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BISON (1975)
Service dates: 1975-2004
Official number: 363569
Shipping lines: PANDORO; P&O TRANS-EUROPEAN; P&O EUROPEAN FERRIES (IRISH SEA)
Ship type:
Roll on/Roll off Cargo Ferry.
Career
- 31.10.1974
- Launched.
- 24.01.1975
- Delivered as Bison for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company Ltd (P&O Short Sea Shipping, managers).
- 08.10.1975
- Ownership transferred to Hain-Nourse Ltd.
- 07.03.1978
- Owners renamed P&O Ferries Ltd.
- 03.1981
- Lengthened by Tyne Shiprepairers Ltd to match the capacity of Puma (already stretched before being acquired by P&O) by providing additional deckhouses for the extra drivers now carried. An additional bow thruster was also installed. Gross tonnage now 4,377 grt, deadweight 4,170 tonnes. Re-classified as a passenger ferry.
- 30.09.1984
- Gross tonnage now 4,259 grt; net tonnage 1,695 nrt; deadweight 4,385 tonnes.
- 1985
- Gross tonnage now 4,260 grt.
- 31.12.1984
- Ownership and management transferred to POETS Fleet Management Ltd.
- 11.1988
- Bareboat chartered to British & Irish Steam Packet Company Ltd.
- 29.07.1990
- Dry-docked in Dublin to repair reported rudder damage.
- 01.12.1990
- Ownership transferred from POETS Fleet Management Ltd to Pandoro Ltd.
- 13.08.1991
- Answered distress class from fishing boat Stella Mar when approaching Dublin from Liverpool. Put a firefighting party aboard the fishing boat and rescued three of the four crew.
- 01.10.1991
- Lengthened. Length now 140.10m (459.6ft), deadweight 7,078 tonnes.
- 21.06.1994
- Re-measured. Gross tonnage now 10,895 gt. Net tonnage now 3,268 nt
- 21.07.1994
- Redelivered after refit. Breadth now 21.00m (68.9ft). Capacity now 98 x 12 metre units.
- 31.10.1994
- New certificate. Gross tonnage now 14,387 gt. Net tonnage now 4,316 nt. Deadweight now 4,385 tonnes.
- 31.12.1994
- Managers POETS Ship Management Ltd. Breadth 23.00m (75.5ft). Draught 4.67m (15.3ft). Capacity 90 trailers, 60 drivers.
- 07.1995
- New upper deck installed by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
- 05.11.1996
- Struck a submerged object when entering Fleetwood, a diver’s inspection showing damage to one screw.
- 07.11.1996
- Left Fleetwood on one engine escorted by tug Collingwood to dry-dock at Liverpool.
- End 1996
- Depth 11.97m (39.3ft). Speed 17.7 knots. Capacity 103 x 13.5 metre trailers, 7 x 15 metre trailers.
- 02.03.1997
- Transferred from UK to Bermuda flag; registered at Hamilton; call sign ZCBJ8.
- 01.07.1997
- Operators renamed P&O Trans European.
- 30.09.1997
- Managers renamed P&O Ship Management (Irish Sea) Ltd.
- 01.10.1997
- Operation transferred to P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea).
- 31.12.1997
- Renamed European Pioneer.
- 31.12.1999
- Length 141.80m (465.2ft). Crew 28. Fleetwood/Larne now a passenger and freight service.
- 20.04.2004
- Sold to Stena Ropax Ltd (Stena Line Ltd, managers) registered at Hamilton, Bermuda and renamed Stena Pioneer. Still in service.