DWLM
In Waters New, Easter 2017 Roundup.
A quick news roundup featuring some vessels which previously plied their trade in NI waters. LE RIF: Could the former STENA GALLOWAY/GALLOWAY PRINCESS soon be back in service? The last purpose-built vessel for the Larne to Stranraer service could soon be back plying her trade in the Mediterranean. Last month LE RIF (ex Stena Galloway, Galloway Princess) was moved from La Spezia to Napoli. The vessel had previously been purchased at auction by the mysterious new Moroccan company DWLM who had intended to refit her at Malaga, however the vessel was moved to La Spezia amid reports of a dispute with the Malaga yard owners over costs. Reports from Italy suggest that the vessel may now be under the control of the group of companies that own Mediterranean operator Moby Lines. Moby themselves have been acquiring a number of elderly vessels in the past couple of years, including the now MOBY KISS (ex ... Read more
Former Stena Galloway on the move again
Le Rif, better known locally as the former Stena Galloway and Galloway Princess, has been on the move again.  The former Stena and Sealink ferry had been moved from Tangier Med to the Mario Lopez shipyard in Malaga earlier in the year, however it appears that her owners have decided to complete work on the ship elsewhere with the ship having never entered the dry dock at the Spanish yard.  It has been rumoured that the owners and the yard could not come to a financial agreement acceptable to both parties.  It is said that the ship is seriously deficient in basic areas and that the work required is more extensive than previously thought meaning the original €2.5m budget for the work was inadequate.  Le Rif left Malaga under the tow of Sea Dream on 17th of November, arriving in La Spezia (Italy) on the 23rd of November.  According to ferrybalear.blogspot.be it ... Read more
Update on Le Rif (former Galloway Princess)
Reports from Spain indicate that former North Channel favourite, Le Rif (ex Stena Galloway, Galloway Princess) has yet to enter the Andalucia dry dock at Cernaval’s Mario Lopez shipyard in Malaga, despite it being a month since her arrival in the Spanish port.  It appears that the delay has been due to the ship requiring more work than previously thought to prepare her for entering the dry-dock for a €2.5m refurbishment concentrating mostly on her hull and mechanicals.  It is understood that onboard power is currently being provided by a generator on the dock side. With the above in mind, and the fact that the ship will need to be re-certified by the appropriate authorities, it is very unlikely that Le Rif will enter service before the end of 2016.  Reports on local sites last week suggested Le Rif was to enter the dry-dock before the end of August, but at the time of writing, her ... Read more
Former Stena Galloway to re-enter service?
Le Rif arrives at Malaga for dry docking Recent reports that Le Rif (ex Stena Galloway, Galloway Princess) had been sold for scrap appear to have been untrue, as the former North Channel favourite arrived in Malaga on Saturday for a dry docking.  The ship (including 4 crew and a Captain appointed for the trip) was towed from Tangier in Morocco where she had been abandoned in 2013, though she had been moved to a different berth in the port since then.  Initially the Harland and Wolff built ship will undergo an assessment of her condition taking around 10 days and involving 14 people.  A budget of around €2.5m has been set aside for the overhaul and refurbishment, which will involve significant technical work and is expected to take around 2 months.  The work will be undertaken at Cernaval’s Mario Lopez shipyard in Malaga. Le Rif had been laid up following a major technical ... Read more