MASARRAH (ex EXPRESS APHRODITE / STENA ADVENTURER / STENA HIBERNIA / ST COLUMBA) imo: 7507019

MASSARAH was originally built as ST COLUMBA for British Railways subsidiary Sealink for operation between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire.  At the time of her completion, she was the largest ferry in operation on the Irish Sea in terms of the number of passenger seats on board.

ST COLUMBA was delivered in 1977 from the Danish Aalborg Vaerft A/S shipyard.   Following the takeover of Sealink by Stena Line she was renamed STENA HIBERNIA.  She remained in service on the Holyhead- Dun Laoghaire route until 1996 when she was laid up.  From April that year her role had been largely as a support ship for the brand-new HSS STENA EXPLORER fast-craft. STENA HIBERNIA had been renamed STENA ADVENTURER in January 1996.  This coincided with the rebranding of Stena Sealink Line to Stena Line.

The following May, STENA ADVENTURER was sold for further service in Greece as EXPRESS AFRODITE.