Iceland.
• 07/06/1916 Sold to Rederi Ab Holmia , Stockholm.
• 24/11/1917 Sold to Rederi AB, Malmö. Renamed Chand.
• 10/05/1918 Sold to Arthur Pott, Stockholm.
• 10/05/1918 Sold to Swedish-Russian Rederi AB, Stockholm.
• 09/09/1921 Sold to Carl Wallin, Stockholm.
• 09/09/1921 Sold to AB M, P & Co, Stockholm. Renamed Hammarby.
• 1925 Wrecked. Sold to Ernst Fuhr, Stockholm for Scrapping. 

Christianssund (I) 

• Built. 1881 (IMO 5611687)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1888-1903
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 180 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 574
• Passengers. 300
• Speed. 9.5 Knots
• Status. Sank 09/12/1944

 

• 16.09.1891 Grounded on Rogneleiren at Aalesund.
• 28.04.1903: Sold to A/S Søndmøre Dampskibsselskab renamed Hjorungavaag.
• 1918: Sold to Rederi A/S Leif Bull, Skien.
• 1920: Sold to H. Haraldsen, Skien.
• 1921: Sold to Indherreds Aktie-Dampskibsselskab, Steinkjær renamed Havda.
• 09.12.1944: On voyage Trondhjem – Bergen/Stavanger with passengers and general cargo attacked and sunk by allied aircraft S of Askvold near Florö.

Charkow (I) 

• Built. 1857 (IMO 5611926)
• Yard. Palmer Bros
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1881-1898
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1882-1883
• Length. 197.5 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 689
• Passengers. 42
• Speed. 8 Knots
• Status. Sank 08/10/1905 

 

• 06/10/1905: Grimsby-Trelleborg with coal abandoned by the crew after engine room was flooded.
• 08/10/1905: Sank of Ymuiden in the North Sea.

 Clare 

• Built. 1972
• IMO. 7390014
• Yard. Rickmers Werft
• Class of Ship. Cargo
• Operator. DFDS (Charter) 1995-1996
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 115 m
• Gross Tonnage. 5617
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2011

Dana Baltica (96) Vinzia E. (94) Norcrest (93) Wesertal (92) Meyer Express (73) Wesertal (72).

Clipper

• Built. 1980
• IMO. 7928756
• Yard. J.J. Sietas Schiffswerft
• Class of Ship. Container
• Operator. DFDS (Charter) 1989-
• Route. Harwich – Bremerhaven
• Length. 92.3 m
• Gross Tonnage. 3228
• Speed. 14 Knots
• Status. My Violet

 

Chartered by DFDS in 1989 for service between Parkeston Quay and Bremerhaven.

• Clipper (1980)  Ecl Cadet (1991)  Jupiter (1992)  Iberian Bridge (1992)  Jupiter (1993)
• Borstel (1993)  Paaschburg (1997)  Lady Marah (2008)  Fgm Istanbul (2010)  Pendik (2011)
• My Violet (2013).

Concord

• Built. 1981
• IMO. 8024155
• Yard. Sietas
• Class of Ship. Container
• Operator. DFDS
• Route. Harwich – Iberia
• Length. 92.3
• Gross Tonnage. 1599
• Speed. 19 Knots
• Status. Sailing “Austera”.

 

Chartered on the DFDS lolo service to Iberian peninsula, alongside Parkeston Quay  31st July 1989.

• Eastmed Queen (1981) – Concord (1992), Australian Eagle 2 (1983) Concord (1983)
• ECL Concord (1991) Concord – (1992), Prime Venture II (1993)   Phoenix (2000), Egypt Star (2000)
• Frey (2004), Kaja (2008) Austera (2014).

Constantin 

• Built. 1880 (IMO 5608947)
• Yard. Kochums Mekaniska Verkstads
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1880-1923
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 237.8 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 891
• Passengers. 18
• Speed. 11.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1923

 

• 1914-1920 Service Denmark-UK
• 31/01/1923: Sold to Carl Marius Engholm, Copenhagen who sold same day for demolition.
• 09/1923: Reported broken up.

Dagmar (IV) 

• Built. 1903 (IMO 1167545)
• Yard. R. Stephenson & Co
• Class of Ship. Passenger/Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1919-1941
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 290 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 2471
• Passengers. 47
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Sunk 1941

 

Originally built as Irkutsk for Lassman Bros between St Petersburg and London, taken over by DFDS in 1920 and renamed Dagmar, became a war loss in 1941 when she was bombed and sunk off Cape St.Vincent.

Dana Anglia

• Built. 1977 (IMO 7615414)
• Yard. Aalborg, Vaerft A/S, Denmark
• Class of Ship. Passenger ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1978-2006
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1978-2002
• Length. 152.91
• Gross Tonnage. 14399
• Passengers. 1372
• Speed. 21 knots
• Status. Moby Corse

 

Dana Anglia was delivered to DFDS in 1978 for the Harwich-Esbjerg route. Between 1978 and 2002 before being renamed MV Duke of Scandinavia for service between Copenhagen, Denmark and Gdańsk, Poland. She returned to the North Sea in 2003 to sail between Newcastle and Ijmuiden. In 2006 she was chartered by Brittany Ferries to replace the MV Val de Loire, renamed MV Pont L’Abbé. It was announced on 19 December 2007 that the vessel was sold to Brittany Ferries. Her final sailing between Plymouth and Roscoff was on 9 November 2008 after which she was laid up in Saint-Nazaire. In October 2009, the ship was sold to Moby Lines. She was renamed Moby Corse and started the new service from Toulon to Bastia on April 1, 2010.

Dana Cimbria 

• Built. 1985 (IMO 8413992)
• Yard. Frederikshavn Værft a/s
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1986-2005, 2011
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 145.01
• Gross Tonnage. 12189
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 2080 Ldm
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Super Shuttle RORO 8

• 10/2002-12/2005: Sold to Norwegian interests and chartered back.
• 01/2006: Chartered to LD Lines, France and renamed Aquae.
• 02/2011: End of charter for LD Lines. Renamed Cimbria Seaways
• 2012 Super Shuttle RORO 8

Dana Corona (II) 

• Built. 1969 (IMO 6930207)
• Yard. Cant. Nav. Del Tirreno
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1969-1985
• Route. Harwich – Hamburg 1975
• Length. 124,85 m
• Gross Tonnage. 7898
• Passengers. 718
• Status. Scrapped 2009

 

 

• Aalborghus ( III ) (1969-1971) Dana Sirena ( I ) (1971-1975,1976-1978)
• Olau Dana (1975-1976) Robin Hood (1977-1979) Dana Corona (1979-1985)
• 3/1975: Hamburg-Harwich charter to Prinzenlinien until June.
• 6/02/1985: Sold to China Ocean Shipping Co.
• 6/03/1985: Taken over and renamed Tian E.
• 2003: Laid up in the delta of the Yang-Tse River, Shanghai.  

Dana Corona 

• Built. 1972 (IMO 7222762)
• Yard. Rauma-Repola OY
• Class of Ship. Cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1991-1995
• Route. Harwich- Esbjerg
• Length. 137.52
• Gross Tonnage. 12110
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 1500
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 16/12/2009

• 26/05/1972 Launched as Antares.
• 1991 Chartered to DFDS a/s.
• 1992 Renamed Dana Corona.
• 10/2009 Sold for scrapping.

Dana Gloria (I) 

• Built 1976 (IMO 7358743)
• Yard. Helsingør Værft A/S, Elsinore
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1976-1985
• Route. Harwich –Esbjerg 1976-1978
• Length. 144.56
• Gross Tonnage. 14540
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 22.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2010

• 09/02/1976 Launched
• 10/07/1976 Esbjerg-Harwich/Felixstowe.
• 07/11/1977 Chartered. Renamed Dana Hafnia.
• 06/1978 Esbjerg-Harwich/Felixstowe.
• 04/01/1986 Esbjerg-Hamburg-Harwich.
• 29/03/2010 Arrived Alang, India. for scrapping. 

Dana Gloria (III) 

• Built. 1974 (IMO 7360186)
• Yard. Aalborg Vaerft, Aalborg
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1977-1981
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 92.66 m
• Gross Tonnage. 2445
• Passengers. 800
• Freight Capacity. 135 Cars
• Speed. 19.5 Knots
• Status. Sailing

 

Wellamo (1981) Dana Gloria (1981-1989) Svea Corona (1984-1985) King of Scandinavia (1989).

• 09/1994: Sold to Color Line renamed Color Viking.
• 12/1998: Taken over by Fjord Line incl. renamed Jupiter. 

Dana Gloria  IV

• Built. 2001 (IMO 9212151)
• Yard. Stocznia Szczecinska im
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 2002-2011
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 2002-2003
• Length. 199.4 m
• Gross Tonnage. 10500
• Passengers. 308
• Freight Capacity. 2600 metres
• Speed. 22 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 22/02/2011

 

Dana Gloria was built in 2001 by Stocznia Szczecinska im. A. Warskiego, Stettin, Poland. She was ordered as Golfo Dei Coralli for Lloyd Sardegna Compangia Di Navigazione, Olbia, Italy, but was not delivered. In August she was sold to DFDS, initially for use between Harwich-Esbjerg, entering service on 8th October 2002. In June 2003 she was replaced by her sister ship Dana Sirena. Dana Gloria was renamed Lisco Gloria for service on the Klaipeda-Kiel route.

