York Castle and the Ability
Two of the dwindling number of Sunderland-built ships still trading have recently been sold to new owners.
They are the 29,660 gross tons general cargo ship, York Castle and the 17,188 gross tons bulk carrier, Ability, both of which were built by Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd during the 1980s.
Launched as Mitla on May 3, 1985, York Castle was the last ship ever constructed at Deptford shipyard, formerly occupied by Sir James Laing and Sons.
She was one of two sisters built by the yard for Transportacion Maritima Mexicana, the other being Colima. They are believed to have been the largest ships built in the UK for Mexican owners.
York Castle has been sold to Syrian owners for $6million by London-based Navalmar UK Ltd, whose fleet still includes the former Colima – now named Portland Castle. In 1999, Mitla was renamed Maria, becoming York Castle in 2003.
Ability was floated out from Sunderland Shipbuilders' Pallion yard as Nosira Lin on May 12, 1981. She was first of three bulk carriers built there for Nosira Shipping (part of Carnival Cruise Lines group), the others being Nosira Sharon and Nosira Madeleine, both of which are still in service with subsequent owners.
During her 28 year-career, she has sailed under various other names, including Dan Bauta, Kristianiafjord, Federal Vibeke, Kalisti and Nobility.
She has been sold by Icarus Ship Management of Greece, reportedly to United Arab Emirates interests for about $3million.
Besides routine woodpulp imports and operations to support Subsea 7's offshore development work, Corporation Quay has recently been in overdrive with shipments of a series of heavy-lift cargoes.
Following the export of a Liebherr crane to Gdansk on board the 1,196 gross tons Norwegian vessel Ingeborg Pilot on August 4, a second crane left port for St Petersburg on August 12.
The outsized Liebherr offshore crane had been delivered in sections from Deptford under police escort, before being loaded onto the 4,970 gross tons Rusich-6.
It was destined for the Kashagan Field Experimental Programme in the Caspian Sea. Covering an area of about 3,375 square kilometres, the field is the Republic of Kazakhstan's first large-scale offshore petroleum development and is considered one of the most important oilfield discoveries in the past 40 years.
A huge reel, used by Subsea 7 to store and deploy flexible pipes in North Sea gas fields, left the Wear on board the 2,465 gross tons platform supply vessel, Sophie Siem, last Saturday.
Specialist heavy-lift mobile cranes had been brought in to handle the reel, which had been stored on the quayside for some weeks. It was bound for the Offshore Technology Park at Walker-on-Tyne.
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
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