MS Nord Pas-de-Calais
The Seafrance Nord Pas-de-Calais at sea
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| Port of registry: | Cyprus,  Cyprus |
| Route: | Montril - Tangier |
| Ordered: | 17 July 1985 |
| Builder: | Normed, Dunkerque, France |
| Yard number: | 325 |
| Laid down: | 1987 |
| Launched: | 15 April 1987 |
| In service: | 12 December 1987 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 8512152 |
| Fate: | Active |
| Status: | Currently being refitted in Algeciras, Spain following the purchase by FRS Iberia/Maroc. |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 13,727 GRT |
| Length: | 158.09 m (518.7 ft) |
| Beam: | 22.4 m (73.5 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.92 m (19.4 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Sulzer 16ZAV40 |
| Speed: | 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) |
| Capacity: | 80 passengers, 45 lorries and 600 metres of rail freight or 90 lorries |
MS Nord Pas-de-Calais is a freight ferry owned and operated by Eurotunnel. She was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkirk (Yard No 325) for Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Francais (SNCF), Paris as a multi-purpose passenger and roll-on roll-off ferry for lorries and railway vehicles. After the introduction of Eurotunnel there was no need for a train ferry, so SNCF were losing money running her. She was acquired by SNAT and Stena Sealink in 1989 who operated the Nord Pas-de-Calais until 31 December 1995. From 1 January 1996 SNAT operated as SeaFrance. The vessel was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais. SeaFrance operated until November 2011, and were liquidated on 9 January 2012. Eurotunnel won the bid for the three of the former SeaFrance vessels the original name of the vessel was restored, dropping the SeaFrance prefix. MyFerryLink started running on 20 August 2012, although Nord Pas-de-Calais joined in November 2012 following a refit. Following the end of operations by MyFerryLink, the ship has been retained by Eurotunnel for transporting hazardous freight.
Nord Pas-de-Calais was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkerque for SNCF as a train ferry. She operated on the Dover (Western Docks) to Dunkerque route; in addition, she also worked as a freight vehicle ferry between Dover and Calais. Nord Pas-de-Calais had limited accommodation for eighty passengers. She stopped running as a train ferry because of low traffic, due to the opening of the Channel Tunnel which offered a much quicker option for trains to cross the border. The Nord Pas-de-Calais ran with SNAT from then onwards. It was a joint operation with SNAT and Stena Sealink.
She was given TOPS number 99001, previously used by MV Suffolk Ferry.
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