Dana Futura (I) 

• Built. 1975 (IMO 7358731)
• Yard.  Helsingør Værft A/S, Elsinore
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1976-1983
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1976,1978-1980
• Length. 144.56. 176.55 (1985)
• Gross Tonnage. 20326
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 2300 Lane Metres
• Speed. 22.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2011

Dana Futura was built by the Helsingør Vaerft and entered service on the Harwich-Esbjerg run on the 16^th January 1976, along with her Sister Dana Gloria they were the largest Ro/Ro Cargo Ferries to be built in Denmark at that time.

• 03/01/1976: Harwich-Esbjerg
• 03/01/1978. Esbjerg-Harwich/Felixstowe.
• 06-1979 12-1979. Esbjerg-Harwich/Felixstowe/North Shields.
• 1980-1981. Esbjerg-Harwich/Felixstowe/Hamburg-Harwich
• 1981-1985. Esbjerg-Harwich-North Shields-Hamburg-Harwich.
• 01/04/2011. Arrived Alang, India for scrapping.

Dana Futura (II) 

• Built. 1995 (IMO 9129598)
• Yard. C.N. “Visentini” di Visentini Francesco
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1996-2006
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 183.10
• Gross Tonnage. 18469
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 2,025 Load Metres.
• Speed. 19.7 Knots
• Status. Ark Futura

 

• 13/06/1996 Esbjerg-Harwich.
• 17/04/2006- 29/04/2006 Esbjerg-Harwich.
• 19/04/2011 Renamed Ark Futura.

Dana Optima 

• Built. 1978 (IMO 7708649)
• Yard. Helsingør Værft A/S, Elsinore
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1978-1984
• Route. Harwich – Hamburg 1983
• Length. 105.62 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1599
• Freight Capacity.
• Speed. 15.25 Knots
• Status. Foundered 20/05/2010

 

Dana Optima (1979)  Nopal Optima (1979-1983)  Optima (1983). 

Dana Maxima

• Built. 1978 (IMO 7708778)
• Yard. Hitachi Zosen, Sakai, Japan
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1978-2008
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 176.2
• Gross Tonnage. 4928
• Freight Capacity. 2800 lane metres
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2012

• 10/1978: First arrival at Grimsby and naming ceremony.
• 06/1995: Lengthened by 35 m.
• 10/2001: Sold to Goliat Shipping, Oslo. Chartered for three years.
• 03/2008: Sold to P&O Ferries and renamed European Trader.
• 04/2012: Sold to Turkish breakers

Dana Minerva

• Built. 1978 (IMO 7430735)
• Yard. Oskarshamns Vara Ob, Sweden
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1979-1983
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 183.14 m
• Gross Tonnage. 21213
• Freight Capacity. 2060 lane metres
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2010

 

Dana Minerva was built in Denmark and was delivered to DFDS in 1979 at a cost of 51,675 million DKK. That same year the ship was sent to America to serve routes between the US Gulf, Central America, the Mediterranean and West Africa. In the 1980s, the vessel was charted by Nopal Caribe Line and sailed between Miami, Aruba, Curaçao, La Guaira and other ports in the Caribbean. She was later sold to Kirk Line, where she sailed in the Far East. Renamed Challenger B in 1986, Dana Minerva left the Caribbean for the Pacific, where she sailed between Melbourne and Burnie, Tasmania for company Brambles. She has now been put on the market and is unfortunately likely to be sold for scrap.

• 08/1998: Sold to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen. renamed Dana Minerva.
• 03/01/2001: Registered for DFDS Tor Line. renamed Tor Minerva.
• 19/04/2003: Sold Goliat Shipping, Oslo. chartered by DFDS Tor Line.
• 02/2006: Chartered to Mann Lines.
• 06/2010: Sold to unknown shipping company. renamed Minerva. 06/2010: Sold to Indian breakers.

 Dana Regina 

• Built. 1973 (IMO 7329522)
• Yard. Aalborg Skibsvaerft A/S, Aalborg,
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1974-1990
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1974-1983
• Length. 153.70m
• Gross Tonnage. 12192
• Passengers. 1064
• Freight Capacity. 250 Cars
• Speed. 18 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 22/04/2014

Dana Regina was built at the Aalborg Skibsværft A/S shipyards at Aalborg, Denmark, and launched on 31st August 1973. Upon completion and following successful sea trials, she was delivered to DFDS on 28th June 1974 after which, on 1st July, she made a short promotional cruise for VIP’s and representatives of the travel trade from Copenhagen via Harwich and the Pool of London to Esbjerg. On 8th July 1974, she commenced her sailings between Esbjerg and Harwich – which she maintained for 9½ years until 3rd October 1983.

On 12th October 1983, ‘Dana Regina’ commenced services between Copenhagen and Oslo. On 3rd January 1990, in order to raise investment capital, DFDS sold ‘Dana Regina’ to Nassau, Bahamas-based Marne Investments Limited and bareboat chartered the ferry back on a six-month agreement. On completion of the charter, Marne Investments sold the ship to Stockholm-based Nordström & Thulin Ab and, following a refit at Gothenburg, renamed ‘Nord Estonia’, was placed into service between Stockholm and Tallinn with the Estonian-based company EstLine – a collaboration between Nordström & Thulin Ab, Estonian-born Swede Hans Laidwa plus some Estonian enterprises). The ‘Nord Estonia’ (ex ‘Dana Regina’) remained on this route until 1st February 1993 and, following a refit at Öresund Shipyard, Landskrona, on 1st March 1993, renamed ‘Thor Heyerdahl’, she was short-term chartered to the Norwegian-based Larvik Line with an option to purchase, and placed into service between Larvik and Frederikshavn on the north-eastern tip of the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. Upon completion of the ten-month charter, the former ‘Dana Regina’ was laid up at Gothenburg on 1st December 1993, potentially for sale or charter.

On 27th April 1994, the former ‘Dana Regina’ was purchased by Tallinn, Estonia-based Hansatee Oy and placed under the Registered Ownership of the Cypriot (brass plaque) company Mandalika Shipping Co Ltd, Nicosia. Following a refit at Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, renamed ‘Vana Tallinn’ she was placed on Tallink’s route between Tallinn and Helsinki. She remained on this route for 8¼ years until 25th August 2002, during which Registered Ownership (not to be confused with Beneficial Ownership) changed a number of times.

Following a refit at the BLRT Grupp’s Tallinn Shiprepair yard (during which time ownership of ‘Vana Tallinn’ changed to AS Tallink Group), on 11th October 2002 she was placed into service between Paldiski (on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia) and Kapellskär, 60 miles north of Stockholm. Later, between 31st December 2005 and 2nd January 2006, she was briefly chartered by Expo Tour Limited for a New Year cruise from Tallinn to St Petersburg and back. Twelve months later, between 31st December 2006 and 9th January 2007, she undertook a further cruise; this time from St Petersburg calling at Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn, returning to St Petersburg. Ø Between 10th January and 4th April 2007, the ‘Vana Tallinn’ (ex ‘Dana Regina’) was temporarily reinstated on the route between Tallinn and Helsinki, after which (following a shipyard visit) her Registered Ownership was changed to AS Tallink Latvija and, under the Latvian flag/registry, on 26th April 2007, she was placed into service between Riga and Stockholm until 2nd August 2008. After a two-month lay-up, on 1st October until 14th April 2009, she was temporarily reinstated onto a ro-ro cargo-only service between Paldiski and Kapellskär, where-after she was laid up for sale at Kopli, Estonia, but later relocated to Paljassaare in the Tallinn Bay. Ø After sitting idle for over two years, on 1st June 2011, a “charter to purchase” agreement was made by Tallink Group for the ‘Vana Tallinn’ (ex ‘Dana Regina’) with Albanian Ferries and, renamed ‘Adriatica Queen’, she was placed under the Registered Ownership of the Majuro, Marshall Islands company AllFerries S.A. and placed into service between Bari (on the south-east coast of Italy) and Durres, Albania.

On 11th December 2013, under the terms of the charter to purchase agreement, ownership passed to AllFerries S.A. (Albanian Ferries) but, four months later, due to financial difficulties, the ferry was sold to Turkish shipbreakers and, on 23rd April 2014, she arrived at Aliaga to be scrapped.

Dana Sirena  (I)

• Built. 1969 (IMO 6930207)
• Yard. By Cantieri Navali del Torrino
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1971-1978
• Route. Harwich – Hamburg 1975
• Length. 124.85 m Gross Tonnage. 7697
• Passengers. 718
• Speed. 21 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2003 

 

• 02/07/1969 Launched as Aalborghus.
• 04/06/1971 Renamed Dana Sirena.
• 03/06/1975 Hamburg-Harwich.(Prinzenlinien charter).
• 2003 Broken up. 

Diana (II) 

• Built. 1911 (IMO 1167511)
• Yard. Kjobenhavn Flydok
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1911-1941
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length.242 ft. Gross Tonnage. 942
• Passengers. 38
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Sank 9/06/1941

 

Sank by German air attack 9 June 1941 180 miles NW of the Faroes.

Diana (III) 

• Built. 1944 (IMO 5508963)
• Yard. Svedberg Skibsvaerft
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1950-1965
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1958-1965
• Length. 79.86 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1082
• Passengers. 5
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Sank 10/02/1969 

 

• 23.11.1965 Sold without change of name.
• 1967: Renamed Twiga.
• 14.05.1968: On voyage Setubal – Venice a fire broke out near Punta Stilo.
• 15.05.1968: Refloated and towed to Messina.
• 17.05.1968: Arrived at Messina still on fire.
• 10.02.1969: Sank while lying at Messina.

