DRAGON (1967)

Service dates: 1967-1992

Official number: 333697

Shipping lines: GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY; NORMANDY FERRIES; P&O SHORT SEA SHIPPING; P&O FERRIES; P&O NORMANDY FERRIES; P&O EUROPEAN FERRIES (FELIXSTOWE)

Ship type:

• Ferry

Roll on/Roll off Passenger Ferry.

Career

16.09.1966

Keel laid.

27.01.1967

Launched by Mrs D J L Mortelman, wife of the Chairman of the General Steam Navigation Company.

15.06.1967

Delivered as Dragon for General Steam Navigation Company Ltd. Entered service on Southampton/Le Havre route in the colours of Normandy Ferries, a joint venture between GSN and SAGA of Paris.

29.06.1967

First sailing Southampton/Le Havre, 9 days ahead of schedule.

06.1968

Two sailings Southampton/Rosslare/Lisbon during French General Strike.

04.1971

One sailing Southampton/Lisbon/Casablanca/Tangier because of late delivery of new ferry Eagle.

01.10.1971

Management transferred to P&O Short Sea Shipping Ltd.

03.12.1973

Ownership transferred to Southern Ferries Ltd.

31.03.1975

Management transferred to P&O Ferries.

23.12.1976

Ownership transferred to P&O Normandy Ferries Ltd, a company owned 50:50 by P&O and SAGA.

12.11.1977

Rescued 13 survivors from French yacht Alge which had been run down 16 km (10 miles) north of Le Havre.

31.12.1979

P&O interest in P&O Normandy Ferries increased to 90%.

1981

Used for trials of an integrated satellite navigation fixing device.

03.12.1984

P&O Normandy Ferries' UK terminal moved from Southampton to Portsmouth.

04.01.1985

Sold to European Ferries Plc. Owners renamed Normandy Ferries Ltd.

1986

Renamed Ionic Ferry. Transferred to Cairnryan/Larne service.

19.01.1987

P&O acquired European Ferries Group Plc. Re-measured. Tonnages now 5,777 grt, 2,286 nrt, 1,790 tons deadweight. Power now 8,900 bhp.

31.12.1987

Ownership transferred to P&O European Ferries (Felixstowe) Ltd.

18.03.1991

Sold by P&O European Ferries (Felixstowe) Ltd to Howill Shipping Ltd, and then hire-purchased back.

18.06.1992

Sold to Marlines SA, Greece and renamed Viscountess M for their Patras/Ancona/Brindisi service.

1995

Renamed Charm M without a change in ownership. Put on the Patras/Igoumenitsa/Bari service. Registry transferred to Malta.

1996

During a stop at Ancona the ship was inspected and found to be in appalling condition in terms of hygiene and safety.

1997

Company was purchased by the Georgian government, GESCO, and renamed Memed Abashidze.

2000

Renamed Med.

2000

Sold to Access Ferries, Greece, and renamed Millenium Express II.

02.03.2002

While en route from Greece to Albania to start on Bari/Durres service, she suffered a fire in her engineroom while off the coast of the Peloponnese in position 37°21’N-21°00’E.

10.04.2003

Broken up at Aliaga, Turkey.

Ship technical details (PDF)