"MALO SEAWAYS", new ferry on the Dover / Calais service

"MALO SEAWAYS" is the new DFDS ferry operating on the Dover to Calais service, she is named after Malo, located in the Dunkirk area in France, the ship was originally built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in Japan in 2000 as the EUROPEAN AMBASSADOR for P & O Irish Sea to be operated on the Liverpool to Dublin route, in 2004 she was sold to STENA LINA and renamed STENA NORDICA, she is now on charter with DFDS to replace the DIEPPE SEAWAYS. "MALO SEAWAYS" is 24.206 G.T. with capacity for about 400 passengers and 375 cars, she has been in service only for a week, last Sunday was my first trip on the ship, she is more of a freighter with very simple passenger amenities with very reasonable amounts of open deck spaces. Photos 26.4.2015

At Gosport waiting for the MONT ST MICHEL

28.1.2015 at Gosport, photos taken before going for another trip on ARMORIQUE to Saint-Malo.

NORMANDIE at Portsmouth

NORMANDIE at Portsmouth back in January of this year, the date the 18th, my first trip of the year on the ship, she had just returned from Santander, where new scrubbers were installed. This Wednesday I am back on board NORMANDIE for my third trip this year

Former Portuguese Frigate preserved in Lisbon

DOM FERNANDO II E GLORIA is a former Portuguese Navy Frigate launched in 1843, she sailed on her first voyage two years later, the ship remained in service until 1873, in 1963 the ship was virtually destroyed by fire and remained partially sunk in the river Tagus in Lisbon, in 1990 a decision was made to restore the ship to her 19th century appearance, during eight years this extraordinary wooden-hull frigate was totally rebuilt in time to be the highlight of the 1998 World Exhibition in Lisbon. She is now preserved and opened to the public at Cacilhas, south bank of the river Tagus, just outside Lisbon, there is a very similar ship also preserved in the UK the TRINCOMALEE also opened to the public at hartlepool, some members of the restoration of this ship were also used on the recovery of DOM FERNANDO II. photos taken in Lisbon last March. See a video of the saved ship here

BRETAGNE's last refit

It's good to be back on my original and first blog. The first "post" after a long time is about my favourite cruise ferry the adorable 1989 BRETAGNE of BRITTANY FERRIES. Part of her annual refit, BRETAGNE was sent to Poland last December, where apart from the usual works that normally take place during her refits, she also now meets the new LGN requirements. Photos of BRETAGNE taken at Le Havre last February and from MONT ST MICHEL at Portsmouth last march