MV Apollo
{{For-text|the ship owned by the Church of Scientology|HMS Royal Scotsman|the bulk carrier|Apollo Sea}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = April 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = | display title = }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = MV Apollo passenger ferry.jpg | Ship image size = 300px | Ship caption = MV Apollo preparing to dock in Newfoundland. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = | Ship flag = | Ship name = *Apollo (1970–1976)
| Ship namesake = | Ship owner = *Rederi AB Slite (1970–1976)
| Ship operator = | Ship registry = *Slite, {{flag|Sweden}} (1970–1976)
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany{{csr|register=BV|id=29B602|shipname=Apollo|accessdate=11 March 2017}} | Ship original cost = SEK 25 million | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 19 December 1969[http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/apollo_1970.htm M/S APOLLO]. Fakta om Fartyg. {{retrieved|accessdate=7 June 2017}} | Ship sponsor = Isabella Myrsten | Ship christened = | Ship maiden voyage = 1970 | Ship in service = 1970–2019 | Ship identification = *{{IMO number|7006314}}
| Ship fate = Scrapped at Aliağa, Turkey in 2021. | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship type = Passenger ferry | Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|108.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|17.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|4.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = 2 × {{cvt|4,000|bhp|lk=in}} 12 cyl. Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz SBV 12M 350 diesel engines 1982 re-engined with 2x {{cvt|4500|bhp}} MAN 9L32/36 diesel engines | Ship propulsion = 2 shafts; controllable pitch propellers | Ship speed = {{convert|18.5|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship type = Passenger ferry | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|6,609}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|108.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|17.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|4.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = 1A | Ship power = From 1982, 2 × 4,500 bhp 9 cyl. MAN/B&W 9L32/36 | Ship propulsion = 2 shafts; controllable pitch propellers | