LOBO MARINHO (I) 1996–2003
Steel motor passenger & car Ro-Ro ferry built 1967-1968. Official number: 1083; Call sign: CRXE. Shipowner: Porto Santo Line – Transportes Marítimos, Lda., Funchal. Gross tonnage: 4,163 tons; Net tonnage: 1,832 tons; Deadweight: 750 tons. Cargo capacity: car deck with stern and side doors with capacity for 130 cars. Length overall: 87.28 m; Length B.P.: 81.51 m; Breadth: 15.68 m; Depth moulded to deck 3 (car deck): 5.47 m; Depth to deck 5 (promenade deck): 10.30 m. Draught (maximum): 4.06 m. Machinery: two 12 cylinders Burmeister & Wain diesel enginees, type 12-26MTBF-40V, developing 2 x 4,360 BHP (2 x 3,207 kW), twin screw. Speed: 19 knots. Passengers: 840. Crew: 34. Price paid: € 4,000,000 in 1996.
The LOBO MARINHO was built as the CHRISTIAN IV in Aalborg, Denmark, by Aalborg Vaerft A/S (Yard No. 173), to A/S Kristiansands Dampskipsselskap (KDS), Kristiansand, Norway. Purpose built for the Skagerak-Expressen service linking Khristiansand, Norway and Hirtshals, Denmark, the CHRISTIAN IV crossed the Skagerak in 4h30, with passengers, cars and trains. As built the ship had the following main particulars different from those stated above: Call sign: LNXI. Gross tonnage: 2,708 tons; Net tonnage: 1,239 tons; Deadweight: 650 tons; Cargo capacity: 140 cars or 15 railway cars; Passengers: 790, including 143 in cabins: Keel laid on 1-07-1967, the hull was launched on 29-09-1967, Mrs. Else Haanes acting as godmother. The CHRISTIAN IV was delivered on 8-02-1968, and registered in Kristiansand on 10-02-1968, leaving on that date on her inaugural voyage to Hirstshals. In 09-1968 Fred Olsen & Co., Oslo, purchased KDS including the CHRISTIAN IV. She operated in Scandinavia until sold on 8-10-1984 to Malaysia state owned company Perbadanan Nasional Shipping Line Berhad, (PNSL). Renamed PERNAS SAFARI on 14-11-1984 sailing East registered in Port Kelang, Malaysia. Converted to a military transport for 800 men in 1985. Also operated as a regular ferry connecting Wast and East Malaysia, out of Port Kelang to Singapura, Kutching (Sarawak) and Kota Kanibalu (Sabah), in Borneo island, on a 1,000 mile-long route. After 10 years under the Malaysia flag the PERNAS SAFARI was sold to Greek interests and registered in Valletta, Malta, on 06-1994 by Endeavor Shipping SA (Panama), as SAFARI. On 07-1994 arrived Greece and was laid up in Keratsini, near Piraeus, for repairs. In 05-1995 she started operating between Bari, Corfu and Igoumenitsa in the Adriatic fora Safari Lines Ltd., but soon after she was chartered to the Turkish concern Stern Maritime Lines operating on the Bari – Igoumenitsa – Cesme service. The SAFARI was purchased by Porto Santo Line, Funchal, on 18-04-1996, and renamed LOBO MARINHO. She was refitted in Piraeus from 2 to 27-05-1996. Registered in the Madeira International Ships Register (MAR) on 27-05-1996, the LOBO MARINHO sailed on 28-05 from Piraeus for Funchal, arriving there for the first time on 6-06-1996. On the same day she sailed on a trials voyage to Porto Santo, followed on 8-06 by her maiden voyage Funchal – Porto Santo, the President of the Madeira Regional Government, Mr. Alberto João Jardim sailing onboard as a special guest. The LOBO MARINHO operated flawlessly to Porto Santo for the next seven years. On 27-01-2003 she was renamed LOBO MARINHO I and on 3-06-2003 she did her final voyage to Porto Santo, being replaced by a new LOBO MARINHO the following day. After a dry-dock and SOLAS upgrade at Viana do Castelo in June 2003, on 9-07-2003 the LOBO MARINHO I was sold to Alexcafi – Comércio de Importação e Exportação (Madeira) Lda., renamed LOBO DOS MARES and chartered to Cabo Verde Line, and positioned at Mindelo, St. Vincent Island, Cape Verde where she arrived on 10-07 to start a regular passenger service Mindelo – Praia, she operated until 10-12-2003. She returned then to Portugal, and was laid up at Viana do Castelo on 29-12-2003 pending sale. Sold on 12-11-2004 to Veesham Shipping Inc., Panama and registered at Wonsan, North Korea. She sailed from Viana do Castelo to the Mediterranean on 15-12-2004 and passed Gibraltar on 17-12 arriving at Piraeus on 13-01-2005 for lay up. Renamed MENHIR on 28-02-2005 while under repairs at Perama, Greece, when her hull was repainted grey. When the repairs were concluded she was laid up in Ambelaki, Greece, and she was still there in 2008.
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