The former EUROPEAN SEAWAY, since renamed SEA ANATOLIA, has been resold, reports Ålands Sjöfart. The 1991-built ship has been purchased from Sea Lines for further service by the Honduran Blue Wave conglomerate.
SEA ANATOLIA will be renamed BLUE WAVE HORIZON and will serve a route between Caldera in Costa Rica and La Union in El Salvador. This service will cut out a 2000 km land journey through Nicaragua for companies moving goods between Costa Rica and El Salvador and beyond.
To link the two ports, the former Dover – Calais ferry will have to sail alongside the entirety of Nicaragua’s 352 km long Pacific coast as well as a significant amount of the Costa Rican Pacific coast. By contrast the Dover – Calais crossing takes 90 minutes with the point to point distance between the ports just 34 km. The vessel had previously sailed on the now-closed four hour Dover – Zeebrugge route.
P&O Ferries charter
P&O Ferries was among the companies also interested in the vessel and had made a formal offer to charter back their former EUROPEAN SEAWAY. However, with the purchase from Blue Wave on the table, Sealines declined P&O’s charter offer.
Given the access modifications made to SEA ANATOLIA to make her suitable for service outside Dover, it is highly unlikely that P&O Ferries would have used the vessel on her former Dover to Calais route. A large stern access ramp has been fitted during the three month long conversion meaning that the former EUROPEAN SEAWAY would no longer be able to load and discharge at Dover.
![SEA ANATOLIA (ex EUROPEAN SEAWAY) after a large stern access ramp was fitted during conversion work in Turkey. The former P&O ferry will soon be renamed BLUE WAVE HORIZON ahead of a new career in Central America. image via Ålands Sjöfart (uncredited).](https://www.sjofart.ax/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20230126_11424490-2048x1536.jpg)
She may have been suitable for the Dublin – Liverpool service, which is currently down to a single ship while overhauls take place, however, or one of P&O’s North Sea freight routes.
Sea Lines had planned to use SEA ANATOLIA on a new Black Sea service from Constanza in Turkey, but the war in Ukraine means those plans are no longer feasible. As a result, following conversion work in Turkey the former EUROPEAN SEAWAY has spent a lengthy period tied up.
SEA ANATOLIA had been linked to a Málaga -Tánger Med service some weeks back. In the event FRIEDRICH RUSS was chosen to operate the service.