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This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
- There are no postcards for sale on this website
SeaFrance
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of SeaFrance.
An alphabetical list of ships
shown on this page is shown below.
The Table
beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a
SeaFrance Fleet List
in chronological order. In general, only official SeaFrance cards are shown on this page - commercial cards and photographs are shown on the
individual ship history pages
. Their is also a separate page devoted to the 2005 series of official postcards photographed by
Philip Plisson
.
The English railway companies were the dominant partners for much of the twentieth century on the eastern channel short-sea crossings from Dover/Folkestone to Boulogne, Calais or Dunkerque. The first French involvement was from Société Anonymé de Gerance et d'Armement (SAGA), which provided the two paddle steamers
Le Nord
and
Le Pas de Calais
for rail connected services in 1898. These were replaced by the turbines
Côte D'Azur
and
Côte D'Argent
in the 1930/32, both lost in the war. The last ship delivered to SAGA was the replacement
Côte D'Azur (2)
of 1951, although she was operated by the newly formed
SNCF
. She was followed by a series of car and train ferries. In 1990, registered ownership of the ships became the Société Propietaires des Navaires (SPN), and the livery was changed. In 1996, the ships passed to
SeaFrance
, where their subsequent history is covered.
SeaFrance Rodin
was the first new ship delivered to SeaFrance. She was built in 2001 by Aker Finnyard, Rauma, Finland (yard number 437). At delivery on 13th November 2001, she was the fastest conventional ferry on the Dover-Calais route at 25 knots. It was announced in June 2003 that SeaFrance had placed an order for a cross-channel ferry with domestic shipbuilding group Alstom Marine/Chantiers de l´Atlantique, to become the
SeaFrance Berlioz
. A sister of
SeaFrance Rodin
,
SeaFrance Berlioz
was delivered in April 2005. In 2008 the
Jean Nicoli
(ex-
Superfast X
) was acquired and renamed
SeaFrance Moliere
.
Ships on This Page:-
SeaFrance Berlioz
(2005- )
SeaFrance Cèzanne
(1996- )
SeaFrance Manet
(1996- )
SeaFrance Moliere
(2008- )
SeaFrance Monet
(1996-2000)
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
(1996- )
SeaFrance Renoir
(1996 -)
SeaFrance Rodin
(2001- )
SeaFrance/SNCF Pages:-
SeaFrance
- Main SeaFrance page
- This Page
SeaFrance - Philip Plisson
- Official 2005 SeaFrance cards by Philip Plisson
SNCF - Page 1
- Calais/Boulogne/Dunkerque Services
SNCF - Page 2
- Dieppe Services
Associated Pages:-
P&O Ferries
P&O Dover
P&O Stena Line
Townsend Thoresen
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
- Simplon Postcards
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
SeaFrance Berlioz
2005
SeaFrance Cèzanne
Ariadne, Trapezitza, Channel Seaway, Fiesta
1980
SeaFrance Manet
Champs Elysées, Stena Parisien
1984
SeaFrance Moliere
- to be added
Superfast X, Jean Nicolai
2002
SeaFrance Monet
Stena Danica/Nordica/Nautica/Londoner, Versailles
1971
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
Nord Pas-de-Calais
1987
SeaFrance Renoir
Côte D'Azur
1981
SeaFrance Rodin
2001
SeaFrance Fleet List
SeaFrance Cèzanne (1996- )
SeaFrance Cèzanne
was built in 1980 by Kockums Varv Ab, Malmö, for Rederi Ab Nordö, Malmö. She was initially named
Ariadne
, and had two sisters
Zenobia
and
Scandinavia
. In 1981 she was sold to So Mejdunaroden Automobile Transport, Bourgas, Bulgaria (S.O.M.A.T) and renamed
Trapezitza
. She entered service with MedLink between Livorno-Iran-Iraq. In 1988
Trapezitza
had a brief charter with DFDS, before being bought, along with sistership
Tzarevetz
, by Sealink (UK).
Trapezitza
was briefly renamed
Fantasia
(which was eventually used on her sistership). In May 1989, she entered service between Dover-Calais as the freight ferry
Channel Seaway
. In October of the same year she was sent to Lloyds Werft, Bremerhaven, for rebuilding as a passenger ship, appearing as the
Fiesta
in May 1990. She was registered to Societé Propietaires des Navaires (SPN), in which a 49% interest was held by Stena Line AB. In 1996 she was renamed
SeaFrance Cèzanne
. Stena Line sold their interest in SPN in 1999.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF06 of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
, published by Couleur Locale (Oostende).
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF08 of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
, published by Couleur Locale (Oostende).
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
, published by Carte a Pub.
Photo: © FotoFlite
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Cèzanne
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Rodin
and
SeaFrance Cèzanne
(left).
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
SeaFrance Manet (1996- )
SeaFrance Manet
was built as the
Champs Elysées
in 1984 by Chantiers Dubigeon S.A., Prairie-au-Duc, Nantes, for SNCF Calais-Dover services shared with their Sealink UK partners.
