SeaCat Scotland

HISTORY

SeaCat Scotland was completed in 1992. She was built to serve the Belfast-Stranraer SeaCat service, which she was to in actual fact, open on 1st June 1992. Before heading to the North Channel she operated on the Dover to Calais Hoverspeed service.

From 1992 until October 1994 she operated on SeaCat routes, then in October 1994 she departed Belfast when she went on a two month charter to Q-Ships and became the Q-Ship Express operating in the Middle East. By March 1995 she was back on the Belfast to Stranraer service as SeaCat Scotland once again.

From September 1997 until April 1998 she was chartered to Buenos Aires keeping the name SeaCat Scotland. From 29th April 1999 until 31st October 2002 she operated between Belfast and Stranraer/Troon and eventually the Stranraer service closed in favour of Troon on 13th March 2000.

On 31st October 2002 SeaCat Scotland left Troon for the final time and laid-up and overhauled in Belfast at Harland and Wolff before departing Belfast for the final time on Thursday 28th November 2002 bound for Liverpool. Her exact departure time from Belfast cannot be guarenteed, however as she arrived at Liverpool Landing Stage at around 15:00/16:00 her departure from Belfast was at around 10:00/11:00.

From 2003-2004 she operated on Hoverspeed's Dover-Calais service once again. She left Dover for the last time on 30th September 2004 bound for Sunderland. She spent the guts of three years laid up in the Pallion Yard at Sunderland until February 2007 when a buyer was found.

SeaCat Scotland left Sunderland shortly bound for the Middle East, being renamed Shikra, and then Al-Huda 1. She operates between Port Safaga and Dhuba.

SeaCat Scotland should be noted for bringing Belfast back into a passenger port and introducing and pioneering fast ferry travel in the North Channel.

EE ALSO

SeaCat
HSC SeaCat Rapide