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She was last used as an hotel ship at Ravenna (near Venice) in 2000.
Source: Internet
Here is her little history:
She dates from 1953 as Bergen Lineâs sleek LEDA for the Bergen and Stavanger to Newcastle route and was the first Norwegian vessel to be fitted with stabilizers.
At 6,670 gross tons and with a length of 436 feet and beam of 57 feet, she was constructed by Swann, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson and powered by Parsons turbines capable of 13,000 SHP to drive her twin screws at a speedy 22 knots.
LEDA had accommodation for 119 first and 384 tourist class passengers and a garage for 18 cars. Purpose-built car ferries led to her demise by the early 1970's, and she was laid up at Bergen in 1974.
In 1977, she was used as an accommodation ship and then sold for conversion to a livestock carrier. Her new Kuwaiti owners opted instead to charter her for further accommodation service, this time as the NALJA in the Hebrides for oil workers.
She was next purchased by Dolphin Hellas Cruises of Piraeus and converted in a lengthy refit that saw the expansion of her superstructure, finally emerging as the ALBATROSS in 1984.
In 1988, she became the BETSY ROSS for the unsuccessful Greek-owned American Star Line. In 1989, she was chartered to Starlauro as the AMALFI, and subsequently laid up for debt at Venice.
In 1990, she was bought by present owners, Stargas, and renamed STAR OF VENICE. After a brief stint as a floating hotel, she was laid up at Venice until being reactivated on Mediterranean Cruises in 1998, with disastrous results stemming from her poor mechanical condition. She was last used as an hotel ship at Ravenna (near Venice) in 2000.
(Text borrowed from Maritime Matters)
[ 08-03-2001: Message edited by: Malcolm ]
Did she have a sister ship called the BLENHEIM? I remember seeing a ship by that name with a similar profile...I will have to check my Arnold Kludas book to be sure...
Now I understand. I saw this ship once in Mykonos as Albatros and a few years later I saw it in Venice, lade up as Amalfi.ThanksWerner
quote:Originally posted by Rex:Mal...Did she have a sister ship called the BLENHEIM?
I've no idea, anyone?
In a book printed 1967 by Werner Classen Verlag Zürich,title "Passagierschiffe und Autofähren der Welt" I found Blenheim. She was a ship of Fred Olson & Co. Oslo.built in 1951, BRT 4766 Speed 16 1/2 knotsbuilt by Thornycroft Southampton and Akers M.V. Oslo. Diesel engine, 1 propeller. The second ship Braemer of the same company has the same dates, but was built in 1953.Akers probably built the Braemer.
So it seems to me that Leda cannot be be a sistership of Blenheim.
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