Dronning Maud 

• Built. 1906 (IMO 5504852)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain’s
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1906-1947
• Route. Harwich- Esbjerg 1920-1921,1922-1926
• Length. 287.3
• Gross Tonnage. 1761
• Passengers. 422
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1967

 

Dronning Maud transferred to the Harwich – Esbjerg route in the 1920’s, she served for a while as a German troop ship in World War 2 before returning to the North Sea. Sold to a Finnish company; after repairs in Turku, she was renamed “Bore II”, until broken up in 1967 at the age of 61.

Duchess of Scandinavia 

• Built. 1993 (IMO 9058995)
• Yard. Bruce Shipyard, Landskrona
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 2003-2005
• Route. Harwich – Cuxhaven
• Length. 134.40 m
• Gross Tonnage. 16794
• Passengers. 767
• Freight Capacity. 120 cars & 650 lane metres
• Speed. 19 Knots
• Status. Sailing “Oslofjord”.

 

6/11/2005: Last sailing from Harwich to Cuxhaven.

• Bergen (1993) Duchess of Scandinavia (2003)  Atlantic Traveller (2005)  Bergensfjord (2008)
• Oslofjord (2014).

England (I) 

• Built. 1932 (IMO 5607516)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1932-1944
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1932-1939
• Length. 324.2
• Gross Tonnage. 2767
• Passengers. 190
• Speed. 15.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1950

 

England was built in 1932 and was also deployed on the Harwich-Esbjerg route on 23 April 1932 where she sailed to September 1939. England had accommodation for 108 1st class and 82 3rd class passengers.

• 19/01/1944 Seized by the Germans
• 22/03/1944 Renamed Grenadier
• 27/08/1944 Heavily damaged by air attack, beached
• 03/06/1950 Arrived under tow to Flensburg Schiffbau Gesellscvhaft
• 07/1950 Scrapped by H.J. Hansen, Odense, Denmark

England (II) 

• Built. 1963 (IMO 6403278)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsværft og Maskinbyggeri A/S,
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1964-1983
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1964-1974
• Length. 140 m
• Gross Tonnage. 8221
• Passengers. 634
• Speed.  21 Knots
• Status. Sank 03/04/2001

 

The need for more care space plus the growth in traffic on the route led to the design and construction of the 10,000-ton England which was completed in 1964. With drive-on/drive-off facilities for 100 cars and much greater passenger capacity, England created something of a revolution on the route.

After trials in Denmark, England arrived at Parkeston Quay on the 31st May 1964 and remained alongside for a few days for inspection by invited guests, and in order to try out specially designed car-ramps, which will equalise tidal variations and enable the motorist-passenger to drive his car on and off the ship.

England was switched to the Newcastle –Faroe service after the arrival of Dana Regina in 1974.

Eos

• Built. 1881 (IMO 1084316)
• Yard. Wm. Simons & Co. London
• Class of Ship. Passenger Ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1899-1918
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1904-1914
• Length. 228.6
• Passengers. 52
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Lost 27/02/1918

 

27/2/1918 on voyage to Copenhagen with coal, 26 men lost.

Esbern Snare (I)

• Built. 1876 (IMO 5608965)
• Yard. Burmeister & Wain’s, Copenhagen
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1876-1926
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1904-1907
• Length. 179.3
• Gross Tonnage. 480
• Speed. 9.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 24/09/1926

 

Due to shallow sandbanks at the entrance to Esbjerg harbour the company developed a preference for paddle steamers; after a short period of time the sandbanks being dredged allowed the company to operate steamers with greater mobility; thus the company acquired the s.s. Esberng, and changed her name to read s.s. Esbern Snare, and flew the company’s flag into Newcastle; and later to open, in partnership with the p.s. Riberhuus, the Esbjerg-Harwich, when DFDS changed their English port of call from Thameshaven to Harwich.

Esbjerg (I) 

• Built. 1872 (IMO 5609084)
• Yard. Cunliffe & Dunlop
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1876-1928
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1880-1883
• Length. 182.5 ft.Gross Tonnage. 485
• Passengers. 23
• Speed. 8.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1930

 

In 1873, the harbour of Esbjerg was opened and appropriately enough it was the s.s. Esbjerg, a steamer of 472 tons, built by Cuncliffe and Dunlop, in Glasgow Port in 1872; that on the 6^th October 1973 opened the service to England, her port of call being Thameshaven.

• 12.09.1928: Renamed Esbern Snare (II).
• 14.02.1930: Hamburg – Aalborg damaged after collision with S/S Carl on the river Elbe and sank off Altona. raised by Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs AG.
• 04.03.1930: Sold to Leith & Co. Hamburg for demolition.
• 03.1930: Broken up.

Esbjerg (II)

• Built. 1929 (IMO 5074513)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1929-1946
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1929-1939
• Length. 321 ft.
• Passengers. 220
• Freight Capacity. 20 Cars
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1978

 

Seized by the German navy in 1944, Esbjerg was renamed Kurassier and taken for target ship duties before returning to Denmark in 1945. After spells in Spain the ship was sold for scrap in 1978.

Expres 

• Built. 1881 (IMO 5609083)
• Yard. Flensburger Schiffbaugesellschaft,
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1883-1929
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1888-1899
• Length. 217.6
• Gross Tonnage. 654
• Speed. 11.5  Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1929

 

• 25.01.1891: Pressed aground at Fanø by ice.
• 11.02.1891: Refloated.
• 19.09.1929: Sold to John Carlbom, Karlshamn for demolition

Fano

• Built. 1872 (IMO 5613653)
• Yard. M.Pearse, Stockton-On-Tees
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1890-1897
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1890-1897
• Length. 225
• Gross Tonnage. 860
• Passengers. 49
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Wrecked 02/01/1915

 

• 1872 Launched as Strauss
• 1890 Purchased from North German Lloyd and renamed Fano,
• 27/07/1897 Sold to Chargeurs Algeriens Réunis renamed Rhone ET Saone.
• 1913 Renamed Kabylie.
• 1914 Sold to Soc. Les Affréteurs Réunis, Alger.
• 02/01/1915 Voyage Bordeaux – Lisbon grounded and wrecked off La Rochelle.

Fennia

• Built. 1973
• IMO. 7300784
• Yard. STX Finland
• Class of Ship. RO/RO
• Operator. Finncarriers (DFDS Charter)
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1992-
• Length. 137.52
• Gross Tonnage. 11839
• Freight Capacity. 1356 load metres
• Speed.
• Status. Scrapped 2001

 

• 15/12/1972 Launched as Sirius
• 24/04/1987 Renamed Fennia.
• 08/1992 Chartered to DFDS a/s, Copenhagen.
• 20/08/2001 Arrived in Alang for breaking. 

Ficaria (I)

• Built. 1896
• IMO. 5600814
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew
• Class of Ship. Passenger & cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1896-1934
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1909-1914
• Length. 269 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1530
• Passengers. 59
• Speed. 14 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1934

 

Ficaria was sold to Hughes Bolckow for scrapping at Blyth in 1934.

Ficaria (II) 

• Built. 1951 (IMO 5114557)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsværft OG Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1951-1972
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1952-1969
• Length. 101 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1811
• Passengers. 377
• Speed. 14.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1981

 

• 28/04/1972: Sold to Sweet Lines Inc. renamed Sweet Lord.
• 19/04/1972: Converted into a passenger and cargo motor ship.
• 1974: Renamed Sweet Land.
• 16/04/1979: Grounded near Romblon during a typhoon.
• 05/07/1981: Stranded off Sepoc Point, Maricaban Island. declared a total loss.

Fichtelberg 

• Built. 1975 (IMO 7383451)
• Yard. Kristiansand Mekaniske
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1983-
• Route. Harwich – Hamburg
• Length. 137.55 m
• Gross Tonnage. 8055
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 170 Teus
• Speed. 18.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 19/05/2012

 

Sailed between Parkeston Quay and Hamburg 1983, launched as Tor Caledonia, arrived Alang, India 19 May 2012 for scrapping.

Flora (II) 

• Built. 1909 (IMO 167558)
• Yard. Burmeister & Wain
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1909-1942
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1920-1940
• Length. 253 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1218
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Sunk 1942

Torpedoed by U-254 South of Iceland while on voyage from Reykjavik to Hull August 1942.

Frejr

• Built. 1883 (IMO 5609024)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew
• Class of Ship. Passenger & cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1900-1926
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1900-1924
• Length. 173.3
• Passengers. 46
• Speed. 9 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 24/9/1927

 

• 1900 Purchased from Jydske ss Co, Aarhus.
• 1927 Scrapped.

Frigga

• Built. 1922 (IMO 1167553)
• Yard. Frederikshavn Vaerft & Flydock
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1922-1950
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1922-1939
• Length.  247.6
• Gross Tonnage. 1504
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Sank 1950

 

27/11/1950 Struck a Mine and sank, all crew saved. 

Georg 

• Built. 1875 (IMO 5608966)
• Yard. Norddeutsche
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1880-1924
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 218 Gross Tonnage. 787
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1924

 

Broken up at Dortmund March 1924.

Hamburg

• Launched. 1976
• Yard. Werft Noriskrug Gmbh, Rendsburg, Germany
• Class of Ship. Passenger
• Operator. DFDS 1987-2002
• Route. Harwich-Hamburg
• Length. 156.42
• Gross Tonnage. 19,292
• Passengers. 1085
• Speed. 22.5 knots
• Fate. Scrapped 25/1/2011

 

Kronprins Harald  was built in 1976 by Werft Nobiskrug, Rendsburg, for the Jahre Line Kiel-Oslo service. In 1987 she was sold to DFDS, and was renamed Hamburg, and entered service on the Harwich-Hamburg route. In 1997 she was renamed Admiral of Scandinavia and changed service to Ijmuiden-Newcastle-Hamburg. She continued on services out of Newcastle until 2002 when she transferred to the Harwich-Cuxhaven route until November 2002.

