Viking Trader

 I frequently look back through my photographic index and log books to see what I was doing thirty or forty or even fify years ago (and yes - or more!) So on today's date, September 24  in 1983, I know exactly what I was doing - taking pictures of a ship named Viking Trader. Here is its story...

A RoRo service between Halifax and Newfoundland was operated by Fednav carrying new cars and truck trailers, with some of the truck trailers carrying containers. As the amount of traffic increased they had two ships on the route, then in 1980 they introduced a single larger ship. 

GOYA / FEDERAL NOVA

Goya refueling from Imperial Dartmouth at Autoport.

To replace the two smaller RoRos, Fednav acquired a ship with a unique history. Construction of the ship began in Korneuburg, Austria, well up the Danube from the Black Sea. In order for the ship to reach the sea, it was built in two components, the hull to bulwark height as one unit and the accommodation block as another unit.  The latter was built on a barge and in 1976 the two were to be towed down the Danube to Galati, Romania where they were to be joined. Due to water levels on the Danube, both parts ran aground, but not before knocking down a bridge. High water levels than trapped the barge carrying the superstructure for six months until water levels decreased and there was sufficient clearance under the bridge.

Once assembled, the ship was towed all the way round through the Mediterranean to Werft Nobiskrug in Rendsburg (on the Kiel Canal) for completion in 1977. While at that yard the opportunity was taken to lengthen the ship nearly 90 feet (27.1 meters) from its original overall length of 384 ft (117 meters) to 473 ft (144.1 meters). It emerged with a grt of 3809 as Stena Tender but was sold on completion to McAndrews + Co Ltd and placed on P+O’s Pandoro service between Fleetwood, England and Larne, Ireland. The ship was renamed Goya for this operation. [McAndrews had operated ships between England and Spain since the 1850s and used Spanish names for their ships.]

In 1980 Fednav acquired the ship through its Canadian flag subsidiary Seaforth Fednav, which normally was involved in offshore supply work. On arrival in Canada in January 1980, the ship entered service as Goya, before being renamed Federal Nova.

Federal Nova gets underway from Autoport.

Its presence on the Newfoundland run was short lived, because another ship became available. The legendary Cavallo, which could also carry containers, became available in 1981 and Federal Nova was reassigned. In 1981 it became Caribbean Sky still for Seaforth Fednav, then was sold becoming: 81: Manaure VII, 83: Oyster Bay, 83: Viking Trader for Townsend Thoresen. It called in at Halifax under that name in September 1983, presumably on a repositioning voyage from the Caribbean back to Europe.

Viking Trader backs out from  a berth on the Halifax side of the harbor.

Underway for sea, the ship's stern ramp is visible, as is an unusual catwalk on the port side above the open car deck.

In 1998 the ship was renamed European Navigator.After its sale to Arab Bridge Maritime and Salam International Transport + Trading Co Ltd, in 2003, the ship worked in Egyptian waters as Black Iris. In 2012 it was sold to the mysterious Oceandro Large Yacht Builders of Suez, Egpyt (perhaps in default of repair bills) and renamed Black Horses.

On January 10, 2014 it arrived at the scrap yard in Al-Adabiya, Egypt.

 

The weekly container and RoRo service between Halifax and St.John's is now operated by Oceanex with the veteran Oceanex Sanderling. They also operate a two ship container and RoRo servoce between Montreal and St.John's.

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