MS Abel Tasman

M/S Abel Tasman was a passenger/vehicle ferry built at shipyard Nobiskrug in Rendsburg, Germany in 1975.

History

The M/S Abel Tasman was the first ferry of the TT-line (Tasmania) - a passenger/vehicle ferry that was built at Nobiskrug in Rendsburg for the TT-line (Germany) as the "Nils Holgersson" (3) for the Travemünde - Trelleborg route in 1975 along with her sister "Peter Pan" (2). In 1985 the Australian National Line (ANL) announced they would be pulling out of the Bass Strait run, so the Federal Government gave the Tasmanian Government the capital required to buy a suitable ferry. This turned out to be the "Nils Holgersson" (3) from the TT-line (Germany), which also came with an option to buy her sister ship "Peter Pan" (2) one year later (which never came to pass).

The Abel Tasman first went back to her builder's yard for a refit, and for a large box-like structure to be added to the stern of the ship. She left Rendsburg on 22 April 1985 but two days later she was stopped by an industrial dispute with the stewards. She first went to Brunsbuttel but had to continue through the Kiel Canal and into Kiel where she docked. The Tasmanian Government sent police to West Germany to end the dispute and get the ship underway but on arrival the police were powerless in West Germany so the Tasmanian Government had to change laws to empower them to resolve the problem and she resumed her trip and left Kiel on 18 May 1985. She then sailed to Australia, going straight to Devonport and not via Queensland and New South Wales as had been planned. She started on the Devonport-Melbourne route on 1 June 1985 from Melbourne.Her former Captain Rudolf Schonfeldt, sailed with the ship to Australia from Germany to advise the crew unfamiliar with the ship.

In 1993 she was laid up following the arrival of the much larger " Spirit of Tasmania". In 1994 she was sold to Ventouris Ferries and re-named the "Pollux". In 1995 she was again sold, this time to the Maritime Company of Lesvos and operated by Nel Lines, re-named "Theofilos" for the Pireaus-Chios-Mytilini route with calls sometimes in Thessaloniki and Limnos, since 2006 there is also occasionally a stop in Mykonos

On 28 June 2008 Theofilos ran aground on a reef of rocks of the island of Oinousses about 10nm from the island of Chios. She suffered serious damage to her port side hull, a 15-20 metres slash causing flooding of a water tight compartment she subsequently developed a 2.5 degree list. The ship will be repaired; the repairs are expected to cost Nel Lines underwriter, The West of England Shipowners, €5 million euros. It is expected she will be in service again by December.

Sister ship

In 1986 the M/S Peter Pan (2) was renamed "Robin Hood" to free the name for the larger "Peter Pan" (3) (later Spirit of Tasmania). In 1987 she was sold to Minoan Lines and re-named "Fedra". In 2004 she was transferred over to Hellas Ferries, then sold to Sea Hawk Marine, operated by COMANAV. Later that year she was re-named "Guido" for a short time. She was then bought by Messrs, Funtots, S.A.(El Salam Maritime) and re-named "Ouzoud", she now operates under COMANAV on the 48 hour route from Genua (Italy) - Tanger (Morocco)

Further Info

Former names: Nils Holgersson 1975-1985, Abel Tasman 1985-1994, Pollux 1994-1995, Theofilos 1995.

Flags GER 75-85 AUS 85-94 GRE 94-

Sister ship(s): : Peter Pan 1974-1985, Robin Hood 1986-1987, Fedra 1985-2004, Guido 2004, Ouzoud 2004

ee also

*List of Australian ferries

External links

* [http://www.nex.net.au/users/reidgck/BASS-S.HTM Ships of Bass Strait]
* [http://apostolossphotos.fotopic.net/c632998.html Apostolos Kak's photos of Theofilos]
* [http://www.comanav.co.ma/ferry/flotte/ouzoud_galerie.htm COMANAV photos of Ouzoud]
* [http://mitchellstasmanianferrysite.fpic.co.uk/ Photos of Tasmanian ferries]
* [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/TT-Line-Tasmania.html TT-Line-Tasmania Website, Photos]
*sv icon [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/nils_holgersson_1975.htm M/S Nils Holgersson at Fakta om Fartyg]