In 2003 she entered service between Puerto Rico-Santo Domingo as the Caribbean Express and was eventually scrapped in India on the 25th January 2011.

Hebe (II)

• Built. 1912 (IMO 1167526)
• Yard. Kjobenhavn Flydedok
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1912-1959
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1921-1922
• Length. 242 ft. Gross Tonnage. 957
• Passengers. 30
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1959

 

 

Hengest 

• Built. 1876 (IMO 5608944)
• Yard. Helsingors-Jenskibs
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1900-1926
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1921-1925
• Length. 219 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 750
• Passengers. 6
• Speed. 9.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1926

 

 

Hero

• Built. 1972 (IMO 7217951)
• Yard. Robb Caledon, Leith
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1972-1977
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1972-1973
• Length. 114.53
• Gross Tonnage. 3375
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Sank 1977

 

M.v. Hero was lost in very heavy weather on voyage between Esbjerg  and Grimsby and abandoned on 12/11/1977, she sank the next day.

• 1973 Esbjerg-Harwich/Grimsby.
• 02/11/1977 Abandoned by crew.

Hoburgen 

• Built. 1986 (IMO 8009088)
• Yard. Santierul Naval Galatz, Romania
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 2003
• Length. 128,48 m
• Gross Tonnage. 2831
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 15.5 Knots
• Status. Sailing “ Hoburgen”

 

• 1985 Launched as Balder Ra,
• 1995 Renamed Perseus.
• 1996 Renamed Dart 5.
• 2000 Renamed Hoburgen.
• 2003 Esbjerg-Harwich/Hull.

J.C.la Cour 

• Built. 1900 (IMO 5601672)
• Yard. Helsingor Vaerft
• Class of Ship. Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1901-1933
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1901-1931
• Length. 282
• Gross Tonnage. 1615
• Passengers. 112
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1933

 

In August 1901 saw the introduction onto the service into Harwich  of the “J.C. la Cour” Built by the Elsinore Shipyard she was 1,635 tons and had a speed of 15 knots – which was a first for a liner of her time. She was in service on the North Sea until 1929. The final call at Harwich was in 1931 before being laid up in Esbjerg and sold for scrap in 1933 to Blyth Ship breakers.

Jylland 

• Built. 1926 (IMO 5606483)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs- og Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1926-1945
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1926-1939
• Length. 324
• Gross Tonnage. 2762
• Passengers. 220
• Speed. 15.5 Knots
• Status. Sunk 1945

 

 

In 1926 the Jylland, Parkeston were on the service, with a third, the m.v. Esbjerg entering the route in 1929. These three ships maintained the pre-1939 war route with six weekly departures in each direction.

• 19/01/1944: Seized by the Germans.
• 05/04/1944: Renamed Musketier.
• 03/05/1945: Bombed in an Allied air attack off Travemünde sank while towed by the tug Wogram.

Kasan

• Built. 1883 (IMO 5609045)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1883-1926
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 246 Gross Tonnage. 1132
• Passengers. 16
• Speed. 10.25 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 02/12/1936

 

• 05/03/1926: Sold to Hans Petersen,  renamed Prins Hamlet.
• 02/02/1935: Sold to Henry Andersen, Copenhagen.
• 02/12/1936: Scrapped. 

Klintholm

• Built. 1949 (IMO 5190161)
• Yard. Frederikshavns Vaerft
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1950-1965
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 66.70 m Gross Tonnage. 965
• Passengers. 2
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1983

 

Beached and abandoned 2 April 1982 off Gythion, Greece. Scrapped July 1983.

Koldinghuus 

• Built. 1883 (IMO 5609048)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co
• Class of Ship. Passenger paddle steamer
• Operator. DFDS 1883-1904
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1883-1903
• Length. 269.1
• Gross Tonnage. 1057
• Passengers. 118
• Speed. 12.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1906

 

In 1876, the company enlarged its service and operated the route between Esbjerg and Newcastle using the p.s. Koldinghuus.

05/1/1903 on voyage Harwich – Esbjerg with passengers and general cargo, stranded on the SW coast of Fanø. Passengers and crew saved by the lifeboat from Sønderho.

• 16/11/1904 Renamed Depotskib I.
• 02/8/1906 Sold to Petersen & Albeck for demolition.

Kong Haakon

• Built. 1906 (IMO 5602676)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain
• Class of Ship. Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1906-1938
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1921-1931
• Length. 287.3 Gross Tonnage. 1781
• Passengers. 336
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1948

 

Because of heavy war losses the company put the s.s. King Haakon and the s.s. Dronning Maud onto the route. Both transferred from the Copenhagen-Oslo route. The King Haakon was sold to shipowners in Parnu; and during the 1939-45 war she was operated by the Russians.

• 19/9/1921: Arrived at Kiel and rebuilt by Deutsche Werke.
• 29/08/1938: Arrived at Copenhagen from Frederikshavn and laid up.
• 27/09/1938: Sold to Pärnu Laeva A/S, Pärnu.
• 28/09/1938: Taken over by her new owners and renamed Vironia.
• 4/1940: Captured by the Russian Navy in an Estonian port.
• 28/08/1941: Struck a mine and sank off Kap Juminda.
• 1948: Reported broken up

Kronen 

• Built. 1881 (IMO 5609061)
• Yard.  Kochums Mekaniska
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1887-1899
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 171.7 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 458
• Passengers. 30
• Speed. 9 Knots
• Status. Sank 04/10/1899

 

Kronen sank on the 4/10/1899 off Tyne Pier, Newcastle following a collision with the Blytheville.

Kronprins Frederik 

• Built. 1939 (IMO 5196983)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1941-1976
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1946-1964
• Length. 114.48 m
• Gross Tonnage. 3895
• Passengers. 364
• Speed. 20.25 knots
• Status. Sunk 24/12/1976

 

The ship was completed on 25 May 1941, towed to Copenhagen on 06 June 1941 and delivered to the owners on 19 June. Propulsion was provided by twin B&W 1050-VF-90 Diesel Engines (5294 kW) and twin propellers which gave the ship a cruising speed of 20.5 knots. On 19th April 1953, the ship arrived at Harwich after making passage from Esbjerg, Denmark and moored at Parkeston Quay. Soon after the passengers had disembarked a fire broke out in one of the passenger cabins.

Fire fighting efforts by the ship’s crew were unable to control the fire. Local firefighting brigades arrived and provided additional assistance, however, the fire continued to rage out of control. Kronprins Frederik was returned to service on the Esbjerg-Harwich route where the ship provided reliable service until 1963 when the ship was leased out for private charter to the Carlsberg Distribution Co Ltd, London, England for a passage departing from Harwich on 22nd May 1963 and sailing to Oslo, Norway, then on to Copenhagen, Denmark, returning to Harwich on 29th May. On 10th March 1976, the Kronprins Frederik was purchased by the Arab Navigation Company, Suez, Egypt, taking possession of the ship on 16th March and was renamed as the M/V Patra. On 24th December 1976, the Patra departed Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on passage to Suez, Egypt with 353-387 passengers and 88-94 crew on board, The Patra, still in flames, sank a few hours later on the early morning of 25th December 1976 in over 450 meters of water.  102 lives were lost.

Kronprinsesse Ingrid 

• Built. 1948 (IMO 5197016)
• Yard.  Helsingør Skibsværft og
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1949-1969
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1949-1966
• Length. 375 Gross Tonnage. 3968
• Passengers. 364
• Freight Capacity. 33 Cars
• Speed. 20.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 10/06/1985

 

In bright sunlight and before many distinguished guests, including King Frederick and Queen Ingrid of Denmark and some thousands of cheering shipyard workers, Kronprinsesse Ingrid, was launched by seven-year-old Princess Margrethe, eldest daughter of the King and Queen, at Elsinore, Denmark.

The young princess’s part in the ceremony was unexpected and it was a surprise that added a further touch of splendor to the memorable occasion. 

The vessel had the same dimensions as her sister ship, her speed, however, being 21 knots, she being of lighter tonnage as being built after the war she had a welded hull, as opposed to the riveted hull of the “Kronprins Frederik”

Kronprinsesse Ingrid maintained the post war Harwich service and was replaced by the Winston Churchill in 1966. She was eventually sold to Greece and broken up in Pakistan in 1985.

Kursk 

• Built. 1881 (IMO 5609056)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1881-1912
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 246 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1131
• Passengers. 20
• Speed. 8.5 Knots
• Status. Sank 26/08/1912

 

Kursk was lost with all hands off Vlissingen on the 26^th August 1912.

Lemnos 

• Built. 1948 (IMO 5205904)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsvaerft
• Class of Ship. Cargo/passenger ship
• Operator. DFDS 1949-1968
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 331.2 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 1768
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 14.5 Knots
• Status. Sank 05/09/1973

 

1968 Renamed Beiteddine, The ship caught fire off Bejaia on the 5.9.1973 and was beached the ship was carrying explosives & general cargo.

Lolland 

• Built. 1882 (IMO 5609062)
• Yard. H. McIntyre
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1883-1909
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 178 ft.
• Gross Tonnage. 493
• Passengers. 5
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Sank 01/09/1909

 

On the 1st September 1909 on voyage from Blyth – Korsor the Iron cargo ship capsized and sank with a cargo of General cargo & coal during heavy weather. All hands were saved.

