Nindawayma
Encyclopedia
The MV Manx Viking / Nindawayma was a passenger, truck and car ferry, whose last active service was on Lake Huron
, operated by the Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited
; under contract to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation
. In Canadian service she served the Highway 6 route
between Tobermory
and South Baymouth, Manitoulin Island
from 1989 to 1992 alongside the MS Chi-Cheemaun.
until 1976, by which time she had been renamed as Monte Castillo. The ships ran a summer service in the Mediterranean, and in the winter carried fruit and vegetables across the Bay of Biscay to Liverpool and Newhaven from Spain and the Balearic Islands
By 1977, the service across the Bay of Biscay for which they were built had ceased, the ships were sold: Monte Castillo was sold to Manx Line
(later Sealink
-Manx Line) and renamed Manx Viking for service between Heysham
, England and Douglas, Isle of Man
. Following a controversial reverse takeover
in 1986 by the Isle of Man Steam Packet
company, she worked a season painted in Steam Packet livery, initially alongside the Mona's Isle (ex-Free Enterprise III) followed by Antrim Princess (subsequently renamed Tynwald) before Manx Vikings lease was terminated and she was returned to her owners (the parent Sealink
company, by now part of Sea Containers Ltd
, who had actually funded the takeover). In 1987, she was briefly renamed Manx for the delivery voyage to new Norwegian owners Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap
, for whom she sailed in service under the name Skudenes. The ship was sold again in 1989, into service with the Government of Ontario
. She was renamed Ontario No.1 for the Atlantic crossing before her final renaming as MS Nindawayma.
Her sisters were sold to Trasmediterranea for Mediterranean service.
-Douglas
service of Sealink-Manx Line. Her maximum speed was 18 knots (35.3 km/h), with a draught
of 5 metres (16.4 ft), and a metacentric height
of around 2 metres (6.6 ft), giving excellent stability and seakeeping qualities. She was licensed for 777 passengers and at this stage of her life was quoted as 2,853 GRT
. During Canadian service this figure was stated as 6197 GRT, while a 1984 Sealink press release quotes " a weight of 3,589.43 tonnes". The ship was the first RORO ferry on Manx routes, and the first there to carry both freight and passenger traffic being suitable for cars, commercial trucks and trailers. She was fitted with numerous motorcycle stands to allow for Isle of Man TT
and Manx Grand Prix
traffic. As built, the ship had cranes for self-loading of containers onto the afterdeck; these were unused by Manx Line
. Manx Line added a bow door and visor, along with extra lifeboats; becoming the only passenger ship in Manx waters with lifeboat accommodation for all aboard. She was also the first ferry in Manx waters to have inside accommodation for all passengers. At the time her 450 tonne fuel capacity gave her the longest range of any ferry in British waters: she was theoretically capable of traveling from Heysham to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands without refueling. She was considered for Falklands duty, but not used.
During Manx service she enjoyed an unrivaled reputation for reliability with passengers and was able to put to sea in weather conditions which forced her competitors to remain in port. Her arrival created a marked change in Manx traffic flows eventually resulting in the financial collapse of the rival Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the Steam Packet's subsequent amalgamation with Sealink-Manx Line.
She initially carried the white and blue livery of Manx Line
, but after this company ran into financial difficulties and was taken over by British Rail-Sealink, she received the BR corporate monastral blue hull, white upperworks and red funnel. She differed from other Sealink ships in carrying a gold-coloured scuplted "three legs of man" on her funnels rather than the standard BR double chevron. Later, publicity images were released of her painted in the Sea Containers era Sealink livery of white hull with blue trim, but these were mockups and the colours never applied. Due to problems with ship availability she was recalled hurriedly from dry dock before the paint job was completed, with just the new blue boot-topping applied. After the Steam Packet takeover her unwashed blue hull was given a rough overpaint of black, retaining the BR red funnels (rather than the differently-hued Steam Packet red). Following the takeover, the crew persisted in flying the Manx Line house pennant, rather than the management-mandated Steam Packet one. Later as a continued sign of protest against the takeover the crew changed this to half of a Manx Line pennant.
It was initially intended that she would be retired from Manx service following the amalgamation of Sealink-Manx Line and The Steam Packet. Services would be concentrated on the Heysham-Douglas route with a strengthened two-ship service using the larger Monas Isle and Antrim Princess. The Steam Packet's year-round Liverpool-Douglas services were to be abandoned. In the event, trade union problems delayed the transfer of Antrim Princess from Stranraer, while Mona's Isle proved unserviceable. Instead Monas Isle was withdrawn after six months and Manx Viking remained for another season. Manx Viking was eventually replaced by the cargo-only RORO vessel Peveril leaving Antrim Princess / Tynwald as the only passenger vessel on the route. In so doing the combined company avoided an expensive charter as the otherwise surplus Peveril was owned by the Steam Packet, not leased and had just been released from charter on the Heysham-Belfast route. The changes in manning brought about by the Manx Viking withdrawal, and Pevereril's route transfer were some of the centres of dispute of the 1980s British national seamen's strikes.
If Manx Viking had been withdrawn as originally intended, she would have been transferred to Weymouth, Dorset and renamed Earl Henry for service on the route to Cherbourg. This never took place due to the delayed availability of the Antrim Princess.
, she was reported to have developed severe engine problems, in so doing creating financial difficulties for her owners. She was sold on after only one year. This may have been a recurrence of the crankshaft problems she has been reported to have suffered while in Sealink-Manx Line service.
from Canadian service after four years of use is said to have been due to "unsatisfactory performance". There was a distinct smell of diesel fuel at deck level, possibly due to her low-set twin funnels. (Photos of her in Canadian service show that the funnel-top smoke deflectors had been removed.) Her French Pielstick
diesel engines were apparently troublesome, and sailings were canceled due to mechanical problems. Her bow and stern doors were claimed to not be high enough to accommodate semi-trailer truck
s despite this not being a problem in Manx or Spanish service. These factors caused significant numbers of ferry passengers to avoid the MS Nindawayma in favour of the MS Chi-Cheemaun, even if waiting involved very long delays at the ferry terminals in Tobermory
and South Baymouth.
. As of April 2007, Nindawayma was docked in a port in Montreal
, rusting and being used for parts. As of 17 August 2007, the ship was owned by Purvis Marine, a marine salvage company, and docked in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
at a government wharf.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, operated by the Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited
Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited
This is an historical account of the Owen Sound Transportation Company, Limited , the forerunner of the enterprise that currently operates the vehicle and passenger ferry - M.S. Chi-Cheemaun - between Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula, and South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. For updated...
; under contract to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Ministry of Transportation (Ontario)
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is the provincial ministry of the government of Ontario which is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building...
. In Canadian service she served the Highway 6 route
Highway 6 (Ontario)
King's Highway 6, also known as Highway 6, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. It crosses a distance of between Port Dover on the north shore of Lake Erie and Espanola on the northern shore of Lake Huron, ending at the Trans-Canada Highway in McKerrow.- Port...
between Tobermory
Tobermory, Ontario
Tobermory is a small community located at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula in the municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada. It is 300 km northwest of Toronto...
and South Baymouth, Manitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. It is the largest island in a freshwater lake in the world. In addition to the historic Anishinaabe and European settlement of the island, archeological discoveries at Sheguiandah have demonstrated Paleo-Indian and...
from 1989 to 1992 alongside the MS Chi-Cheemaun.
Service history
One of three sister ships, she was launched on 19 August 1974 as the Monte Cruceta at the "S. A. Juliana Gijonesa" shipyard in Gijón, Spain, for the Spanish shipping line Naviera Aznar. The vessels were built as long-distance multi-purpose roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries, handling both cargo and passengers, with fully refrigerated vehicle decks. Outfitting delays postponed her maiden voyageMaiden voyage
The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
until 1976, by which time she had been renamed as Monte Castillo. The ships ran a summer service in the Mediterranean, and in the winter carried fruit and vegetables across the Bay of Biscay to Liverpool and Newhaven from Spain and the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
By 1977, the service across the Bay of Biscay for which they were built had ceased, the ships were sold: Monte Castillo was sold to Manx Line
Manx Line
Manx Line was the name of the ferry company that brought the RO-RO era to the Isle of Man between 1979-1984. It wasn't the first company called "Manx Line", with the Steam Packet Company having seen off another company with the same name in the late 19th century.-History:The company operated one...
(later Sealink
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland....
