MS Moondance

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Seatruck Moondance.jpg
Moondance at Warrenpoint, 14 July 2003
Career
Name: Emadala (1978-93)
Merchant Victor (1993-97)
Moondance (since 1997)
Owner: Emadala Shipping Co., Hamilton, Bermuda (1978-87)
Gilnavi Societa di Navigazione per Azoni, Genoa, Italy (1987-90)
Cenargo Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas (1990-98)
Seatruck Ferries, Nassau, Bahamas (since 1998)
Operator: Crescent Marine Services Ltd
Builder: Rickmers Rederei G.m.b.H, Bremerhaven, Germany.
Yard number: 395
Launched: 1978
Homeport: The Bahamas Nassau
Identification: IMO number: 7800112
Status: Active in service
General characteristics
Tonnage: 5646
Length: 112.32 metres (368 ft 6 in)
Beam: 17.43 metres (57 ft 2 in)
Draught: 5.36 metres (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power: 4,416 kilowatts (5,922 hp)
Propulsion: 2 x MaK 8M453AK Diesel engines
Speed: 16kt
Capacity: 12 passengers, 65 trailers
Crew: 19

The Moondance is a sister ship to the Riverdance.

Career

Launched in 1978 as the Emadala, she was chartered by Gilnavi and used on the Genoa - Malta - Pireus - Alexandria route. She was sold to Gilnavi in 1990 and then to Cencargo in 1993 when she was renamed Merchant Victor. She was used on the Heysham - Warrenpoint and Ostend - Ramsgate routes until 1993, when she was chartered for use in the Caribbean. in 1994 she returned to British waters, being used on the Hull - Zeebrugge and Felixstowe - Zeebrugge routes. In 1996 she was used on the Belfast - Heysham route, and in 1997 she was used on the Portsmouth - Guernsey - Jersey route, then the Dartford - Zeebrugge route. In 1997 she was chartered by Seatruck, and renamed Moondance. She was purchased by Seatruck in 1998 and is currently used on the Heysham - Warrenpoint route.[1] In April 2008 she was awaiting a refit in Birkenhead. On 29 June 2008 she was involved in a grounding incident at Warrenpoint after an electrical failure put the controllable pitch propellers into full astern, which was a default setting. Moondance suffered damage to her rudders and rudder stocks. An underlying cause of the accident was insufficient manning of the bridge and engine room and lax operating procedures on board Moondance.[2] Moondance returned to service on 16 October 2008 running between Heysham and Warrenpoint. With the arrival of Clipper Panorama, Moondance relocated to the newly opened Fredericia, Denmark to Moss Norway route. This route began operation on 2 February 2009.[3] With the suspension of Frederica-Moss service from 10 February 2009, Moondance briefly laid up in Denmark before returning to Liverpool where she is currently laid up in East Huskisson dock.[4]

References