Maersk Exporter 

• Built. 1996 (IMO 9121625)
• Yard. Miho Shipyard, Japan
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. Norfolk Line (DFDS Charter)
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg
• Length. 143 m
• Gross Tonnage. 13017
• Freight Capacity. 1562 Lane metres
• Speed. 18 Knots
• Status. Stena Scotia

 

 

Maersk Importer

• Built. 1996 (IMO 9121637)
• Yard. Miho Shipyard, Shimizu
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. Norfolk Line (DFDS Charter)
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg
• Length. 143 m
• Gross Tonnage. 13017
• Freight Capacity. 1562 Lane metres
• Speed. 18.5 Knots
• Status. Stena Hibernia

 

 

Marocco 

• Built. 1935 (IMO 5226104)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs-og
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1936-1966
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 288
• Gross Tonnage.1641
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 12.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1978

• 19/02/1936: Copenhagen – Antwerp.
• 25/04/1940: Left Oslo.
• 27/04/1940: Laid up until the end of the war.
• 29/06/1966: Renamed Santa Cruz.
• 1971: Sold and renamed Dimitram.
• 11/1978: Demolition commenced.

N.J. Fjord

• Built. 1896 (IMO 5600852)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1896-1916
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1896-1914
• Length. 268.6
• Passengers. 347
• Speed. 15 Knots
• Status. Sunk 05/04/1917

 

On voyage Blyth – Odense on the 5th April 1917 N.J. Fjord was captured and sunk by a German submarine in the North Sea about 40 miles from Farne Islands. All hands saved by the lifeboats. Eventually they were picked up by British trawlers and patrol boats. After a lengthy search, a team of divers have made a sensational discovery. In water 70 metres deep off the east coast of England, on 19 June they found the wreck of NJ Fjord. NJ Fjord is not just any old ship. In 1917, during the First World War, it was inspected by the English warship Elbing as it was heading eastwards off the coast of Denmark. Since a fair amount of steam was being released, it was also seen by the nearby German warship Galatea, which immediately sailed there, and fire was opened. It was the first gun shots in the battle that became known as the Battle of Jutland. NJ Fjord thus became the accidental trigger for one of history’s biggest and fiercest battles with huge loss of life on both sides. NJ Fjord hurried away, but later that year while sailing to England it encountered a German warship, which fortunately allowed the crew to disembark from the ship before they attached explosives to the side of the ship and sank it.

Pacific Prosperity 

• Built. 1978 (IMO 7718450)
• Yard. Minami-Nippon Usuki, Japan.
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1997
• Length. 140,82 m
• Gross Tonnage. 5290
• Freight Capacity. 1847 Load Metres.
• Speed. 16 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2011

 

• 1981 Chartered to Andrea Merzario, Italy. Renamed Merzario Lombardia
• 1982 Renamed TFL Prosperity.
• 1983 Chartered to Union Steamship Co, Renamed Union Sydney.
• 1988 Registered to Helios Investment. Renamed Pacific Prosperity.
• 1997 Chartered to DFDS a/s, Copenhagen. Esbjerg-Harwich.
• 1998 Sold to International Maritime Corp, Renamed Azzahira.
• 2007 Sold to Pontos Shipping Ltd, Cyprus. Renamed Pontus.
• 2011 Sold to Turkey. Renamed Pon.
• 2011 Towed from Greece to Aliaga, Turkey. for scrapping

Parkeston 

• Built. 1924 (IMO 5270753)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1925-1964
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1925-1939
• Length. 324
• Gross Tonnage. 2762
• Passengers. 212
• Speed. 15.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1975

 

In 1925, the company adopted the diesel engine for her new vessel and the first motor vessel to enter the service was built at Elsinore of 2,800 gross tons; with a speed of 16 knots and named the m.v. Parkeston.

In November 1945 Parkeston sailed from Newcastle to Copenhagen direct on the first passenger trip after WWII. The Ship then left Copenhagen and sailed to Esbjerg to restart the service, three sailings a week.

After use as accommodation vessel in Oslo she was broken up in 1975.

Primula (I)

• Built. 1896 (IMO 560868)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co, Renfrew
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1896-1938
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1896-1903
• Length. 279.8
• Gross Tonnage. 1524
• Passengers. 257
• Speed. 14 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 10/2/1938

 

Primula was sold to Clayton & Davie Ltd for scrapping at Dunston-on-Tyne in February 1938. 

Primula (II)

• Built. 1952 (IMO 5284613)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsværft OG Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1952-1972
• Route. Harwich- Esbjerg 1954-1969
• Length. 101 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1812
• Passengers. 6
• Speed. 14.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1985

 

1972 Sold to Philippines, renamed Sweet Love.

Prince of Scandinavia

• Built. 1974 (IMO 7361312)
• Yard. Flender Werft Ag, Lubeck, Germany
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1975-2003
• Route. Harwich-Gothenburg/Esbjerg 1983-2003
• Length. 182.35
• Gross Tonnage. 18455
• Passengers. 1700
• Freight Capacity. 910 m
• Speed. 24.5 Knots
• Status. Moby Drea

 

Tor Britannia was built in 1974 for the Gothenburg-Amsterdam and Gothenburg-Felixstowe services of Tor Line. from 1983 Tor Britannia operated some services between Harwich and Esbjerg, which was achieved much faster than running-partner Dana Anglia due to Tor Britannia’s higher speed. She later served on most other DFDS Seaways routes, including Harwich-Hamburg, and routes from Ijmuiden to Norway and Sweden. In 1991 Tor Britannia was renamed Prince of Scandinavia. In 2003, Prince of Scandinavia was sold to Moby Lines and entered service as the Moby Drea between Livorno and Olbia.

Princess of Scandinavia

• Built. 1975 (IMO 7361324)
• Yard. Flender Werft Ag, Lubeck, Germany
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1975-2006
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg/Gothenburg 1983-2006
• Length. 182.35
• Gross Tonnage. 14905
• Passengers. 1700
• Freight Capacity. 910 m
• Speed. 24.5 Knots
• Status. Moby Otta

 

Tor Scandinavia was eventually delivered on April 12, 1976. Although technically modern in many ways; the ships’ exteriors were quite traditional in their style, reminiscent more of ocean liners than ferries. For all of its service with Tor Line, the Tor Scandinavia alternated with its sister on the routes Gothenburg–Immingham and later Felixstowe) and Gothenburg–Amsterdam.

Already in autumn 1976 the ship had her first major accident, when she ran into a major storm on the North Sea. Nine windows were smashed and the ship started taking in water from the forward air intakes on the superstructure. Eventually the ship arrived in Amsterdam approximately 18 hours behind schedule.

Tor Scandinavia was renamed Princess of Scandinavia in 1991 and was sold to Moby lines in 2006 and renamed Moby Otta.

Prinz Hamlet II 

• Built. 1973 (IMO 7320332)
• Yard. Werft Nobiskrug, Rendsburg
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS/Prinz Ferries 1987-1988
• Route. Harwich – Bremerhaven/Hamburg 1973-1987
• Length. 118.73 m
• Gross Tonnage. 5823
• Passengers. 1000
• Freight Capacity. 225 Cars
• Speed. 22 Knots
• Status. Svetti Stefan II

The ‘Prinz Hamlet’ was built at the Werft Nobiskrug GmbH shipyard at Rendsburg, Germany, and launched on 26th May 1973 for Hamburg-based Prinzen Line Schiffahrtsges, mbH & Co., commencing services between Hamburg and Harwich on 12th November the same year. Although relatively small (118 metres overall / 8,697 GT) she was extremely well fitted out to carry 1,100 passengers, including 572 berths in comfortable cabins. She was powered by four (4) Fyra-Stork-Werkspoor diesels, giving her a maximum speed of 22½ knots.

She remained predominantly on the Harwich-Hamburg route for 13½ years until 4th April 1987, but also fulfilled a number of short charters to NATO. Between 11th and 14th September 1984 she undertook a round-trip for NATO between Hamburg, Southampton, Zeebrügge, returning to Hamburg. Later that year, between 28th and 30th September, she undertook a NATO round-trip between Harwich and Zeebrügge. The following year, between 6th and 25th March 1985, she undertook a lengthier charter between Hamburg, Oslo, Andalsnes, Tromsö and Dundee, returning to Hamburg. Interestingly, during her years’ operating between Harwich and Hamburg, the ‘Prinz Hamlet’ changed ownership twice. In 1977, ownership changed to Färhshiffge’s “Prinz Malcom” Kröger, Dr. Prüssman & Co, Hamburg. Six years later, in 1983, ownership changed to Prinzen Line Schiffahrtsges, mbH & Co, Hamburg. Also, between these two changes of ownership, in 1981, Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab (DFDS) long-term chartered ‘Prinz Hamlet’, maintaining her on the Harwich-Hook route.

On 4th May 1987, ‘Prinz Hamlet’ was sold to Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab (DFDS) and, following a refit and refurbishment at Esbjerg, renamed ‘Prins Hamlet’, placed into service between Esbjerg and Newcastle. She predominantly remained on this route for 1½ years until 13th September 1988, although (as during her Harwich days) she was chartered three times by NATO for short periods.

On 14th May 2017, after serving Montenegro Line for 14 ½ years, and having been sold to Turkish shipbreakers, departed Bar for the final time on her one-way journey to Aliaga, where she arrived three days’ later on 17th May, to be broken up – having enjoyed a wonderful, varied and long career of 44 years.

