HSC Seacat Scotland

Seacat Scotland in departing Belfast
Career
Name:	1992-1994: Seacat Scotland 1994-1995: Q Ship Express 1995-2007: Seacat Scotland 2007-2007: Shikra 2007 onwards: Al Huda I
Operator:	1992-1994: Seacat 1994-1995: Q Ships 1995-1997: Seacat 1997-1998: Navegacion Atlantica 1998-2003: Seacat 2003-2004: Hoverspeed 2004-2007: laid up 2007 onwards: Fortune Maritime
Port of registry:	1992-1997: Bahamas 1997-2007: United Kingdom 2007 onwards: Panama
Builder:	Incat, Tasmania
Yard number:	028
Launched:	1991
In service:	1992
Identification:	IMO number: 8919518
General characteristics
Displacement:	3,003 gross tons
Length:	74 metres (243 ft)
Beam:	26 metres (85 ft)
Draught:	2.4 metres (7.9 ft)
Propulsion:	4 x Ruston 16RK 270 Diesels 4 x Lips water-jets
Speed:	36 knots (67 km/h)
Capacity:	500 Passengera 88 Cars

SeaCat Scotland is a ferry that was completed in 1992. She was built to serve the Belfast-Stranraer SeaCat service opening on 1 June 1992. Before heading to the North Channel she operated on the Dover to Calais Hoverspeed service. SeaCat Scotland should be noted for bringing Belfast back into a passenger port and pioneering fast ferry travel in the North Channel.

From 1992 until October 1994 she operated on SeaCat routes, then in October 1994 she departed Belfast when she went on a two month charter to Q-Ships and became the Q-Ship Express operating in the Middle East. By March 1995 she was back on the Belfast to Stranraer service as SeaCat Scotland once again.

From September 1997 until April 1998 she was chartered to Buenos Aires keeping the name SeaCat Scotland. From 29 April 1999 until 31 October 2002 she operated between Belfast and Stranraer/Troon and eventually the Stranraer service closed in favour of Troon on 13 March 2000.

On 31 October 2002 SeaCat Scotland left Troon for the final time and laid-up and overhauled in Belfast at Harland and Wolff before departing Belfast for the final time on Thursday 28 November 2002 bound for Liverpool. Her exact departure time from Belfast cannot be guaranteed, however as she arrived at Liverpool Landing Stage at around 15:00/16:00 her departure from Belfast was at around 10:00/11:00.

From 2003-2004 she operated on Hoverspeed's Dover-Calais service once again. She left Dover for the last time on 30 September 2004 bound for Sunderland. She spent three years laid up in the Pallion Yard at Sunderland until February 2007 until she was sold.

SeaCat Scotland left Sunderland shortly bound for the Middle East, being renamed Shikra, and then Al-Huda 1. She operates between Port Safaga and Dhuba.

Sister ships

• Emeraude France
• HSC Sea Runner
• Snaefell
• Pescara Jet
• Condor 10
• Mandarin

There are also two other 74m hulls built by Incat but show clear differences to the standard 74m design ships above. These are:-

• Patricia Olivia - Modified passenger accommodation and forward windows.
• Atlantic III - Has the appearance of an Incat 78m design.