-Manx Line) and renamed Manx Viking for service between Heysham
Heysham
Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
, England and Douglas, Isle of Man
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
. Following a controversial reverse takeover
Reverse takeover
A reverse takeover or reverse merger is the acquisition of a public company by a private company so that the private company can bypass the lengthy and complex process of going public...
in 1986 by the Isle of Man Steam Packet
Isle of Man Steam Packet
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2010....
company, she worked a season painted in Steam Packet livery, initially alongside the Mona's Isle (ex-Free Enterprise III) followed by Antrim Princess (subsequently renamed Tynwald) before Manx Vikings lease was terminated and she was returned to her owners (the parent Sealink
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland....
company, by now part of Sea Containers Ltd
Sea Containers Ltd
Sea Containers Ltd. is a Bermuda-registered company which operates two main business areas: transport and container leasing.In March 2006 the company sold its share of Orient-Express Hotels...
, who had actually funded the takeover). In 1987, she was briefly renamed Manx for the delivery voyage to new Norwegian owners Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap
Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap
Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap ASA is a private Norwegian shipping company that operates internationally through the subsidiary DSD Shipping AS 13 vessels. The group also owns major parts of Tide and Nor Lines. DSD dates back to 1855 when it was founded. Head offices are located in Stavanger.In...
, for whom she sailed in service under the name Skudenes. The ship was sold again in 1989, into service with the Government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. She was renamed Ontario No.1 for the Atlantic crossing before her final renaming as MS Nindawayma.
Her sisters were sold to Trasmediterranea for Mediterranean service.
Manx service
During her days as the Manx Viking, she served on the HeyshamHeysham
Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
-Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
service of Sealink-Manx Line. Her maximum speed was 18 knots (35.3 km/h), with a draught
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 5 metres (16.4 ft), and a metacentric height
Metacentric height
The metacentric height is a measurement of the static stability of a floating body. It is calculated as the distance between the centre of gravity of a ship and its metacentre . A larger metacentric height implies greater stability against overturning...
of around 2 metres (6.6 ft), giving excellent stability and seakeeping qualities. She was licensed for 777 passengers and at this stage of her life was quoted as 2,853 GRT
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
. During Canadian service this figure was stated as 6197 GRT, while a 1984 Sealink press release quotes " a weight of 3,589.43 tonnes". The ship was the first RORO ferry on Manx routes, and the first there to carry both freight and passenger traffic being suitable for cars, commercial trucks and trailers. She was fitted with numerous motorcycle stands to allow for Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
and Manx Grand Prix
Manx Grand Prix
The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
traffic. As built, the ship had cranes for self-loading of containers onto the afterdeck; these were unused by Manx Line
Manx Line
Manx Line was the name of the ferry company that brought the RO-RO era to the Isle of Man between 1979-1984. It wasn't the first company called "Manx Line", with the Steam Packet Company having seen off another company with the same name in the late 19th century.-History:The company operated one...
. Manx Line added a bow door and visor, along with extra lifeboats; becoming the only passenger ship in Manx waters with lifeboat accommodation for all aboard. She was also the first ferry in Manx waters to have inside accommodation for all passengers. At the time her 450 tonne fuel capacity gave her the longest range of any ferry in British waters: she was theoretically capable of traveling from Heysham to Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands without refueling. She was considered for Falklands duty, but not used.
During Manx service she enjoyed an unrivaled reputation for reliability with passengers and was able to put to sea in weather conditions which forced her competitors to remain in port. Her arrival created a marked change in Manx traffic flows eventually resulting in the financial collapse of the rival Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the Steam Packet's subsequent amalgamation with Sealink-Manx Line.
She initially carried the white and blue livery of Manx Line
Manx Line
Manx Line was the name of the ferry company that brought the RO-RO era to the Isle of Man between 1979-1984. It wasn't the first company called "Manx Line", with the Steam Packet Company having seen off another company with the same name in the late 19th century.-History:The company operated one...
, but after this company ran into financial difficulties and was taken over by British Rail-Sealink, she received the BR corporate monastral blue hull, white upperworks and red funnel. She differed from other Sealink ships in carrying a gold-coloured scuplted "three legs of man" on her funnels rather than the standard BR double chevron. Later, publicity images were released of her painted in the Sea Containers era Sealink livery of white hull with blue trim, but these were mockups and the colours never applied. Due to problems with ship availability she was recalled hurriedly from dry dock before the paint job was completed, with just the new blue boot-topping applied. After the Steam Packet takeover her unwashed blue hull was given a rough overpaint of black, retaining the BR red funnels (rather than the differently-hued Steam Packet red). Following the takeover, the crew persisted in flying the Manx Line house pennant, rather than the management-mandated Steam Packet one. Later as a continued sign of protest against the takeover the crew changed this to half of a Manx Line pennant.