 

Prins Oberon

• Built. 1970 (IMO 7011515)
• Yard. Werft Nobiskrug, Rendsburg
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1981-1984
• Route. Harwich – Bremerhaven/Gothenburg/Esbjerg
• Length. 134,00 m
• Gross Tonnage. 7933
• Passengers. 1040
• Freight Capacity. 250 Cars
• Speed. 22 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2011

Built by Werft Nobiskrug at Rendsburg, near Kiel, Germany, and launched on 21st February 1970 as m/s Prins Oberon for Ab Bonnierföretagen (Lion Ferry), Halmstad, Sweden, and inserted in the Prinzen Line overnight service between Bremerhaven and Harwich. On 30th September 1978, she was acquired by Deutche Leasing AG, Bremen, and long-term chartered for 8 years to Prinzenlinien Schiffahrtsges, m.H & Co, Germany, renamed Prinz Oberon, being retained on the same route between Germany and the UK. On 1st May 1981, DFDS A/S, Copenhagen, took over part-ownership and management of Prinzenlinien Schiffahrtsges and, two months’ later, in July, became sole owner of the company. However, 1½ years’ later, on 17th December 1982, the Bremerhaven to Harwich route was terminated and the m/s Prinz Oberon was briefly laid up at Bremerhaven.

On 11th February 1983, the m/s Prinz Oberon was briefly chartered to the Dutch, Hoek van Holland based company Stoomvart Maatschappij Zeeland (part of the Sealink Ferries brand) for ferry services between the Hook and Harwich and, at the end of this charter on 11th March 1983, she switched charter to the British operator Sealink UK Limited for brief services on the same route until 10th June 1983, where-after she returned to layup at Bremerhaven. On 30th November 1983, the ship was purchased from Deutche Leasing AG by the Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab’s Hamburg-based subsidiary DFDS Deutschland G.m.b.H. and, following a refit, on 6th June 1984, placed on a tri-port cruise-ferry circuit between Esbjerg, Newcastle and Gothenburg, three weeks later (on 23rd June) rescheduled to the route between Cuxhaven, Harwich and Gothenburg for two months until 19th August 1984.

On 14th November 1984, the m/s Prinz Oberon was sold by DFDS to a Swedish consortium comprising Trans-Nordic Line AB (50%), Rederi AB Gotland (40%) and Gotlandstrafiken AB (10%) and dispatched for a refit at the Finnboda Shipyard, Nacka, Stockholm, renamed m/s Nordic Sun. However, it seems that before she is even placed into service, on 25th February 1985, she was dispatched to her builders Werft Nobiskrug GmbH, Rendsburg, for remodelling for an intended new cruise-ferry route between Södertälje, Kalmar and Travemünde. But it is recorded that this plan was never realised and, in May 1985, she was short-term chartered to TT-SAGA Line for ferry services between Trelleborg and Travemünde until 27th April 1986.
As m/s CRUISE MUHIBAH

On 30th April 1986, the m/s Nordic Sun was sold to the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian-based company Perbadabab Nasional Shipping Line Berhad, (PNSL) and renamed m/s Cruise Muhibah. This was the idea and creation of the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, DrMahathir Mohamad based on the wish “to draw closer relations between the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak” and, on 6th August 1986, the Sultan of Pahang officially launched the cruise-ferry service linking Kuantan (Pahang) with Kuching (Sarawak) and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) – a four-day round trip – although Singapore was subsequently added to the schedule. Unfortunately, m/s Cruise Muhibah’s time in Malaysian service was fraught with problems. In October 1987, one of her m/e’s suffered a breakdown – although this was repaired during the voyage. Later in 1987, she suffered an engine room fire, for which repairs where necessary at Malaysia Shipbuilding. And, on New Year’s Day, 1stJanuary 1989, whilst on route from Kuching to Singapore, the ship ran aground on a reef requiring repairs at Singapore.

In 1989, the m/s Cruise Muhibah was purchased by the investment and finance company EPA Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of the Aarhus, Denmark based EPA Invest A/S (a branch of Landic Property A/S). She arrived at Dublin from Jakarta on 5th February 1990 and, following a substantial refit and refurbished at the Liffey Dockyard Company, renamed m/s Munster, bareboat chartered to B&I Line, initially being placed in service between Rosslare and Pembroke Dock, Wales, subsequently operating between Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead until the end of her charter on 31st March 1992.

In May 1993, following a refit at Skipsdokk Sør A / S, Kristiansand, ownership changed (internally) to Limassol-based EPA Investor No II and the ship, renamed m/s Ambassador, was bareboat chartered for six years to Limassol-based Olympic Ferries Ltd / Blaesbjerg Ferries and placed in services between Patras, Igoumenitsa and Bari but, within nine months, by February 1994, the company was bankrupt and the service halted. Internal ownership again changed; this time to the Panamanian-registered (brass plaque) company EPA Investor Il Sociedad and Comandita Por Acciones and m/s m/s Ambassador, renamed m/s Ambassador II, followed a series of charters to Ovieda Shipping Company Ltd, then COTUNAV, Tunisia (serving between Tunis, Naples and Genoa), then to Tallink Hansaway (AG Eminre-Tallink, Tallinn) operating between Tallinn and Travemünde, then Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation (COMANAV), Morocco, operating between Sète (France) and Nador, and finally to the National Maritime Transport Co., Benghazi, Libya, for service between Tripoli and Valletta, Malta. On 19th November 1996, already 26½ years old, she was laid up for sale at Marseille.

In early-April 1997, the m/s Ambassador II was purchased by the well-known Miami-based International Shipping Partners Inc. (ISP) – now better-known as SunStone Ships Inc. and associated Cruise Management International – and registered under the ownership of the Monrovia, Liberia (brass plaque) company Sterling Shipping One LLC. In May, she was brought from Marseille to Southampton and laid up at the port, pending arrangements for her conversion, but on 16th August (1997) she arrived at Austin & Pickesgill’s A&P Appledore shipyards at Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, for a comprehensive refit and partial-rebuild into a casino cruise ship. As an interest, almost 7,000 square metres of traditional woven high-quality Axminster in 80% wool and 20% nylon was specified and fitted. Completion was partly delayed by a fire in the ship’s control room on 29th January 1998, but the m/s Ambassador II was finally completed and handed back to her owners on 1st April 1999 after 20 months, whereupon she sailed for Port Canaveral, Florida.

On 17th June 1999, the m/s Ambassador II inaugurated her twice-daily daytime and overnight gambling cruises from Port Canaveral under the brand Sterling Casino Lines (other research states the brand name Sterling Cruise Lines) and marketed as “The World’s Largest Casino Ship”. My research indicates she was fitted out with approximately 1,000 slot machines and 50 gaming tables providing roulette, blackjack, craps, Caribbean stud poker, six big wheel, and mini baccarat. Apart from the gambling, entertainment was provided as, here, quoted by the company: “In the Show Lounge, you will hear music and singers – Starz On Stage. In the Tiki Bar Lounge, listen to Caribbean steel drum music. Other options include getting a massage or browsing the gift shop.”

The ship proved both popular and successful for the next nine years but, on 22nd July 2008, she was retired and laid up at Orange, Texas, a deep-water port on the Gulf of Mexico. The ship lay there for 2½ years, for sale but unwanted, until sold to ship breakers and, on 16th January 2011, towed to New Orleans for scrapping – an impressive 41 years of age.

Riberhuus

• Built. 1875 (IMO 5608961)
• Yard. Gourlay Brothers, Dundee
• Class of Ship. Cargo paddle steamer
• Operator. DFDS 1875-1918
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg 1880-1911
• Length. 190.7
• Passengers. 25
• Speed. 9.5 Knots
• Status. Wrecked 1921

 

The Paddle steamer Riberhuus made the first crossing between Esbjerg and Harwich on the 4^th June 1880. Built in 1875 she was the first vessel alongside Parkeston Quay on Friday September 22^nd 1882, she arrived with a cargo of 1,324 sheep,1 calf, 190 oxen, 237 casks of butter, 30 cases of eggs and 58 barrels of bacon. Passengers took second place in those days and often found themselves amongst cattle in the hold. She remained in the company’s service until 1918.

• 02/06/1880: Left Esbjerg with Esbjern Snare in the new Esbjerg-Harwich service.
• 22/09/1882: Arrived Parkeston Quay with first cargo of cattle.
• 28/12/1918: Sold to A/S Rederiaktieselskabel Triton, Aalborg
• 01/11/1920: Sank after collision with ss Westwood at St. Nazaire.
• 04/01/1921: Condemned.

Rota

• Built. 1923 (IMO 1167437)
• Yard. Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1923-1962
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1947/1958
• Length. 241
• Gross Tonnage. 840
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1962

 

• 03/02/1962 Laid up at Copenhagen.
• 19/02/1962 Sold and taken over by Petersen & Albeck A/S, Copenhagen
• 23/05/1962 Broken up.

Saint Patrick II 

• Built. 1972 (IMO 7302885)
• Yard. J.J. Sietas KG Schiffswerft GmbH & Co,
• Class of Ship. Passenger
• Operator. DFDS (Charter) 1985
• Route. Harwich-Hamburg 1985
• Length. 125,63 m
• Gross Tonnage. 7984
• Passengers. 1172
• Freight Capacity. 420 cars
• Speed. 21 Knots

 

09/1985 Chartered to DFDS Hamburg-Harwich.

• City of Cork (2001-2002), Ville de Sete (2000-2001) Egnatia II (1998-2000)
• Saint Patrick II (1982-1998) Aurella (1973-1982).

Seatern  

• Built. 1973 (IMO 7227164)
• Yard. Rauma Repola Oy
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo verssel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich Esbjerg
• Length. 137.52 m
• Gross Tonnage. 4310
• Passengers. 12
• Freight Capacity. 1296 Lane metres
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2006

 

Weston (1985)  Rijnhaven (1995)  Seatern (1998)  Kunda (2000)  Seatern (2002)  Seaterns (2003).

