# A RO-RO Ferry



## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

Hello Lads .......during the late 70,s I was working in Saudi based in Jeddah tyhe Company I worked for was SARAMAT (Saudi Arabian Road and Maritime Transport ) we had a Ro Ro ferry which ran between Greece and Jeddah and you would have thought being ex MN I would have paid attention to what she was called goodness Knows I helped unload her plenty !!!!!!! any Ideas how I could find out her name etc ?????? I,m starting at the BEST point and will work down !!! thanks lads (egg)


----------



## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

backsplice said:


> Hello Lads .......during the late 70,s I was working in Saudi based in Jeddah tyhe Company I worked for was SARAMAT (Saudi Arabian Road and Maritime Transport ) we had a Ro Ro ferry which ran between Greece and Jeddah and you would have thought being ex MN I would have paid attention to what she was called goodness Knows I helped unload her plenty !!!!!!! any Ideas how I could find out her name etc ?????? I,m starting at the BEST point and will work down !!! thanks lads (egg)


BAHJAH (ex.STENA SEATRADER)& FARHA (ex.STENA SAILER)(Thumb)
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships F/slides/Farha-01.html


----------



## jimthehat (Aug 5, 2006)

backsplice said:


> Hello Lads .......during the late 70,s I was working in Saudi based in Jeddah tyhe Company I worked for was SARAMAT (Saudi Arabian Road and Maritime Transport ) we had a Ro Ro ferry which ran between Greece and Jeddah and you would have thought being ex MN I would have paid attention to what she was called goodness Knows I helped unload her plenty !!!!!!! any Ideas how I could find out her name etc ?????? I,m starting at the BEST point and will work down !!! thanks lads (egg)


 All I can tell you is that she would have been berthed stern on (med moor)on nos 2 or 3 berth,I was marine safety officer.

Those ferries always tried to smuggle in booze but were invarably caught and I was always called on when the booze was destroyed by smashing the bottles up against a special wall ,it was a shame to see all the liquer running away down the drains.

jim


----------



## Billhobbs (Dec 19, 2005)

I was in Saudi Arabia late 70's thru to mid 80's with FOSS operating roros into Jeddah and Dammam where I was based. Spent some time relieving our port captain in Jeddah where Fayez was our agent who themselves operated a couple of Hadj roros across the Red Sea. Some of you might remember the FOSS RoRo Seaspeed Dora which capsized whist med moored in Jeddah I think in 1977. A bunker door had been left open as we discharged a heavy lift over the ramp. I left Dammam in 1985 by which time the time for small roros was over and we had moved to container ships. It was great fun discharging and loading those roros whilst also manoeuvring around some strict Saudi Port regulations. Remember damage to the quay from tracked vehicles incurred big fines and being summonsed like a naughty boy to the Port Directors office for a ticking off. Happy days.


----------



## jimthehat (Aug 5, 2006)

Billhobbs said:


> I was in Saudi Arabia late 70's thru to mid 80's with FOSS operating roros into Jeddah and Dammam where I was based. Spent some time relieving our port captain in Jeddah where Fayez was our agent who themselves operated a couple of Hadj roros across the Red Sea. Some of you might remember the FOSS RoRo Seaspeed Dora which capsized whist med moored in Jeddah I think in 1977. A bunker door had been left open as we discharged a heavy lift over the ramp. I left Dammam in 1985 by which time the time for small roros was over and we had moved to container ships. It was great fun discharging and loading those roros whilst also manoeuvring around some strict Saudi Port regulations. Remember damage to the quay from tracked vehicles incurred big fines and being summonsed like a naughty boy to the Port Directors office for a ticking off. Happy days.


