B&I Line – Fleet

The second ship to carry the name Innisfallen was built by Harland & Wolf, Belfast and entered service with the City of Cork Steam Packet in 1930, taking up the Cork – Fishguard route. In 1935 she operated a short charter to Burns & Laird sailing between Belfast and Glasgow, and in 1936 operated shortly between Dublin and Liverpool. On 11 July 1938 she ferried the last English troops stationed in Cork back to the UK. She was lost on December 21st 1940 after striking a mine near New Brighton, with the loss of 4 crew.

Munster

Harland & Wolff launched the Munster on the 25th of March, 1947. She entered service with the B&I in January 1948, and took up Cork – Fishguard service before moving to the Dublin – Liverpool route. In October 1961 the Munster collided with the tanker JAKINDAwith a number of injuries on both vessels. She made her last sailing with the B&I on October 15th 1967, and laid up in Liverpool pending sale.
In 1968 she was sold to George Potamianos” SA, Piraeus, Greece, and Renamed Munster-1 and left Liverpool for Piraeus on April 8th. Following her arrival in Greece, she entered Eleusis Shipyard for conversion into a cruse ship, and she left later that year as theTheseus. In 1969 she was renamed the Orpeheus. In 1970 she was chartered to West Line and took up services on the west coast of America, sailing between Seattle and Alaska and Los Angeles and Mexico. In November she returned to cursing in the Mediterranean and remained there until October 2000 when she was sold for scrap. She arrived at the breakers yard in Alang, India on Christmas Eve 2000 where she was broken up.

Innisfallen [3]

Leinster

Built as a sister to the 1948 built Munster, the Leinster was delivered to the City of Cork Steam Packet, and sailed between Ireland and the UK. She was sold to Sun Lines Ferry Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus in December 1969 and renamed Aphrodite and sent to Greece for conversion to a car ferry, where she was adapted to carry 60 cars. She then entered service between Ancona – Katakolon – Heraklion – Rhodes – Bodrum – Piraeus. On March 17th 1972 a fire broke out onboard while laying over in Piraeus causing extensive damage. Following repairs she was laid up in Perama in 1970, and in 1982 chartered to the Lybian government for services between Piraeus – Libya. In 1984 it was planed to use the ship for 3 or 4 day Mediterranean cruises, however these plans fell through and she finished her career sailing between Greece and Turkey before being broken up in October 1987 in Aliaga, Turkey.

Munster

Ordered by Lion Ferries on the 25th of October 1967, the vessel was sold during building to the B&I. She was handed over to the B&I in Germany on May 3rd 1968, and arrived in Dublin 3 days later. She took up service on the Dublin – Liverpool route on the 15th of May. In the summer season of 1968 she sailed between Rosslare and Pembroke, after which she was laid up in Liverpool until a charter to Egersund Thyboroen Line A / S, Norway in April 1982 who operated her between Egersund – Thyboroen. However Egersund Thyboroen were bankrupt by September, and the Munster returned to Liverpool to be refurbished. In February and March 1983 she returned to Dublin – Liverpool service with some Hollyhead sailings. In March she was sold to Ahmad Armoush, and was sent to Emden, Germany for refit, and in June emerged as the Farhahi and took up service between Aqaba and Suez. In June 1991 she was sold to COSCO, China and was renamed the Tian Peng. In 2003 she was removed from Lloyds Register.

Innisfallen [4]

Following the Munster, the B&I returned to Germany for a new Innisfallen for Cork. Launched on the 7^th of December 1968, the third ship to carry the name Innisfallen was handed over to the B&I on March 28^th, 1969, and following a promotional trip to London entered service between Cork and Swansea on May 2^nd 1969. In February 1979 she was transferred to Dublin – Liverpool until sold on the 23^rd of February 1980 to Corsica Ferries who renamed her the Corsica Viva and deployed her on Italian – Corsican routes. In 1985 she operated between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as the Dominican Viva. She returned to Corsica in 1988 as the Corsica Viva I. In 1992 she moved to Sardinia – Italy as the Sardinia Viva.In October 1993 she was transferred to Caribia Ferries, Giadeloupe and renamed Caribia Viva. In May 1994 she was laid up in La Spezia, Italy until July 1994 when she was charted first to San Polo Ferries (sailing between Bari – Greece – Cesme, then to Stern Maritime Lines operating between Ancona – Greece – Cesme and finally in August to Tunisian Cotunav for Tunis – Genoa service. In December she passed to Meridian Ferries and was sent to Sunderland for refit. She emerged in February 1995 as the Spirit of Independence and entered service between Folkston and Boulogne, until the company went bankrupt and she returned to Corsica Ferries. In April 1995 she was laid up again in La Spezia until her sale to Mellennium Shipping in September 1998, who renamed her the Happy Dolphin and chartered her to Happy Lines who sent her for rebuilding in La Spezia and placed her on Portuguese traffic. In 2000 she entered La Spezia – Bastia traffic until being arrested in a Spezia, Italy until her sale to Sanjak Lines, Turkey who renamed her the Derin Deniz and rebuilt her again in La Spezia. In June 2003 she entered domestic Turkish services until her sale in September 2004 for breaking in India, where she was beached on the 17^th of October 2004.

