Yard number 61 Maiden voyage 23 September 1959 Construction started 15 November 1957 Draft 4.74 m | Laid down 15 November 1957 Length 113 m Launched 15 December 1958 Beam 18 m | |
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Name 1959-1975 Princess of Tasmania1975-1984 Marine Cruiser1984 Majorca Rose1984 Equator1984-1985 Nomi1985-1988 Adriatic Star1988-1991 Lampedusa1991-1992 Shahd Fayez1992-2000 Al Mahrousa2000-2005 Tebah 2000 Owner 1959-1972 Australian National Line1972 Bahamarine Ltd1972-1977 Canadian Ministry Of Transport1977-1984 Rideau Shipping Co Ltd1984 Dolphin International Shipping1984'Equator Shipping Co Ltd1984-1985 Comeret1985-1988 Adriatic Ferries1988-1991 Traghetti delle Isole1991-1992 Fayez Trading & Shipping1992-2000 Al Mahar Marine Co2000-2005 Nouran Navigation Builder | ||
MS Princess of Tasmania was an Australian-built roll-on/roll-off passenger ship. She was built by the State Dockyard in Newcastle, New South Wales for the Australian National Line. Laid down on 15 November 1957, she was launched on 15 December 1958. As built, the ship had a tonnage value of 3,964 gross register tons (GRT), was 113.32 metres (371.8 ft) long, had a beam of 17.73 metres (58.2 ft), and a draught of 4.74 metres (15.6 ft). Two 9-cylinder Nydquist & Holm Polar M69TS diesels supplied 8,600 horsepower (6,400 kW) to the propellers, allowing a maximum speed of 17.75 knots (32.87 km/h; 20.43 mph). Up to 334 passengers and 142 vehicles could be carried. Princess of Tasmania was given the IMO number: 5284986. The ship was the first RO/RO passenger ship in the southern hemisphere, and at the time of launch, the largest vessel built in Australia.
Princess of Tasmania sailed on her maiden voyage on 23 September 1959. On entering service, she was used on the Devonport to Melbourne route across Bass Strait. The ship continued operating until 1972, when replaced by the Empress of Australia. She was sold to Bahamarine Ltd, then to the Canadian Ministry Of Transport later that year. In 1975, she was renamed Marine Cruiser. Two years later, the ship was sold to Rideau Shipping Co Ltd, which operated her until 1984.
Over the course of 1984, the ship was renamed twice (Majorca Rose, then Equator) and changed hands three times (to Dolphin International Shipping, then Equator Shipping Co Ltd, then Comeret). In 1985, the ship came into the ownership of Adriatic Ferries, and was renamed Adriatic Star. Three years later she was sold to Traghetti delle Isole and renamed Lampedusa.
Traghetti continued to operate her until 1991, when she was acquired by Fayez Trading & Shipping under the name Shahd Fayez. A year later, the ship was sold to Al Mahar Marine Co and renamed Al Mahrousa. Al Maher owned the ship until 2000, when she was sold to Nouran Navigation and named Tebah 2000.
The ship was scrapped at Alang, India in March 2005, after 46 years of service and 10 names.