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Sealink Historic Ferries

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Horsa

2nd August 1972 - Commenced service between Dover & Boulogne

5th August 1972 - Commenced service between Folkestone & Oostende

19th August 1972 - Commenced service between Folkestone & Boulogne

January 1975 - Collided with Lord Warden in Calais

10th April 1977 - Collided with the quay side in Calais, Minor damage and able to continue operating.

August 1977 - Commenced service between Dunkerque & Dover

January 1978 - Became entangled with the offshore wires after she had dropped anchor while attempting to berth at the Admiralty Pier at Dover.  At low water, and with a heavy swell running the ship was unable to move and battered her bow against piles and dolphins at the ramp.  She was eventually towed off and sent to Calais for repairs, the berth being out of use for over a month, returning to service on 20th January 1978

17th June 1978 - Damaged and put out of action Folkestone’s link-span.  Dover’s Western Dock ramp fell foul of the same snip earlier in the year but this time she sustained no damage to herself and continued to operate as a passenger only ship for several days until the link-span was repaired.

18th July 1984 - Sale of Sealink UK to Sea Containers, Bermuda Company changed name to Sealink British Ferries UK.

July 1984 - Commenced service between Folkestone & Boulogne and also Folkestone & Oostend.

27th July 1984 - Registered to Sea Containers Ltd, London

1984 - IN readiness for privatisation, on their re-appearance from over hall, units of the Sealink UK Ltd fleet all appeared without the British Rail Double arrow logo on their funnels.  The vessels gradually appeared with white hulls.  From that time the company would trade as Sealink British Ferries and a subsidiary company British Ferries was set up for Channel Island operations.

26th February 1985 - Ran aground, in thick fog off Copt Point, Folkestone.  All blades on both screws were bent and dry docking at Chatham was required.

March 1985 - Final service between Folkestone & Oostend, returning to the Folkestone to Boulogne route.

16th February - 20th March 1986 - Received at £1 million refit at Swan Hunter Yard, Hebburn.  The ships aft docking bridge was removed during this period.

1st November 1987 - Had to put back to Boulogne after departing substantially overloaded.  A combination of circumstances; the cancellation of hovercraft sailings and vehicles being switched to the ferry, whilst the boat train arrived from Paris with 740 through passengers instead of 134 as previously advised.  The vessel had been under way for 10 minutes until a ticket county revealed the error and she immediately turned back to discharge 236 passengers.

1st January 1988 - Arrived on the Tune for refit.

January 1990 - Sold to Stena Line AB, Gothenburg (Registered to Stena Equipment Ltd, London) Commenced service for Sealink Stena Line

23rd May 1990 - 4th September 1990 - Operated between Holyhead & Dun Laoghaire.

1990 - Renamed Stena Horsa

15th October 1990 - commenced service between Folkestone & Boulogne.

1991 - Stena full takeover of Sealink UK Ltd for a sum believed to be in the region of £259 million.  The fleets livery was changed to reflect the fact.

12th February 1991 - 4th February 1991 - Operated between Holyhead & Dun Laoghaire as cover for Stena Cambria

31st December 1991 - Closure of service between Folkestone & Boulogne.

4th January 1992 - Left Dover for Milford Haven for Lay up.

15th February 1992 - Sold to Flanmare Shipping Inc, Piraeus Greece and renamed Penelope A, left Milford Haven for Piraeus.

23rd February 1992 - Arrived Piraeus

1992 – Began operations with Agoudimos Lines between Rafina – Ahdios – Tinos – Mykonos.

November 1999 – Sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins, Piraeus Greece & renamed Express Penelope

2000 – Opereated for Helias Ferries.

January 2004 – Sold to Mimis Agoudimos, Greece & renamed Penelope A.  Commenced services between Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Mykonos.

2004 – Operated on services between Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Mykonos.

5th December 2004 – Collided with Evia Star in Rafina and damaged her bow.

28th December 2012 (18:30 Rafina) – Owing to “financial difficulties” her services ceased, set sail for New Molo, Drapetsona.

September 2013 – Crew seized the vessel in Rafina owing to non-payment for a period of nearly six months.

January 2014- Crew left the Ship which was promptly arrested – Prosecutor Panagiota Pakou has ordered an investigation into the allegations that the port authority of Rafina requested that the “Penelope A” ferry boat be removed from the port due to concerns of staff safety and environmental pollution.  The Panhellenic Merchant Navy Union (PENEN) had previously revealed that Rafina Port Authority’s allegations and request from the ship owners to remove the Penelope A immediately.  The PENEN argued that the abandoned ferry boats anchor ropes broke dur to strong winds, increasing the chances of an accident or pollution.  The merchant navy union has demanded that the ships owners claim heir responsibilities regarding the ship and noted that they have not yet paid the Rafina Port Authority fines withouEUR122,000 euros from port fees and refuse collection.  Furthermore, the 56 crew members of the Penelope A who live on board the ferry boat without electricity and running water have not been paid for up to 10 months.  The 56 crew members however were paid three months worth of wages from the Merchant Seamen's Fund due to the shop owners non-payment of wages.

August 2014 – Remained under arrests, in Rafina, noted as being advertised for sale

18th June 2014 – Towed from Rafina to Telesis for further lay up.