MV Pentalina-B
MV Pentalina-B
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | MV Iona |
| Namesake: | Hebridean island, Iona |
| Owner: | Scottish Transport Group (STG) |
| Operator: |
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| Port of registry: | Glasgow |
| Ordered: | 10 December 1968 |
| Builder: | Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Troon |
| Cost: | £740,000 |
| Yard number: | 530 |
| Launched: | 22 January 1970 |
| Christened: | Mrs P M Thomas, wife of STG Chairman |
| In service: | 29 May 1970 |
| Out of service: | 25 October 1997 |
| Homeport: | Glasgow |
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United Kingdom
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| Name: | MV Pentalina-B |
| Owner: | Pentland Ferries |
| Route: | Pentland Firth |
| Acquired: | November 1997 |
| In service: | May 2001 |
| Homeport: | Glasgow |
| Identification: |
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| Fate: | sold 2009 |
| History | |
 Cape Verde
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| Name: | MV Pentalina-B |
| Port of registry: | Cape Verde |
| Acquired: | late 2009 |
| Identification: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Steel TSMV |
| Tonnage: | 1324 GT |
| Length: | 230 feet (70 m) |
| Beam: | 44 feet (13 m) |
| Draught: | 11.5 feet (3.5 m) |
| Ramps: | stern/side |
| Installed power: | twin English Electric/ Paxman, Colchester, (12YLC) engines, 3,200 Total BHP |
| Propulsion: | 2 Screws, 1 Bow thruster |
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) (service) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
4 lifeboats |
| Capacity: | 581 passengers, 47 cars |
| Crew: | 23 |
MV Pentalina-B was a fast and extremely versatile ferry operated on a variety of Scottish routes. Launched in 1970 as MV Iona, she was the first drive-through roll-on/roll-off ferry built for the David MacBrayne Ltd fleet. She was the first ship in the company's history to have bridge-controlled engines and geared transmission, rather than direct drive. She enjoyed a far-flung career and inaugurated more endloading linkspans than the rest of the fleet put together. Purchased by Pentland Ferries in 1997, she was renamed MV Pentalina-B and operated across the Pentland Firth until the arrival of their new vessel. In 2009, she was sold to a Cape Verde owner.
MV Iona (VII) was the first of a new generation of major car ferries built for the Scottish Transport Group to replace the ageing 1939 mailboat Lochiel, serving Islay, Jura, Gigha and Colonsay from West Loch Tarbert. Early in 1968 MacBraynes were authorised to order a large new car ferry for the Argyll Hebrides and placed an order with the Ailsa yard in Troon. The deep-drafted vessel could not operate from MacBrayne's existing West Loch Tarbert pier and a site at Redhouse, much further down the loch was identified. In January 1969, Argyll County Council announced that they would not proceed with works at Redhouse. As the alternative route from Oban was too long, the entire scheme was abandoned in August 1969. Instead, the hoist-loading MV Arran, one of the pioneering Clyde car ferries replaced MV Lochiel at Islay, competing with Western Ferries.
Iona was launched on 22 January 1970. The historic MacBrayne name had last been used by a celebrated paddle steamer of 1864, finally scrapped in 1935 after 72 years. She ran trials on 25 and 28 May and entered service the following day on the Gourock - Dunoon service for CSP, with MV Bute. She remained almost constantly on the Gourock - Dunoon station until November 1971, with the occasional assistance at Arran.
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Wikipedia