MS Sunward (1966)
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MS Sunward in Key West in 1970
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| Ordered: | 1966 |
| Builder: | Bergens Mekaniske Verksted |
| Yard number: | 455 |
| Laid down: | July 1965 |
| Launched: | 24 March 1966 |
| Acquired: | 20 June 1966 |
| Maiden voyage: | 25 June 1966 |
| In service: | 1966 |
| Out of service: | 2004 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 6610663 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap in 2004 |
| Status: | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 10,558 tons |
| Length: | 443 feet |
| Decks: | 7 |
| Installed power: | 9,700kW |
| Propulsion: | Two B&W 12-42VT2BF - 90 Diesel |
| Speed: | 20 knots |
| Capacity: | 558 |
| Crew: | 220 |
MS Sunward was a cruise ship built in 1966 for Kloster Sunward Ferries and then later on with Norwegian Cruise Line. She served with NCL and was chartered to Compangnie Generale Transméditerranéenne in 1973, and later on with other companies.
In 1966, Knut Kloster and founded Kloster Sunward Ferries, and ordered a 8,666 ton ship from the Norwegian shipyard Bergens Mekaniske Verksted. Launched on 24 March 1966 she entered service with Kloster on route between Southampton - Vigo - Lisbon - Gibraltar. By November of the same year Kloster Sunward Ferries shut down due to the unsuccessful service that it had, Nonetheless representatives from Silja Line were looking at the ship with a possible purchase, but backed off the vessel due to Sunward not having an ice class. In December 1966 she moved to Miami and entered into service for Norwegian Cruise Lines, a joint-venture between Knut Kloster and Ted Arison.
The Sunward was such an immediate success that Norwegian Caribbean expanded to a four ship fleet with the addition of the Starward in 1968, Skyward in 1969 and Southward in 1971.
After six years in service with NCL- carrying vehicles and passengers- she was sold off to Compagnie Generale Transmediterranee (CGTM), formerly the Mediterranean arm of Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (French Line). Sunward arrived in Marseille, France where she was renamed Ile de Beaute, and entered service with CGTM by 1973 and briefly with SNCM. Eastern Gulf, Inc. bought the Ile de Beaute from SNCM since the ship was too small for the fleet, and was converted for hotel use in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in 1977.
In 1979, she was sold to Amar Line, a joint venture between the Monaco-based Vlasov Group and the Saudi entrepreneur Gaith Pharaon. She was renamed Saudi Moon I and entered service between Jeddah and Suez. She continued as such until 1988 when she was chartered to an American company called Ocean Quest Cruises who renamed her Ocean Quest.
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Wikipedia