View source for MS Nordic Ferry

{{other ships|Star (ship)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{short description|Car ferry built in 1967}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image 
| Ship image               = Stena Transporter p2.JPG
| Ship caption             = ''Stena Transporter'' in 2005, approaching Rotterdam
| image alt                = The ship 'Nordic Ferry' has an blue-coloured hull, a white superstructure and a red funnel. White lettering names the operator Stena Line. A number of lorries are visible on the deck.  The ship is at sea and making headway.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header              = 
| Ship name                = 
*''Merzario Espania''/''Merzario Hispania'' (1978–1980)
*''Nordic Ferry '' (1980–1992)
*''Pride of Flanders'' (1992–2002)
*''Flanders'' (2002)
*''Stena Transporter'' (2002–2009)
*''Strada Corsa'' (2009–2013)
*''La Paz Star'' (2013–2016)
*''Med Star'' (2016–2017)
*''Star'' (2017)
| Ship owner               =
| Ship operator            =
*[[Merzario Line]] (1978–1980)
*[[Townsend Thoresen]] (1980–1982)
*[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] (1982)
*[[Townsend Thoresen]] (1982–1987)
*[[P&O European Ferries]] (1987–2002)
*[[Stena Line]] (2002–2009)
*[[Strade Blu]] (2009–2013)
*[[Baja Ferries|Baja ferries]] (2013–2016)
*[[Blue Star Ferries]] (2016–2017)
| Ship registry            = *{{flagicon|United Kingdom|civil}} [[London]], [[United Kingdom]] (1978–2016)
*{{flagicon|Mexico}} [[La Paz, Baja California Sur|La Paz]], [[Mexico]] (2013–15)
*{{flagicon|Cyprus}} [[Limassol]], [[Cyprus]] (2015–17)
| Ship route               = 
| Ship ordered             = 
| Ship builder             = 
| Ship original cost       = 
| Ship yard number         = 
| Ship way number          = 
| Ship laid down           = 
| Ship launched            =20 March 1978
| Ship completed           = 
| Ship christened          = 
| Ship acquired            = 
| Ship maiden voyage       = 
| Ship in service          = 
| Ship out of service      =
| Ship identification      = {{IMO Number|7528659}}
| Ship fate                = Broken up 2017
| Ship honours             = [[Falklands War|Falkland Islands 1982]]
| Ship notes               = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship class               = 
| Ship tonnage             = *{{GRT|5,539}}, {{NRT|2,485}}, {{DWT|8,672}} (1978–80)
*{{GRT|6,566}}, {{NRT|3,284}}, {{DWT|8,704}} (1981–86)
*{{GRT|18,732}}, {{NRT|10,578}}, {{DWT|8,704}} (1986–95)
*{{GT|16,776}}, {{DWT|8,704}} (1995–2017)
| Ship displacement        =
| Ship length              = *{{convert|151.95|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam                = *{{convert|21.67|m|ftin}} (1978–86)
*{{convert|23.50|m|ftin}} (1986–2017)
| Ship height              = 
| Ship draught             = 
| Ship draft               = 
| Ship depth               = *{{convert|6.45|m|ftin}} (1978–86)
*{{convert|7.27|m|ftin}} (1986–2017)
| Ship decks               = 
| Ship deck clearance      = 
| Ship ramps               = 
| Ship ice class           = 
| Ship sail plan           = 
| Ship power               = 2×[[Pielstick]] 12PC2-5V-400-V [[diesel engines]], {{convert|11475|kW|hp}}
| Ship propulsion          = 
| Ship speed               = {{convert|17|kn|km/h}}
| Ship capacity            = 
| Ship crew                = 
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}
'''MS ''Nordic Ferry''''' was a [[Roll-on/roll-off|car ferry]] built in South Korea as ''Merzario Espania'' in 1978 for the [[Stena Line|Stena Container Line]].  She operated on Stena's Merzario Line and was renamed ''Merzario Hispania''.  Sold to [[European Ferries]] in 1980 she was [[Jumboisation|jumboised]] and renamed ''Nordic Ferry'' before sailing on the [[Felixstowe]]–[[Europoort]] route under the [[Townsend Thoresen]] brand.  She was [[STUFT|taken up from trade]] by the British government in 1982 to carry troops and stores during the [[Falklands War]], returning to commercial service later that year.  She served on the  Felixstowe–[[Zeebrugge]] routes after a 1986 refit, and was renamed ''Pride of Flanders'' after the Townsend Thoresen rebranding to [[P&O European Ferries]] the following year.  She was sold to [[Stena Line]] in 2002 and renamed ''Flanders'' and then ''Stena Transporter''.  In 2009 she was sold to [[Strade Blu]] and renamed ''Strada Corsa'', serving on their [[Livorno]] to [[Olbia]] route in Italian waters.  Sold to [[Baja Ferries]] in 2013 and renamed ''La Paz Star'' she sailed to the Pacific and served on routes along the northern part of the Western Mexican coast.  She was sold again to [[Medferry Shipping]] in 2016 and the following year returned to European waters.  After a refit she served on the [[Rhodes]] to [[Santorini]] route in Greek waters.  She caught fire in June 2017 and, though saved, was afterwards scrapped in Turkey under the name ''Star''.