Leinster
Innisfallen [5]

The Irish built Leinster went down the ways at Rushbrooke on the 19th of November 1968 and was the B&I’s first Irish built ship. She was identical to the German built Innisfallen apart from her main propulsion system. She was handed over to the B&I in May 1969, and entered service on the Dublin Liverpool route. On September 29th 1980 she returned to Cork after being renamed the Innisfallen and took up the Cork – Pembroke route. She added Pembroke – Rosslare sailings to her schedule in 1982 however her slower speed forced her to struggle with the timetable on the Cork legs, and in February 1982 she dropped the Cork sailings. In September 1986 she was sold to Strintzis Lines, Greece and renamed the Ionian Sun, departing Liverpool on the 9th of October and took up Ancona – Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Patras traffic. In 1990 she returned home on charter to Swansea-Cork Ferries where she operated the summer season. In 1991 she served Greek domestic traffic. In Spring 1993 she was chartered to Cotunav, Tunisia and renamed the Chams operating between Genoa and Tunis. She resumed the name Ionian Sun in May and sailed between Igoumenitsa and Brindisi for the summer. In 1994 she took up Brindisi – Corfu – Igoumenitsa traffic until June 1997 when she transferred to Rafina – Syros – Paros – Naxos – Amorgos until 1999 when she moved to Killini – Poros – Argostoli. In October 2000 she was laid up pending sale, and was sold in November 2001 to Marco Shipping, Dubai and renamed the Merdif operating between Piraeus and Dubai until the 6th of November 2001 when she made her last commercial sailing. She was sold inAugust 2004 to Indian breakers and was beached in Alang later that month.

Dundalk

In the mid 1970s the B&I had won a lucrative contract to transport Citroen car parts in 12metre trailers from St. Nazaire to Vigo where the cars were to be assembled, and 350 new cars were carried back to St. Nazaire. The Cork yard won the building contract and launched the Dundalk on the 12^th of September 1974, and handed her over to Allied Irish Banks who financed her. Following the end of the Citroen charter in 1980 she was sold to Stena Line and renamed Stena Sailer. She operated for Stena between Gotenborg and Kiel, until charter to Sealink for Hook of Holland – Harwich service. From October to December 1982 she sailed for North Sea Ferries between Zeebrugge and Hull and returned in 1983 where she remained on the route until April. She was then chartered to the Isle of Mann Steam Packet and sailed between Douglas and Heysham. She spend a few weeks sailing between Gothenburg – Travemünde for Stena and then returned to the Irish Sea sailing for Belfast Freight Ferries between Belfast and Heysham. In August 1985 she was laid up in Falmouth until March 1987, when she was chartered to Sealink and operated between Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead. In August 1988 she moved to the southern corridor sailing between Rosslare and Fishguard, until returning to Dun Laoghaire – Holyhead in September. In September 1991 she was laid up in Milford Haven and in December was sold to Wind Ltd and renamed Wind Cybl. In February 1002 she was sold to Olympia Shipping and renamed Thesus and in March entered Ankom Piraeus and Perama shipyard for conversion to a car and passenger ferry and emerged in August taking up Piraeus – Pelopponnes – Crete for Miras Ferries. She was arrested in 1994 in Piraeus, and laid up sold to Turkish breakers in April 2006, and was broken up in May 2006.

Connacht

The 1979 build Connacht was launched in Cork on June 20th 1978, and delivered to the B&I Line the following February. She entered Cork – Swansea traffic on February 2nd. She tranfered to Cork – Pembroke Dock in May 1979. She was transferred to Dublin – Liverpool in 1980, and moved to Holyhead in 1982. In 1988 she returned to Cork – Pembroke Dock service. In 1988 she was sold to Brittany Ferries and sailed to Meyer Werft, Papenburg for conversion work, emerging December as the Duchess Anne. On compleation of her refit she undertook a short charter to Crown Line in Janurary 1989 sailing between the Hooke of Holland and Harwich. She was delivered to Brittany Ferries in February and entered St. Malo – Portsmouth traffic. In 1993 she returned to Cork when Brittany Ferries placed her on St. Malo – Cork – Roscoff – Plymouth services. On September 1st 1995, the Duchess Anne grounded in thick fog outside St. Malo harbor and was sent to Brest for repairs. In 1996 Brittany Ferries were in financial difficulties, and decided to sell the Duchess Anne and a freight vessel. The Duchess Anne made her last sailing to St. Malo on the 30th September 1996 and was sold to Morrsion Ship Trading, Croatia who renamed her the Dubrovnik and currently operate her between Dubrovnik and Italy.