Champs Elysées
also operated between Boulogne-Dover. In 1990, ownership of
Champs Elysées
was transferred to Societé Propietaire des Navaires (SPN), in which Stena Line took a 49% interest (Stena having acquired the UK-owned Sealink operation).
Champs Elysées
was transferred to the Newhaven-Dieppe service, which at that time was run by SPN. In 1992
Champs Elysées
was chartered to Sealink Stena Line when they took over the Newhaven-Dieppe service, for which she was renamed
Stena Parisien
. In 1997 the charter was ended, and
Stena Parisien
entered service between Dover-Calais for SeaFrance as the
SeaFrance Manet
. In 1999, Stena Line sold their 49% back to SPN.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF01 of
SeaFrance Manet
.
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF02 of
SeaFrance Manet
.
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF03 of
SeaFrance Manet
.
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official postcard CA-SF05 of the SeaFrance fleet.
SeaFrance Manet
and
SeaFrance Cèzanne
in the main picture.
SeaFrance Cèzanne, SeaFrance Manet
and
SeaFrance Renoir
at the top.
Photo: © Christophe Potigny
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Manet
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: FotoFlite
Click to open larger image in new window
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Manet
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Manet
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Manet
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
SeaFrance Monet (1996-2000)
SeaFrance Monet
was built as the
Stena Danica
in 1974 by Brodogradiliste Jozo Lozovina Mosor, Trogir, Yugoslavia, for Stena Line's Göteborg-Frederikshavn service. Her sistership was
Stena Jutlandica
. In 1977
Stena Danica
was rebuilt by Wilton-Fijenoord, Rotterdam with a second trailer deck. In 1981
Stena Danica
was renamed
Stena Nordica
. In 1983
Stena Nordica
was chartered to Regie voor Maritiem Transport (RTM) for Oostende-Dover services, and was renamed
Stena Nautica
the following year. In 1986 she was chartered to SNCF for their Newhaven-Dieppe service as the
Versailles
, with sale to SNCF in 1988. In 1992
Versailles
was chartered to Sealink Stena Line as the
Stena Londoner
, remaining on the Newhaven-Dieppe service. The charter was ended in 1996, and
Stena Londoner
moved to the Dover-Calais route as the
SeaFrance Monet
. She suffered from recurrent engine problems, and spent much of her time laid up at Dunkerque. In 2000
SeaFrance Monet
was sold to Naviera Armas S.A. and sailed to Vigo for refurbishing, re-entering service on Canary Islands services as the
Volcan de Tacande
in September 2000.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Simplon Postcards sp1229 of
SeaFrance Monet
, issued February 1997.
Photo: ©
Mike Louagie
Ramsey Postcards
97 of
SeaFrance Monet
.
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais (1996- )
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkerque, as the SNCF train ferry
Nord Pas-de-Calais
. The train ferry route was Dover (Western Docks)-Dunkerque, plus she also worked as a freight vehicle ferry between Dover-Calais.
Nord Pas-de-Calais
had limited accommodation for 80 passengers. In 1989, ownership was changed to Societé Nouvelle d'Armement Transmanche (SNAT). In 1996 she was renamed
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais,
running
for SeaFrance as a freight vehicle ferry between Dover-Calais.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Ferry Publications 96/007 of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
.
Photo: © FotoFlite
Official SeaFrance postcard of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
.
© SeaFrance - Photo: Philip Plisson
Photograph of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
on 21st June 2003.
Photo: © 2003 Copyright Ian Boyle.
Photograph of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
on 21st June 2003.
Photo: © 2003 Copyright Ian Boyle.
Photograph of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
on 21st June 2003.
Photo: © 2003 Copyright Ian Boyle.
Photograph of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
on 21st June 2003.
Photo: © 2003 Copyright Ian Boyle.
Photograph of
SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais
on 21st June 2003.
Photo: © 2003 Copyright Ian Boyle.
SeaFrance Renoir (1996-)
SeaFrance Renoir
was built as the
Côte D'Azur
in 1981 for SNCF (French National Railways) by Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre, Le Havre. She entered service on 29th September between Calais-Dover, also serving on the Boulogne-Dover route shared with their Sealink partners. In 1990, ownership of
Côte D'Azur
was transferred to Societé Propietaire des Navaires (SPN), in which Stena Line took a 49% interest (Stena having acquired the UK-owned Sealink operation). From 1996, SPN marketed their services as SeaFrance.
Côte D'Azur
was rebuilt in Le Havre in January 1996, returning to service as the
SeaFrance Renoir
. In 1999, Stena Line sold their 49% back to SPN. Following the delivery of
SeaFrance Rodin
,
SeaFrance Renoir
is classed as the spare ship, but operates extras during the summer (for example on Saturday 21st June 2003, she made one morning return trip to Dover).
There is a complete history of this ship
on this link
.
Official SeaFrance postcard CA-SF10 of
SeaFrance Renoir
, published by Couleur Locale (Oostende).
Photo: © Christophe Potigny