== Description ==
As built, the ship was {{convert|151.95|m|ftin}} long, with a beam of {{convert|21.67|m|ftin}} and a depth of {{convert|6.45|m|ftin}}. She was assessed at {{GRT|5,539}}, {{NRT|2,485}}, {{DWT|8,672}}. She was powered by two [[Pielstick]] 12PC2-5V-400-V [[diesel engines]] rated at a total of {{convert|11475|kW|hp}} giving a maximum speed of {{convert|17|kn|km/h}}. She had accommodation for 12 passengers.<ref name=FoF>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/merzario_hispania_1978.htm |title=M/S Merzario Hispania |publisher=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv |access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Early career ===
[[File:AET 025.jpg|thumb|As "Nordic Ferry", Felixstowe, April 1980]]The ship was built in 1978 as ''Merzario Espania'' for [[Stena Line|Stena Container Line]]'s Merzario Line.<ref name=villar173/><ref name=sb86>{{harvnb|Shipbreaking|2018|p=86}}</ref><ref name=fsn/>  She was constructed by [[HMM (company)|Hyundai]] at their [[Ulsan]], South Korea shipyard; her [[IMO number]] was 7528659.<ref name=sb86/>  She first sailed in August 1978 and was later renamed ''Merzario Hispania''.<ref name=fsn/><ref name=sb86/> She was sold in 1980 to [[European Ferries]] who renamed her ''Nordic Ferry'' and operated her under their [[Townsend Thoresen]] brand.  From December 1980 to February 1981 she was in the [[Lloyd Werft|Hapag Lloyd Werft]] shipyards in [[Bremerhaven]], Germany, undergoing [[jumboisation]] to increase passenger capacity.<ref name=sb86/> After rebuilding, she was assessed at {{GRT|6,566}}, {{NRT|3,284}}, {{DWT|8,704}}.<ref name=FoF/>  She was afterwards employed on the [[Felixstowe]]–[[Europoort]] route.<ref name=villar43/>

=== Falklands War ===
''Nordic Ferry'' was in Europoort on 3 May 1982, preparing to sail for Felixstowe, when she was taken up from trade by the British government for service in the Falklands War.  She sailed for the UK and from 4–9 May underwent an extensive refit for service as a troop and stores ship.<ref name=villar170>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=170}}</ref><ref name=villar43/>  Two {{convert|15|m2|adj=on}} [[helipad]]s were installed on her top deck, made from {{convert|12|mm|in|adj=on}} thick steel.  Landing aids and 102 helicopter tying-down points were also installed.  A [[replenishment at sea]] mast with a {{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on}} fuel line was installed to her [[shelter deck]], some of her [[Bulwark (nautical)|bulwarks]] were removed and additional life rafts installed. Internally she was fitted with satellite communications with teleprinters, satellite navigation, additional galley equipment and a [[reverse osmosis]] freshwater plant.<ref name=villar43>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=43}}</ref>  She displaced 6,455 tons and was capable of making {{convert|17|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=villar42/><ref name=villar173/>

