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Strait Shipping
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of Strait Shipping. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order.
 
Strait Shipping is a 100% New Zealand owned and managed shipping business - operating Cook Strait ferry services since 1992.
Initially established to offer New Zealanders a choice for moving freight between Wellington, Picton and Nelson -
Strait Shipping has since diversified into the passenger service market with the launch of its Bluebridge ferry in late 2002.
 
Strait Shipping opened a new chapter in New Zealand's maritime history in 1992 with the introduction of Straitsman which provided for the carriage of 'walk-on' livestock and roll-on/roll-off freight facilities between Wellington, Picton and Nelson. The service was expanded in 1995 with the introduction of Suilven.
 
Continued demand for roll-on/roll-off freight services saw a further fleet expansion in 2001. Kent more than trebled commercial freight opportunities, accommodating everything from private and trade cars up to the largest earth-moving equipment. The arrival of Santa Regina in December 2002 saw the launch of Strait Shipping's Bluebridge passenger ferry service between Wellington and Picton. Bluebridge offers the travelling public and international visitors a great way to take themselves, and their vehicles, across the Cook Strait. The Bluebridge passenger service complements the all-freight capacity of Kent and the addition of the Bluebridge vessel Santa Regina saw both Straitsman and Suilven become surplus to requirements and subsequently sold to Fijian interests.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Kent (Strait Shipping: 2001- )
Monte Stello (Strait Shipping: 2006- )
Santa Regina (Strait Shipping: 2002- )
Straitsman (Strait Shipping: 1992-2002)
Suilven (Strait Shipping: 1995-2002)
 
Sections on This Page:-
Strait Shipping Fleet List
2005 Bluebridge Brochure
 
Associated Pages:-
Strait Shipping
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Monte Stello  Palanga

 1974
 Suilven  

 1974
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fleet List
 
 
Straitsman
(Strait Shipping: 1992-2002)
 
Straitsman spent her early days in Bass Strait, Australia, sailing between Melbourne, Tasmania and King Island before launching Strait Shipping's service between Wellington, Picton and Nelson, across the equally unpredictable waters of Cook Strait, in 1992. Straitsman ('Lollipop' as she was affectionately known) saw continuous service until the introduction of Santa Regina in 2003 when she was temporarily retired before being sold in 2004. She will continue her life in warmer Fijian waters under the name of Sinu-I-Wasa ('Flower of the Sea' in Fijian).
 
Photograph of Straitsman.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Sin-I-Wasa (ex-Straitsman).
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of the fleet on the arrival of Kent in 2001.
Ships (left to right) are Suilven, Kent and Straitsman.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
 
 
 
Suilven
(Strait Shipping: 1995-2004)
 
Suilven was built in 1974 by Moss Rosenberg Verft A/S, Moss, Norway. She was ordered by Rederi A/S Alpha, Moss, Norway and intended to be named Bastø VI. However, she was bought by Caledonian-macBrayne whilst still under construction, for their Ullapool to Stornoway (Isle of Lewis) service. Suilven came into operation for Strait Shipping in 1995. For seven years Suilven ran between Wellington and Picton before being transferred to the Wellington to Nelson service in late 2002. She was sold and left for a new life in Fiji in April 2004.
 
Complete history of Suilven
 
 
Photograph of Suilven.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Suilven.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Suilven in a storm.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Suilven in a storm.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
 
 
 
Kent
(Strait Shipping: 2001- )
 
Kent was built in Japan in 1977 as the Admiral Nigeria of Admiral Shipping Services, Oslo. She initially ran on a route Great Yarmouth - Bremerhaven - Hamburg - Antwerpen - Le Havre - Lagos - Monrovia - Tema - Abidjan. In 1979 Admiral Nigeria was chartered to North Sea Ferries for service between Ipswich and Europoort (Rotterdam). She was then renamed Admiral Caribe for a service beyween Miami and Venezuela. In 1982 Admiral Caribe was renamed Saint Remy for service out of Marseille, before passing to Kent Line in 1986 as Duke of Anglia for a services from Kent to Zeebrugge. In 1990 Duke of Anglia was sold to Norfolk Line and renamed Maersk Anglia. She was chartered to Cobelfret for their Zeebrugge-Purfleet/Dagenham services. In 2000, Maersk Anglia became Maersk Kent, shortened to Kent when sold to Ross Marine of Castletown, Isle of Man, the following year. She was acquired by Strait Shipping shortkly afterwards.
 