Leinster

Launched in November 1980, the Leinster was delivered to the B&I in June 1981, entering service on July 3rd between Dublin and Liverpool. She transferred to Holyhead in March 1982 and in March 1993 she was renamed the Isle of Inishmore before being transferred to Rosslare Pembroke service. In October 1995 she collided with the quay wall in Rosslare in a storm, and sailed to Falmouth for repairs, while there she was renamed the Isle of Inishturk, and remained in Rosslare until March 1997 when she was laid up in Le Havre pending sale. In March she was sold to the Canadian Government and in June entered service with CTMA as the Madeline is currently sailing between Souris and Cap-aux-Meulen.

Munster

Built to a Lion Ferry order, the Prinz War was launched on the 18^th of August 1989 and delivered in February 1970. On June 6^th she entered service with Prinz Line between Bremerhaven and Harwich. During her refit in 1971 she was equipped with stabilizers. In September 1971 she was sold to Deutche Leasing AG and renamed Prinz Oberon, entering service with DFDS in Denmark. In December 1982 she was laid up in Copenhagen. In 1983 she undertook a number of charters, first to Stoomvart Maatschappij in February and March operating between Hook van Holland and Harwich, and between March and June on the same route with Sealink. She was laid up in Brehaven for the remainder of 1983, and sold to DFDS Germany in 1984, and remained in Copenhagen until June 1984 when she entered Esbjerg – Newcastle – Gothenburg service until laid up in Copenhagen again in August, until chartered to the British Ministery of Defence in September and October. In May 1985 she was chartered to TT-Saga line for service between Trelleborg – Travemünde. In 1986 she was sold to PNSL, Malaysia and renamed the Cruise Muhibah sailing between Kota Kinabalu, – Kuching – Kuantan, Malaysia – Singapore.

In Janurary 1990 she sailed to Dublin, and was sold to EPA Ireland. She was renamed the Munster, and chartered to the B&I who placed her on Rosslare – Pembroke Dock service in April. She was laid up in Dublin in March 1992, and in 1993 was chartered to Olympic Ferries, Cyprus and in June was renamed the Ambassador taking up Patras – Igoumenitsa – Bariservice. In June 1994 she undertook a 6 month charter to Cotunav and was renamed Ambassador II, operating between Tunis – Naples – Genoa. On Janurary 24^th, 1995 she engine trouble and laid over in Travemünde until March when she went to HDW Kiel for repairs. In June she sailed between Sète – Nador for COMANAV until October when she moved to Tripolis – Valletta. She was sold in April to Shipping Partners Inc who set her to A&P Appledore for conversion to a Casino ship. She began day casino cruises from Florida on the 17^th of June 1999 and remains operating from Florida.

Isle of Innisfree

Launched on May 29^th 1985, the Niels Klim was delivered to Danske Statsbaner on April 21^st 1986, and entered service betweenAarhus – Kalundborg. In 1991 she was sold to Stena AB and chartered back until delivery in May 1991, when she was renamed the Stena Nauticia and laid up in Aarhus until her charter to the B&I.

Her charter was signed in January 1992, and she sailed to Svendborg Værft A / S Svendborg for refit in March where she was renamed the Isle of Innisfree. She entered B&I Line service on the 31st of March 1992 sailing between Rosslare and Pembroke. On the 20th of February 1993 she undertook berthing trials in both Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead and later that day returned to Rosslare. She made the last B&I sailing on the 14th of April 1995. Stena then chartered her to Lion ferry and she sailed between Halmstad – Grenå, being renamed Lion King in April 1995. She was returned to the name Stena Nautica in May 1996, and in June was chartered to Spanish company Trasmediterranea sailing between Algeciras – Tanger until September when she was laid up in Dunkerque, France. On the 3rd of January 1997 she undertook a Dutch governmental charter sailing from Holland to Norway, then covered Stena refits and some short charters until December 1997 when she operated between Halmstad – Grenå until 1999, and transferred to Varberg – Grenå. In December 2001 she was refitted with extra vehicle deck space, and returned to service in March 2002. On the 16th of February 2004 she collided with the freighter Joanna at 04.40 about 10 miles west of Singkawang. She started taking on water in her engine rooms and all passengers were transfer to the Stena Germanica while the Stena Nautica was towed to Varberg for repairs, and in March was towed to Gdansk, Poland for further repairs and returned to Varberg – Grenå service in June.

High Speed Craft

The Cú na Mara (Hound of the Seas) entered service in 1980 to much fanfare. The Jetfoil, built by aircraft manufacturer Boeing at a cost of IR£7.5 to provide two daily sailings (at speeds of 45 knots) from her specially constructer hanger in Dublin’s Customs House Docks to Liverpool in just over 3 hours.
However after just months it became obvious that she wasn’t suited for the Irish sea, earning the nickname “The Tin Foil.”
She was dry docked at the end of her first season, but never resumed service. When it emerged in 1986 that it was costing more than IR£1 million per year to store her, she was sold to Sado Steam Ship Company Ltd, and renamed Gina (Milky Way) and currently sails between Niigata and the Sado Islands of Japan