Together with [[sister ship]] {{MS|Baltic Ferry||2}} and [[Sealink]]'s ''St Edmund'' she carried personnel and equipment of the [[5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Brigade]] and associated logistics support units.<ref name=villar42>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=42}}</ref>  Her main deck was loaded with stores and equipment, at the bow were 15 rows of pallets of ammunition, stacked three-high, followed by six pallet rows of rations, eight of other equipment, containers of refrigerated goods and, at the stern, military vehicles.  Since the stern door was the only access, almost everything else had to be unloaded to reach the ammunition.<ref name=Privratsky106/>

''Nordic Ferry'' carried approximately half of the stores and many of the personnel of [[10 Field Workshop]], a maintenance support unit.<ref name=Privratsky106>{{harvnb|Privratsky|2014|p=106}}</ref>  The majority of their stores were never unloaded and remained on board for the duration of the war, the unit never being deployed in its main role and instead being used to guard Argentine prisoners of war.<ref name=Privratsky106/><ref name=Privratsky166>{{harvnb|Privratsky|2014|p=166}}</ref>  With ''Nordic Ferry'', ''Baltic Ferry'' and ''St Edmund'' removed from service, capacity on the Harwich/Felixstowe to Holland routes was greatly reduced and Townsend Thoresen chartered two replacement vessels.<ref name=ambrose45>{{harvnb|Ambrose|1983|p=45}}</ref>

''Nordic Ferry'' sailed from [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]] on 9 May and carried out replenishment at sea and helicopter landing trials in [[The Solent]].<ref name=villar44>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=44}}</ref><ref name=villar174>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=174}}</ref>  She afterwards proceeded to [[Freetown]], Sierra Leone, and sailed in company with ''Baltic Ferry''.<ref name=villar173>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=173}}</ref><ref name=villar44/>  The two vessels parted company on 29 May to proceed independently to the Falklands.<ref name=villar173/>  After unloading her stores she was escorted eastwards by the frigate {{HMS|Penelope|F127|2}}.<ref name=brown399>{{harvnb|Brown|1987|p=399}}</ref>  On 8 July she picked up 85 [[Royal Marines]] from [[King Edward Point]], South Georgia, taking them onboard from a [[Tugboat|tug]] backed up to her open stern ramp.<ref name=villar143>{{harvnb|Villar|1984|p=143}}</ref>  ''Nordic Ferry'' sailed for the UK on 29 July and upon her arrival was refitted for commercial use, returning to service at Felixstowe on 25 August.<ref name=villar170/><ref name=villar173/>  In recognition of her service she was awarded the [[battle honour]] "Falkland Islands 1982".<ref name=thomas>{{harvnb|Thomas|1998|pp=94–96}}</ref>

=== Later career ===
[[File:Stena Transporter.JPG|thumb|''Stena Transporter'' in Rotterdam June 2009]]
[[File:Strada Corsa (16-08-2013) (8).JPG|thumb|As ''Strada Corsa'' in [[Olbia]] August 2013]]
After the war ''Nordic Ferry'' continued on the Felixstowe–Europoort route.<ref name=sb87/>  In 1985–86 she underwent a £5&nbsp;million refit at the [[Wilton-Fijenoord]] shipyard in [[Schiedam]], the Netherlands, to fit her for combined passenger and freight use.<ref>{{harvnb|The Motor Ship|1986|p=73}}</ref><ref name=ime/><ref name=sb87/> She had 27 additional cabins installed, bringing her passenger capacity up to 124.  ''Nordic Ferry'' afterwards replaced MS ''Super Viking'' on the Felixstowe–[[Zeebrugge]] route.<ref name=ime>{{harvnb|Institute of Marine Engineers|1985|p=43}}</ref><ref name=sb87>{{harvnb|Shipbreaking|2018|p=87}}</ref> She was assessed at {{GRT|18,732}}, {{NRT|10,578}}, {{DWT|8,704}}.<ref name=FoF/>  Townsend Thoresen was rebranded as [[P&O European Ferries]] in 1987.<ref>{{harvnb|Burtles|2013|p=26}}</ref>  On 4 February 1987,<ref name=FoF/> ''Nordic Ferry'' collided with the vessel ''San Salvador'' while travelling towards Felixstowe.  The subsequent investigation found that ''San Salvador'' had proceeded at an unsafe speed of {{convert|6.5|kn}} given she had an inoperable [[radar]] and visibility of only {{convert|50|ft|m}} in poor weather.  Although ''Nordic Ferry'' was proceeding faster, at {{convert|7|-|8|kn}}, her speed was ruled safe given she was fitted with two excellent radar sets, had a high level of manoeuvrability and an experienced crew.<ref name=marsden223>{{harvnb|Marsden|Gault|Hazelwood|Tettenborn|2003|p=223}}</ref>  ''Nordic Ferry'' was renamed ''Pride of Flanders'' by 1993 and in November 1995 was refitted at [[Harland and Wolff]] in Belfast to maximise her freight capacity.<ref name=sb87/><ref>{{harvnb|Sea Breezes|1996|p=70}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Lloyd's Register of Shipping |1993|p=220}}</ref> Following the refit, she was assessed at {{GT|16,776}}, {{DWT|8,704}}. Her beam and depth were now {{convert|23.50|m|ftin}} and {{convert|7.27|m|ftin}} respectively.<ref name=FoF/>

''Pride of Flanders'' was sold to [[Stena Line]] in 2002 and her name shortened to ''Flanders'', she was later renamed ''Stena Transporter''.<ref name=sb87/>  In June 2009 she was sold to [[Strade Blu]] and served on their [[Livorno]] to [[Olbia]], Sardinia route, being renamed ''Strada Corsa''. She was sold again in October 2013 to [[Baja Ferries]] and was sailed to the Pacific to service their [[La Paz, Baja California Sur|La Paz]] to [[Topolobampo]] and [[Mazatlán]] routes in Mexico, during which time she was named ''La Paz Star''.<ref name=sb87/><ref name=fsn>{{cite web |title=Only Two Major Ferries Scrapped In The Last Quarter Of 2017 |url=https://ferryshippingnews.com/page/212/?cat=-1  |publisher=Ferry Shipping News |access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref>  Sold to [[Medferry Shipping]] in December 2016 she returned to Europe, traversing the [[Panama Canal]] in January 2017 and passing [[Gibraltar]] in February.<ref name=sb87/>  Renamed ''Med Star'', a major refit was carried out to her car decks and stern ramp.<ref name=sb87/><ref name=fsn/>  She afterwards served on the [[Rhodes]] to [[Santorini]] route in Greece under charter to [[Blue Star Ferries]] and sailing under the Cypriot flag.<ref name=sb86/><ref name=sb87/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lianos |first1=Nikodimos |title=Blue Star Ferries: Το "Πελαγίτης" στη θέση του "Med Star" στο Νότιο Αιγαίο |url=https://www.naxospress.gr/arthro/aktoploia/blue-star-ferries-pelagitis-sti-thesi-toy-med-star-sto-notio-aigaio |access-date=5 September 2020 |work=Naxos Press |date=7 July 2017 |language=el}}</ref>  Having loaded 33 vehicles at Rhodes on 15 June 2017 she suffered a fire in her engine room that spread to the accommodation block.  Twenty of her passengers and crew were evacuated in a lifeboat and, after the remaining twelve crew managed to extinguish the fire, ''Med Star'' was towed to Rhodes.<ref name=sb87/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Voytenko|first=Mikhail|date=16 June 2017|title=Ferry MED STAR on fire, part crew evacuated, Mediterranean|url=https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2017/18507/ferry-med-star-fire-part-crew-evacuated-mediterran/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908142408/https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2017/18507/ferry-med-star-fire-part-crew-evacuated-mediterran/|archive-date=2020-09-08|access-date=2020-09-08|website=FleetMon|language=en}}</ref>  She was transferred to the Spanopoulos repair yard in [[Perama]] but repairs proved uneconomic.<ref name=sb87/>  Renamed ''Star'' and sailing under the Sierra Leonean flag, she was beached at [[Aliağa]], Turkey, for [[Ship breaking|breaking]] on 8 December 2017.<ref name=sb86/><ref name=sb87/><ref name=fsn/>  At the time of scrapping her length was measured at {{convert|151|m|ft}}.<ref name=sb86/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{cite book |last1=Ambrose |first1=A. J. |title=Jane's Merchant Shipping Review |date=1983 |publisher=Jane's |isbn=978-0-86720-663-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ih9UAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=David |title=The Royal Navy and The Falklands War |date=1987 |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-1779-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CwLSAwAAQBAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last1=Burtles |first1=Jim |title=Emergency Evacuation Planning for Your Workplace: From Chaos to Life-Saving Solutions |date=2013 |publisher=Rothstein Publishing |isbn=978-1-931332-56-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wi1pCgAAQBAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite journal |title=Ferry Med Star |journal=Shipbreaking: Bulletin of Information and Analysis on Ship Demolition |date=15 February 2018 |issue=50 |url=http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/shipbreaking50.pdf | ref = {{harvid|Shipbreaking|2018}}}}
*{{cite book |last1=Marsden |first1=Reginald Godfrey |last2=Gault |first2=Simon |last3=Hazelwood |first3=Steven J. |last4=Tettenborn |first4=A. M. |title=Marsden on Collisions at Sea |publisher=Sweet & Maxwell |isbn=978-0-421-68400-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoVjQRmq658C |language=en|year=2003}}
*{{cite book |title=MER: Marine Engineers Review |date=1985 |last1=Institute of Marine Engineers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UGVWAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |title=Register of Ships |date=1993 |last1=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gAAlAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |title=The Motor Ship |date=1986 |publisher=Temple Press|volume=67 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kbJWAAAAMAAJ |language=en| ref = {{harvid|The Motor Ship|1986}}}}
*{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=David |title=Battles and Honours of the Royal Navy |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-0-85052-623-3 |year=1998 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M9KkAwAAQBAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last=Privratsky |first=Kenneth L. |title=Logistics in the Falklands War |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |publisher=Pen and Sword Books |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-47382-312-9 |oclc=890938195}}
*{{cite book |title=Sea Breezes:The Magazine of Ships and the Sea |publisher=Charles Birchall & Sons|location=London|volume=70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4YoqAQAAIAAJ |language=en|year=1996| ref = {{harvid|Sea Breezes|1996}}}}
*{{cite book |last1=Villar |first1=Captain Roger |title=Merchant Ships at War: The Falklands Experience |date=1984 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press and Lloyd's of London Press |location=London |isbn=0851772986}}

{{P&O ships}}
{{European Ferries ships}}
{{Falklands War British ships}}
{{1987 shipwrecks}}
{{2017 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nordic Ferry}}
[[Category:1978 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Group]]
[[Category:Ferries of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Falklands War naval ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships of P&O Ferries]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1987]]
[[Category:Ferries of Mexico]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Mexico]]
[[Category:Ferries of Cyprus]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Cyprus]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2017]]