Kent is a versatile, freight only vessel. With a full width stern ramp, 4.8 metre head room in the main deck and internal ramps giving access to the upper and lower decks she is capable of carrying most kinds of cargo. Comfortable facilities are provided for commercial drivers on board Kent, including double en suite cabins. Complimentary meals are served in the dining room on every crossing, while a television lounge provides space for relaxation. A laundry enables drivers to wash and dry their gear en route.
 
 
Kent Specifications
Built: Ishikawajima Ship & Chemical Plant, Tokyo, Japan, 1977
Length Overall: 123m
Beam Overall: 21m
Gross Tonnage: 6862
Draft: 4.76m
Main Engines: Two Pielstick diesels
Service Speed: 16 knots
Bow thruster
Freight capacity: 1100 lane metres
Passengers: 12 commercial drivers
 
 
 
Photograph of Duke of Anglia of Kent Line, on their Kent-Zeebrugge service.
Photo: © Ingvar Andersson - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg
 
 
Photograph of Maersk Anglia of Norfolk Line.
On charter to Cobelfret for their service to Ford's Dagenham plant.
Photo: © Andreas Wörteler - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg
 
 
Photograph of Kent.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Kent.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of the fleet on the arrival of Kent in 2001.
Ships (left to right) are Suilven, Kent and Straitsman.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
 
 
 
Santa Regina
(Strait Shipping: 2002- )
 
Santa Regina arrived in Wellington from France on December 26th 2002 and made her inaugural voyage, launching the Bluebridge service, in early 2003 - she had 99 passengers onboard. Her previous role was an overnight service between Marseilles and Corsica in the Mediterranean with Compagnie Meridionale de Navigation (CMN) and consequently she had a large number of passenger cabins. Santa Regina operated routes to Calvi, Propriano and Port Torres. She was built in 1985 by Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre. Her sistership is Monte Cinto of SNCM. Most of the cabins have been removed as part of a major refurbishment of the ship - whilst still retaining the comfortable elegance of old. In addition to passenger capacity, Santa Regina's ample freight capability complements Kent on the Wellington/Picton service.
 
 
Santa Regina Specifications
Built: Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre, Le Havre, France, 1985
Length Overall: 137M
Beam Overall: 22.5m
Gross Tonnage: 14588
Draft: 6.0m
Main Engines: Two Pieslstick diesels.
Service Speed: 18 knots
Two Bow thrusters, Denny Brown Stabilisers
Freight capacity: 1300 lane metres
Passengers: 370
 
 
 
Official Strait Shipping postcard of Santa Regina.
 
 
Official 2007 Strait Shipping postcard of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Official 2007 Strait Shipping postcard of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © www.Seapixonline.com
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © www.Seapixonline.com
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © www.Seapixonline.com
 
 
Photograph of Santa Regina.
Photo: © Christian Bursche, 22nd Septmber 2004 - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg
 
 
 
 
 
Monte Stello
(Strait Shipping: 2006- )
 
Monte Stello was built for Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Méditerranée (SNCM) in 1979 by Ateliers & Chantiers du Havre, Le Havre (249). She operated ro-pax services between Marseille and Corsica. Her sister ship was the Porto Cardo of CMN. She was sold to Rutelag Askøy-Bergen, Bergen, in 1994, followed by further sale to the Lithuanien Shipping Company, Klapeida, in 1996. She was renamed Palanga and put into service between Klapeida and Kiel (later also Stockholm and Karlshamn). Registered owners became Lisco Baltic Service in 2001 when a majority holding was acquired by DFDS. In 2004 Palanga was transferred onto the DFDS Tor Line services between Esbjerg-Harwich and then Lübeck-Ventspils, followed by a charter to Trasmediterranea. In December 2005 she was sold to Strait Shipping of New Zealand, entering service the following year between Wellington and Picton. She reverted to original name Monte Stello.
 
Complete history of Monte Stello
 
 
Official 2007 Strait Shipping postcard of Monte Stello.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
Monte Stello in Strait Shipping colours, leaving Aukland for Wellington after dry-docking.
Photo: © Strait Shipping
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
 
2005 Bluebridge Brochure
 
 
2005 Bluebridge Brochure - Side-1
Click on image to open a larger version in a new window.
 
 
2005 Bluebridge Brochure - Side-2
Click on image to open a larger version in a new window.
 
 
2005 Bluebridge Timetable.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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