MS Moondance
 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: |
 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
- ↑ "M/S EMADALA.". Fakta om Fartyg. http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/emadala_1978.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-02. (Swedish)
- ↑ "Report on the investigation of the electrical blackout and subsequent grounding of the ro-ro cargo ship Moondance in Warrenpoint Harbour, Northern Ireland, 29 June 2008". Marine Accidents Investigations Branch. http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/Moondance_Report_.pdf. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ↑ "FREDERICIA-MOSS v.v.". Fredericia-Moss. http://www.frc-moss.dk/index.asp?page=41&vpath=41. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
- ↑ Seatruck RO/R0 Service Fredericia-Moss. Service on stand by Fredericia Moss v.v. Retrieved 24 October 2009
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