It was initially intended that she would be retired from Manx service following the amalgamation of Sealink-Manx Line and The Steam Packet. Services would be concentrated on the Heysham-Douglas route with a strengthened two-ship service using the larger Monas Isle and Antrim Princess. The Steam Packet's year-round Liverpool-Douglas services were to be abandoned. In the event, trade union problems delayed the transfer of Antrim Princess from Stranraer, while Mona's Isle proved unserviceable. Instead Monas Isle was withdrawn after six months and Manx Viking remained for another season. Manx Viking was eventually replaced by the cargo-only RORO vessel Peveril leaving Antrim Princess / Tynwald as the only passenger vessel on the route. In so doing the combined company avoided an expensive charter as the otherwise surplus Peveril was owned by the Steam Packet, not leased and had just been released from charter on the Heysham-Belfast route. The changes in manning brought about by the Manx Viking withdrawal, and Pevereril's route transfer were some of the centres of dispute of the 1980s British national seamen's strikes.
If Manx Viking had been withdrawn as originally intended, she would have been transferred to Weymouth, Dorset and renamed Earl Henry for service on the route to Cherbourg. This never took place due to the delayed availability of the Antrim Princess.
Norwegian service
Following Manx Viking’s sale to Det Stavangerske DampskibsselskapDet Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap
Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskap ASA is a private Norwegian shipping company that operates internationally through the subsidiary DSD Shipping AS 13 vessels. The group also owns major parts of Tide and Nor Lines. DSD dates back to 1855 when it was founded. Head offices are located in Stavanger.In...
, she was reported to have developed severe engine problems, in so doing creating financial difficulties for her owners. She was sold on after only one year. This may have been a recurrence of the crankshaft problems she has been reported to have suffered while in Sealink-Manx Line service.
Canadian service
MS Nindawayma’s decommissioningShip decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
from Canadian service after four years of use is said to have been due to "unsatisfactory performance". There was a distinct smell of diesel fuel at deck level, possibly due to her low-set twin funnels. (Photos of her in Canadian service show that the funnel-top smoke deflectors had been removed.) Her French Pielstick
SEMT Pielstick
SEMT Pielstick is a French diesel engine manufacturer based in Villepinte, France and owned by MAN Diesel, a subsidiary of MAN AGSEMT Pielstick was formed in 1988 when the business was acquired from GEC Alsthom by MAN and MTU, originally as a 50/50 partnership...
diesel engines were apparently troublesome, and sailings were canceled due to mechanical problems. Her bow and stern doors were claimed to not be high enough to accommodate semi-trailer truck
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s despite this not being a problem in Manx or Spanish service. These factors caused significant numbers of ferry passengers to avoid the MS Nindawayma in favour of the MS Chi-Cheemaun, even if waiting involved very long delays at the ferry terminals in Tobermory
Tobermory, Ontario
Tobermory is a small community located at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula in the municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada. It is 300 km northwest of Toronto...
and South Baymouth.
Recent use
The MS Nindawayma was used as two movie sets; featured in 2003 as the Belles' loft on water in the film Saved by the Belles, and in 2006 as the killers' lair in the film Bon Cop, Bad CopBon Cop, Bad Cop
Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a 2006 Canadian comedy-thriller buddy cop film about an Ontarian and a Québécois police officer who reluctantly join forces. The dialogue is a mixture of English and French...
. As of April 2007, Nindawayma was docked in a port in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, rusting and being used for parts. As of 17 August 2007, the ship was owned by Purvis Marine, a marine salvage company, and docked in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
at a government wharf.
External links
- Photos and article from SooToday.com
- Photos of the Manx Viking
- Commentary and photos of Nindawayma from a British perspective
- Interior shots of the Manx Viking
- Photos and details of sister ships Ciudad De Ceuta and Ciudad De Zaragoza
- Photo of her in DSD livery as Skudenes and another after completing the delivery voyage to Norway
- Comments on engine problems while in service with DSD and Sealink
- Details and photos of Free Enterprise III / Mona's Isle
- Details and photos of the Antrim Princess / Tynwald
- Canadian Registry details are on these two official websites, giving conflicting details of her tonnage: