MS Côte des Flandres

MS Côte des Flandres is a Ro-Ro Passenger Ferry owned by Euro-Transmanche 3 BE and operated by DFDS Seaways France between Dover and Calais, the ship was the second to be built for SeaFrance in 2005, she entered service with SeaFrance in March 2005 and finished with SeaFrance in January 2012 when the company was liquidated.

the Côte des Flandres (former SeaFrance Berlioz) in Dover
History
Name
  • Côte des Flandres (2015-Present)
  • Berlioz (2012–2015)
  • Seafrance Berlioz (2005–2012)
Owner
  • Euro-Transmanche 3 BE (2012-Present)
  • Seafrance (2005–2012)
Operator
Port of registryCalais,  France
RouteDover – Calais
BuilderChantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire
Yard number032
Launched14 October 2004
In service30 March 2005
IdentificationIMO number: 9305843
StatusIn Service
General characteristics
Tonnage33,796 GT
Length185.82 m (610 ft)
Beam27.7 m (91 ft)
Installed power2 x Wärtsilä 8L46B, 2 x Wärtsilä 12V46B diesels, 9,000kW
Speed25 kn (46.30 km/h)
Capacity1,900 passengers, 2,000 lane metres (120 lorries or 700 cars)

She was sold to Euro-Transmanche 3 BE (Eurotunnel) in July 2012 and was renamed Berlioz, re-entering service between Dover and Calais in August 2012 with MyFerryLink. She was further renamed Côte des Flandres[1] for service on the Dover to Calais route with DFDS Seaways France starting in early 2016.[2]

Service

The SeaFrance Berlioz carried out up to ten English Channel crossings per day with SeaFrance, initially in an advertised time of 70 minutes each. In total, there are 11 decks. When in SeaFrance service the passenger areas accounted for the upper two decks, with the lower decks used for the vehicles.[3]

Lay-up and incidents

Between 16 November 2011 and 20 August 2012 she was laid up in Calais Port, due to the commercial court ordering that SeaFrance be liquidated. During her time laid up in Calais, she was involved in a collision with another vessel within the port vicinity. During a gale, with winds of around 50 knots, she parted her moorings and drifted across the water towards the cable vessel Île de Batz owned by the Louis Dreyfus Group. Damage was sustained to her starboard bridge wing which resulted in shattered windows and crushed roofing. Minimal damage was caused to the Île de Batz, which later departed for a nearby port for quick repairs. A tug owned by the Port of Calais was soon on the scene to assist. She resumed service with MyFerryLink on 20 August 2012, dropping SeaFrance from her name.

On 27 October 2012 the Pride of Burgundy collided with Berlioz resulting in damage to her lifeboats, which meant the ship had to be pulled out of service. The Pride of Burgundy sustained damage to her right bridge wing which was fixed in a couple of hours. All passengers due to travel on the Berlioz were transferred to her sister-ship Rodin.[4]

Manoeuvrability

To assist in manoeuvring at port, the vessel has four transverse thrusters, three in the bow and one in the stern. The Wärtsilä thrusters are rated at 1,800 kW each. The propellers and thrusters can be controlled individually, with the aid of a joystick, or simultaneously. It can berth in wind speeds of 50 knots without tug assistance.[5]

Sister ship

MS Côte des Dunes (ex. Seafrance Rodin)

References
  1. "Côte des Flandres". 13 August 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  2. "Berlioz et Rodin Rebaptises". Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  3. "SeaFrance Berlioz Passenger and Vehicle Ferry". Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  4. Kent Online – Ferries Collide
  5. "SeaFrance Berlioz Passenger and Vehicle Ferry". Retrieved 4 August 2010.
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