 After working as a safety officer I spent another five years working for grey macs working as a ops controller in the port,we issued fines like mad and the poor agents coming in to try and get out of paying.
There were some very strict rules which we had to enforce and they were all in the green SPA rule book.

jim


----------



## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

A.D.FROST said:


> FARHA (ex.STENA SEATRADER)& BAHJAH(ex.STENA SAILER)(Thumb)
> http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships F/slides/Farha-01.html


If A. D. Frost is correct with his identification, then below are the details of the two vessels 


IMO 7304340
FARHA
Ice strengthened, 12 berthed passengers / roro cargo / ferry, with bow door / ramp, and stern door / ramp.
As built: 2,664g. 992n. 3,861d. 378’ 1”(BB) x 53’ 7” x 14’ 9”
Post 1975: 3,206g. 1,352n. 3,861d. 142.22(BB) x 16.34 x 5.90 metres.
Post 1995: 7,955g. 2,386n. 5,376d.
Two, 6-cyl. 4 SCSA (410 x 470mm) Werkspoor 6TM410 type oil engines by Werkspoor-Amsterdam N.V., Amsterdam, geared to twin screw shafts with controllable pitch propellers. 7,200bhp. 16 kts. Thwartship thrust controllable pitch propeller forward.
18.1.1973: Launched as STENA SAILER by A.Vuyk & Zonen's Scheepswerven B.V., Capelle a/d Ijssel (Yard No. 862) for Stena Ab, London. 
28.5.1973: Completed for Stena Ab, Sweden. 
1975: Lengthened by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft A.G., Kiel, and upon completion, was demise-chartered to Farah Maritime Company Ltd., (Adelphi Vergottis (Hellas) Ltd., S. A., managers) Cyprus, and renamed FARHA. 
1981: Transferred to Snowdrop Shipping Ltd., Cyprus, (Triport Ferries, (Management) Ltd., managers) Glasgow, and renamed STENA SEATRADER. 
1988: Northern Coasters Inc., appointed as managers. 
4.1989: Renamed KIRK TRADER. 
1993: Sold to Inter Caribe Ltd., (Jamaica Freight and Shipping Company Ltd., managers) Bahamas, and renamed ISLAND TRADER. 
1994: Renamed KIRK TRADER. 
1994: Sold to Caricom Investments Ltd., and renamed ISLAND TRADER. 
1995: Renamed KIRK MARINA. 
1997: Renamed SEABOARD MARINER (Freight Management Ltd., appointed as managers. 
2002: Renamed ISLAND TRADER, under Jamaica flag. 
2004: Sold to Marco Shipping, Dubai, U.A.E., and renamed MERDIF 4, under Jordanian flag. 
2.2007: Sold to Naif Marine Services Pvt, Dubai and renamed JABAL ALI 5. 
3.2008: To Sierra Leone flag. 
19.1.2011: Arrived at Alang under Comoros flag for demolition. 
25.1.2011: Beached by Rai Metal Works. 


IMO 7305772
BAHJAH
Ice strengthened, 12 berthed passengers / roro cargo / ferry, with bow door / ramp, and stern door / ramp.
As built: 2,572g. 870n. 3,861d. 378’ 1”(BB) x 53’ 7” x 19’ 1”
Post 1976: 3,209g. 1,340n. 6,726d. 142.22(BB) x 16.34 x 5.944 metres.
Post 1987: 7,504g. 2,251n. 6,726d. 141.90(BB) x 16.34 x 5.944 metres.
Two, 6-cyl. 4 SCSA (410 x 470mm) Werkspoor 6TM410 type oil engines by Werkspoor-Amsterdam N.V., Amsterdam, geared to twin screw shafts with controllable pitch propellers. 7,200bhp. 18 kts. Thwartship thrust controllable pitch propeller forward.
1972: Ordered from A. Vuyk & Zonen's Scheepswerven B.V., Capelle a/d Ijssel (Yard No. 863) by Stena Ab, Sweden. 
10.2.1973: Sub-contracted hull launched as STENA SEATRADER by Van der Geissen Du Noord, Krimpen and subsequently towed to Capelle a/d Ijssel. 
14.8.1973: Completed as SEATRADER by A. Vuyk & Zonen's Scheepswerven B.V. 
1976: Lengthened by Howaldtwerke-Deutsche Werft A.G., Kiel, and upon completion was demise chartered to Bahjah Navigation Company, (Adelphi Vergottis (Hellas) Ltd. S. A., managers) Cyprus, and renamed BAHJAH. 
1981: Transferred to Stena Ab, Sweden, and renamed STENA SEARIDER. 
1982: Transferred to Snowdrop Shipping Ltd., (Triport Ferries (Management) Ltd., managers) Cyprus. 
1983: Renamed SEARIDER. 
1984: Transferred to Rederi Ab Concordia, (Stena Ab, managers) Sweden, and renamed STENA SEARIDER. 
1984: Transferred to Stena Ab, and renamed TRUCKER. 
1985: Renamed STENA SEARIDER. 
1986: Transferred to Rederi Ab Concordia, (Stena Ab, managers). 
8.1987: Delivered to Cityvarvet, Gothenburg, for conversion into a railway vehicle ferry. 
1987: Transferred to Stena Rederi, (Liro Shipping Ab, managers) and renamed STENA SCANRAIL. 
1988: Transferred to Stena Line Ab, (same managers). 
2000: Removed from management. 
2000: Transferred to Stena Line Scandinavia Ab. 
11.2011: Still in service.