Sirena Seaways 

• Built. 2001 (IMO 9212163)
• Yard. Szczecin Shipyard, Poland
• Class of Ship. RO/RO passenger/cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 2003-2015
• Length. 199.4 m
• Passengers. 601
• Freight Capacity. 2060 Lane metres
• Speed. 23 Knots
• Former Name. Golfo Dei Delfini, Dana Sirena
• Status. Sirena Seaways

On 22 June 2013, Sirena Seaways collided with the dockside at Harwich, Essex, with 489 passengers on board. The incident caused some damage to the dockside, loading ramp and ship, resulting in the vessel taking on water. The crew blocked the opening from inside and the watertight compartments were used to prevent the ship from capisizing. The Harwich RNLI lifeboat, Walton Coastguard rescue team and an RAF search and rescue helicopter from Wattisham Airfield responded to the incident, along with a number of other vessels nearby. The ferry was brought alongside at 14:45 and the passengers were disembarked. The last sailing from Harwich-Esbjerg was on September 29th 2014, Sirena Seaways, which has operated the route since 2003, will be deployed elsewhere.

Somerset 

• Built. 1966 (IMO 6703343)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsvaerft & Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Cargo RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1966-1981
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg/Hamburg 1967-1981
• Length. 124 m
• Gross Tonnage. 6542
• Freight Capacity. Trailers: 135
• Berths. 12
• Speed. 18 Knots

 

• 20/10/1966 Launched
• 04/01/1967 Harwich-Esbjerg.
• 1969-1980 Esbjerg-Harwich/Newcastle/Grimsby/Felixstowe.
• 1980-1981 Hamburg-Harwich.

Purcell Livestock (1981) – Livestock (1982)- Fastock (1984)- Afroditi (1987)  Zaher V (1995).

Stafford 

• Built. 1967 (IMO 6708252)
• Yard. Helsingør Skibsvaerft & Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1967-1984
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg
• Length. 111.60 m
• Gross Tonnage. 4593
• Freight Capacity. 113 trailers
• Berths. 12
• Speed. 18 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 23/08/2014

 

“Stafford” was built by Helsingør Skibsværft og Maskinbyggeri A/S, Elsinore, and launched on 24th January 1967 for United Steamship Company A/S (DFDS) Copenhagen as the freight ro-ro ferry and, for the next seventeen years, she traded as a “butter boat” on DFDS’s routes between Esbjerg and Harwich and, alter, between Esbjerg and Newcastle. The “Stafford” could also carry containers on her top deck and, during a refit at Helsingør Shipyard in October 1969, she was equipped with a container crane., on 28th December 1972, she was dispatched to Frederikshavn Shipyard & Tørdok A/S and lengthened, which was completed on 8th February 1973. The following year, on 30th January 1984, she was renamed “Dana Gloria” in line with DFDS’s new naming policy.

On 28th November 1984, she was sold to Limassol-based Tzmar Voyage Ltd. (Fanis Tzaveres) and, early the following month, renamed “Voyager”, one month later, on 8th January 1985, she was back-chartered to DFDS for three weeks until 25th February 1985, when she was dispatched to Drapetsona for conversion to a passenger car ferry, renamed “Monaco”, having been sold to the Piraeus-based Lelakis subsidiary Cross Med. Maritime Co. and placed on Euroferries’ route between Patras and Brindisi. In 1987, the ship’s machinery was replaced at Perama Dockyards and, in 1988, renamed “Sitia” she was placed in service between Piraeus and Crete and between Piraeus and the Greek Archipelago.

In March 1990, the “Sitia” ex “Stafford” was dispatched to the Avlis Shipyard SAhalkis for conversion to a cruise ship and, in June the following year, was renamed “Tropic Star”. On 24th July 1992, she arrived at Miami and commenced short cruises to Bimini and Freeport. In May the following year, renamed “Pacific Star”, she sailed under the Starlight Cruises’ banner on casino gambling cruises between San Diego and the holiday resort of Ensanada, Baja California, Mexico.But this venture was relatively short-lived and, after just 21 months, on 1st February 1995, the ship was arrested at San Diego for owners’ debts. In May 1995, she is recorded as renamed “Aegaion Star”. on 21st November 1995, the ship was reported arrested again, at and/or by the Avlis Shipyard SA Chalkis.
On 16th January 1996, the “Aegaio Star” was auctioned for sale, but apparently no bids were forthcoming.

A second auction, on 28th May 1997, resulted in her acquisition by the Panama-registered company Fortune Shipping Investigate Ltd and, six months later, in November 1997, she was renamed “New York Fortune 1”, in April 2002, she was renamed “Atlantis”, transferred to the Greek flag with her registered home port as Piraeus, and placed on days cruises between Heraklion and Santorini, later between Rethimnon (Crete) and Santorini until the ship was laid up at Eleusis on 6th July 2005.

On 14th September 2007, the “Atlantis” (ex “Stafford”) was purchased by the American-backed, Panamanian-registered company Island Breeze International Inc. (with offices in George Town, Cayman Islands) and renamed “Island Breeze”. The U.S-headquartered company professed to be an entertainment cruise development company with plans to develop and market the ship as (quote) “a single-day gaming cruise operation to be based in Miami that will cater to residents of Miami-Dade county as well as tourists visiting the Miami Beach area, with plans to offer five to six hour round trip gaming cruises twice daily from the Port of Miami on one of the largest single-day gaming cruise vessels in the United States.” In caveat, whilst Island Breeze International Inc. announced that it planned to renovate the “Island Breeze”, the company added that “The intended project is dependent on closing sufficient financing.” This never came to fruition and the “Island Breeze” remained laid up, deteriorating and for sale in Eleusis Bay for the next seven years until sold to Turkish shipbreakers in August 2014, arriving Aliaga on 23rd August to be beached and scrapped.

Suffolk

• Built. 1965 (IMO 6610522)
• Yard. Cantieri Navale Felszegi S.p.A., Trieste
• Class of Ship. Cargo
• Operator. DFDS 1966-1979
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1966-1974
• Length. 79.22 m
• Gross Tonnage. 999
• Speed. 14 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 28/12/1988

 

Forenede (1966) Suffolk (1966)  Nopal Spray (1974)  Suffolk (1976)  Nawaf (1979)

• 23.04.1966: Left Trieste as Forenede from Copenhagen via Felixstowe.
• 11.05.1966: Renamed Suffolk.
• 13.05.1966: Left Copenhagen for Felixstowe.
• 01.09.1969 – 14.10.1969: Lengthened by Boele’s Scheepswerven en Machinefabriek N.V.,
• 20.12.1979: Sold to Abdul Jaleel Musa A. Samkari Trading & Shipping Establishment,
• 31.12.1979: Taken over by her new owners and renamed Nawaf
• 1982: Sold to Najd Marine Corp. S.A., Jeddah.
• 28.12.1988: Laid up at Jeddah in a damaged condition.

 Surrey 

• Built. 1969 (IMO 6920159)
• Yard. Helsingor Skibsvaerft & Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1969-1992
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg/Hamburg 1972-1991
• Length. 114.50 m
• Gross Tonnage. 10524
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2005 

 

• 1972-1991 Esbjerg – Harwich
• 1980-1982 Hamburg-Harwich
• 1984-1988 Hamburg-Harwich

Thomas Wehr 

• Built. 1977 (IMO 7613404)
• Yard. Rickmers Werft
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg – Hamburg
• Length. 108.31 m
• Gross Tonnage. 1599
• Speed. 17.5 Knots
• Former Name. Wacro Express
• Status. Lider Samsun

 

• 1985 Chartered to DFDS. Renamed Dana Germania.
• 1989 Chartered to Elbe Humber Roline. Cuxhaven – Bremerhaven-Immingham-Harwich.
• 28/08/2007 Oostende-Harwich.

Thyra (II) 

• Built. 1923 (IMO 1167510)
• Yard. Frederikshavns Værft & Flydedok
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1923-1957
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1940
• Length. 247
• Gross Tonnage. 1088
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1957

 

• 06/08/1956: Arrived at Copenhagen from Grimsby and laid up.
• 08/02/1957: Sold to Eisen und Metall KG, Lehr & Co., Hamburg.
• 19/02/1957: Arrived at Bremerhaven for demolition.
• 03/1957: Demolition commenced.

Tjaldur 

• Built. 1898 (IMO 5601209)
• Yard. Murdoch & Murray, Port Glasgow
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1904-1939
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1923-1925
• Length. 206.9
• Gross Tonnage. 795
• Passengers. 353
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Sunk 21/12/1942

 

• Launched as “Vega” in 1898, Sold to DFDS Copenhagen 1904 and renamed Tjaldur.
• 1939 Sold to Panama, renamed Dora.

  Tor Dania (II) 

• Built. 1977 (IMO 7624051)
• Yard. Metallurgique & Navale Dunkirk, France.
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS 1992-2012
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 193, 25 m
• Gross Tonnage. 8670
• Freight Capacity. 2695 Lane metres
• Speed. 16.5 Knots
• Former Name. Ville De Dunkerque
• Status. Scrapped 2012

 

• 29/10/1977 Launched as Ville de Dunkerque
• 01/1989 – 27/11/1989 Renamed Dana Hafnia.
• 18/01/1993 Renamed Tor Dania. (II)
• 15/04/1993 Renamed Brit Dania (Britline) Esbjerg-Harwich.
• 13/09/1993 Renamed Tor Dania.
• 03/03/1994 Esbjerg-Sørreisa-Southampton-Harwich.
• 30/05/1995 Gothenburg-Immingham-Harwich.
• 11/2012 Sold to India for Breaking

Trondhjem (II)

• Built. 1923 (IMO 5606091)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs- OG Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1923-1963
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1958-1963
• Length. 242.3 Gross Tonnage. 1399
• Passengers. 52
• Speed. 11 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1963

 

In service mainly Copenhagen to West Norway and Baltic, continuing 1940-1945, Accommodation reduced post-war. Mainly on UK services including Leith and the Humber from 1945, arrived at Bruges for breaking on 25/08/1963. 