----------



## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

As usual SN comes up trumps (I knew it would ) thanks lads ??(Ouch)


----------



## backsplice (May 23, 2005)

Also just looked at photoship and the Farha has SARAMAT badge on the funnel well done lads !!!(Fly)


----------



## Gleo (Jan 20, 2013)

BillH said:


> If A. D. Frost is correct with his identification, then below are the details of the two vessels
> 
> 
> IMO 7304340
> ...


Hi you missed out the the Stena Searider capsized in Torre Anunziata in December 1981

John


----------



## budrover (Sep 12, 2012)

I sailed on Stena Seatrader in the Caribbean - horrible horrible ships - if engines were not overheating - the forward lift would be breaking down - best ship in the world to 'pay off'


----------



## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

Gleo said:


> Hi you missed out the the Stena Searider capsized in Torre Anunziata in December 1981
> 
> John


According to her casualty report, no mention of capsizing, only the following, and the statement she had a deck cargo of pipes 

"STRANDED AT TORRE ANNUNZIATA ON 15/12/81 AFTER DEVELOPING A HEAVY LIST, REFLOATED AND TOWED TO NAPLES FOR REPAIRS. 

DECK CARGO FELL INTO SEA WHEN VESSEL RAN AGROUND".


----------



## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

budrover said:


> I sailed on Stena Seatrader in the Caribbean - horrible horrible ships - if engines were not overheating - the forward lift would be breaking down - best ship in the world to 'pay off'


You should now be pleased to hear that she was scrapped at Alang in early 2011


----------



## Gleo (Jan 20, 2013)

*Stena Searider*



BillH said:


> You should now be pleased to hear that she was scrapped at Alang in early 2011


Hi Bill thanks for the update. They obviously played down the complete f**k up that it was. The only reason nobody was hurt was that as it went over to beyond 45 deg. it hit the bottom, otherwise we would have been in the water and quite possibly under it. The speed that it went over at scares me and my family to this very day.

All the best.

John


----------



## Crippen (Aug 11, 2009)

*Stena Seatrader*

Also sailed on her in the Caribbean around 1988/89 and changed to the Kirk Trader during my trip. Back and forth from Miami to Kingston with the occasional call in at Port Au Prince. Quite enjoyed my time on there and can't believe it was all those years ago - seems like only yesterday. Remember almost colliding a few times when leaving entering port as the Auto Pilot kept throwing a wobbly and would suddenly throw hard stbd or port. Fun times!!


----------



## Sitia (Oct 26, 2021)

Billhobbs said:


> I was in Saudi Arabia late 70's thru to mid 80's with FOSS operating roros into Jeddah and Dammam where I was based. Spent some time relieving our port captain in Jeddah where Fayez was our agent who themselves operated a couple of Hadj roros across the Red Sea. Some of you might remember the FOSS RoRo Seaspeed Dora which capsized whist med moored in Jeddah I think in 1977. A bunker door had been left open as we discharged a heavy lift over the ramp. I left Dammam in 1985 by which time the time for small roros was over and we had moved to container ships. It was great fun discharging and loading those roros whilst also manoeuvring around some strict Saudi Port regulations. Remember damage to the quay from tracked vehicles incurred big fines and being summonsed like a naughty boy to the Port Directors office for a ticking off. Happy days.


I actually worked on this ship running from Felixstowe to Jeddah, yes it capsized on June 1st 1977.I actually paid off on the trip before she capsized, many of my friends were on there when she did but all got off safely thank God.


----------