Tunis 

• Built. 1936 (IMO 5370840)
• Yard. A/S Helsingørs Jernskibs- OG Maskinbyggeri
• Class of Ship. Cargo motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1936-1966
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1953-1965
• Length. 288
• Gross Tonnage. 1641
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 12.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1978

 

• 1941 Requisitioned by USA, renamed Aquila.
• 1945 Renamed Bonanza.
• 1946 Returned to DFDS and renamed Tunis,
• 1966 Sold to Greece, renamed Maria T.

Tyne Progress 

• Built. 1974 (IMO 7333717)
• Yard. Stx Finland
• Class of Ship. RO/RO Cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 137,52 m
• Gross Tonnage. 11797
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2008

 

• Strofades II  (2006 ) Veerhaven (1998) Parkhaven (1998) Tyne Progress (1994)
• Baltic Progress (1992).

Tyr 

• Built. 1890 (IMO 1167451)
• Yard. Lindholmens Mek. Werkstad, Gothenburg
• Class of Ship. Cargo seamship
• Operator. DFDS 1900-1951
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1902-1950
• Length. 182 Gross Tonnage. 526
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1951

 

17/7/1951 Reported broken up

Tzarevetz 

• Built. 1979 (IMO 7814462)
• Yard. Kockums – Malmo
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1988
• Length. 164 m
• Gross Tonnage. 8919
• Freight Capacity. 66 Trailers
• Speed. 17 Knots
• Status. Wawel

 

aunched in 1979 as the Scandinavia. She spent a large part of her career serving the Dover-Calais cross channel ferry route with successive operators. In March 2004, the new owners GA Ferries renamed the vessel to Alkmini A, operating a service between Igoumenitsa, Greece and Brindisi, Italy from June 2004, this however was not to last and in September 2004 the Alkmini A was sold to Polferries and transferred to the Baltic Sea as the Wawel  operating a route from 15 February 2005 between Swinoujscie, Poland and Ystad, Sweden. In October 2008 she was chartered to DFDS to continue this route. She is currently in service with Polferries as the Wawel.

Union

• Built. 1875 (IMO 5608955)
• Yard. Lobnitz Coulborn & Co.
• Class of Ship. Cargo steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1883-1924
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1920-1923
• Length. 197
• Gross Tonnage. 556
• Passengers. 7
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1924

• 1883 Purchased from Kier, Aalborg
• 1924 Scrapped.

Vidar (II) 

• Built. 1915 (IMO 5603974)
• Yard. Burmeister & Wain’s Maskin
• Class of Ship. Passenger steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1915-1940
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg
• Length. 267
• Gross Tonnage. 1353
• Passengers. 31
• Speed. 12 Knots
• Status. Sank 1940

 

31/01/1940: Grimsby – Esbjerg, torpedoed by the German submarine U-21 in the North Sea and sank the following day. 15 men were lost.

Viking (I)

• Built. 1883 (IMO 5609245)
• Yard. Lobnitz & Co., Renfrew
• Class of Ship. Cargo Steamship
• Operator. DFDS 1891-1917
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1904-1907
• Length. 211
• Gross Tonnage. 761
• Passengers. 41
• Speed. 10 Knots
• Status. Sunk 1917

 

• 11/07/1883: Launched as Achille.
• 18/03/1891 Sold to DFDS Copenhagen.
• 1891 Purchased from Grandchamp, Dieppe and renamed Viking.
• 1917 shelled and sunk by German submarine in Bay of Biscay.

Vistula 

• Built. 1930 (IMO 5382489)
• Yard. A/S Burmeister & Wain’s Maskin
• Class of Ship. Passenger motorship
• Operator. DFDS 1930-1966
• Route. Harwich – Copenhagen 1936
• Length. 234.3
• Gross Tonnage. 1250
• Passengers. 450
• Speed. 13 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 1970

 

• 25/08/1936-09/10/1936 DFDS Copenhagen-Harwich-Svendborg-Copenhagen-Aarhus-Harwich-Copenhagen.

 

Vomero 

• Built. 1973 (IMO 7328360)
• Yard. Krögerwerft G.M.B.H
• Class of Ship. RO/RO cargo vessel
• Operator. DFDS (Charter)
• Route. Harwich – Esbjerg 1996
• Length. 126,80 m
• Gross Tonnage. 3600
• Passengers. 12
• Speed. 17.5 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 2004

 

• 11/08/1973 Launched
• 1994 Renamed Vomero.
• 1996 Esbjerg-Harwich.
• 2004 Arrived Aliaga, Turkey for breaking up.

Winston Churchill 

• Built. 1967 (IMO 6718233)
• Yard. Cantieri Navali del Tirreno
• Class of Ship. Passenger & car ferry
• Operator. DFDS 1967-1996
• Route. Harwich-Esbjerg
• Length. 140,65 m
• Gross Tonnage. 10513
• Passengers. 450
• Speed. 21 Knots
• Status. Scrapped 24/01/2004

 

m/s Winston Churchill was built by Cantieri Navali del Tirreno e Riuniti SpA. Riva Trigoso, and launched on 25th May 1966. Completed and delivered to DFDS almost one year later on the 19th May 1967, she was officially named by Baroness Spencer-Churchill (wife of the late Sir Winston Churchill) at Greenwich on 30th May and commenced services between Harwich and Esbjerg on 2nd June 1967. At this time, she had comfortable accommodation for 462 overnight passengers and, with a ro-ro capacity for a maximum 180 cars, was also able to carry coaches, caravans plus freight lorries and trailers. Four years later, however, she was refitted at Helsingør to accommodate more passengers.

Eleven years after commencing the Harwich-Esbjerg route, in 1978, as a result of increased demand for vehicle-carrying capacity grew on this service, the m/s Winston Churchill was replaced by the new m/s Dana Anglia and the Churchill was relocated to Newcastle with effect 4th June 1978, and placed into service between Newcastle and Esbjerg and, in summer, a twice-weekly service between Newcastle and Gothenburg.

On 8th July 1996, she was purchased by Florida-based entrepreneurs, renamed m/s Mayan Empress, and registered under the registered ownership of the Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines company Emerald Empress Holding Ltd., with plans to convert her to a cruise-ferry to operate between St Petersburg, Florida, and Cancun, Mexico, under the brand name Empress Cruise Line. On 21st July 1996, the m/s Mayan Empress ex m/s Winston Churchill was towed to the Westcon Shipyard at Vikebygd in Norway for repairs and refit but, by the following year, Empress Cruise Line was declared bankrupt and the ship sat at Vikebygd for three years while the shipyard and other creditors pursued litigation.

In February 2002, with all litigations cleared, the derelict ship was offered for sale and Westcon Shipyard relocated the m/s Mayan Empress to a layup berth at their Ølen facilities. After a further 21 months laid up, in November 2003, the decaying ferry was sold to the shipbreaking broker intermediates Veesham Shipping, Dubai, who then resold her to Indian shipbreakers.

On 19th December 2003, m/s Winston Churchill departed Ølen-Skudefjord under tow, and arrived Alang 21st January 2004, being beached three days later and broken up.

 

Closure of the Harwich – Esbjerg route

The route between Harwich and Esbjerg in Denmark, has been in operation for nearly 140 years.

The Last sailing Sunday 28th September 2014 .

“A Sad Day” at 1715 hours Sunday 28th September 2014 Sirena Seaways left her berth at Parkeston Quay for the last time.

It was a warm sunny evening on the packed Ha’penny Pier in Harwich, as the ferry approached the waiting crowds with a water tug leading the way there was a silence, the bridge of the ship was packed with the ship’s crew all waving goodbye for the last time as well as the passengers on the upper deck, the horn sounded twice and you could see people getting emotional, many of the people on this pier would have either worked on the ferry as cleaners or former staff of the company.

As she turned the corner heading out into the North Sea for the last time bound for Denmark there was still a silence as the crowds headed home to reflect on what was a sad day for the people of Harwich.

 

After 140 years two World Wars and many incidents, this marked the end of an era for the Harwich-Esbjerg route.

 

We are adding more information to this site on a regular basis, if you wish to submit any photos or provide any information, then please use the contact page at the bottom of the screen.

 

Copyright Ownership.

We attempted to get the consent of copyright holders to use this material for nearly all of the photographs on the website. In the few cases where names are available, a thorough search was made using telephone directories, photographic copyright directories, People Search and Google Area Search. None of the copyright owners could be traced in this way and we believe we have exhausted all reasonable avenues. The consensus opinion of these authorities was that if any two of the following situations applied we would be deemed to have taken sufficient action to avoid infringing copyright laws:

• Reasonable efforts made to contact the copyright holder
• No financial gain will be made in relation to the photos
• A letter is obtained from present owner of photos
• There is a proviso included stating that if offence is caused document will be removed

The website owner undertakes to remove any photograph from the website where offence is caused. All the above conditions have therefore been met.

 

• I wish to thank the following for their contribution to this project.
• DFDS, Ian Boyle, Derek Sands, Alan Dumelow and all those that have allowed me to use their photos.

 

Header : Prins Oberon (1984) Photo by John Wray

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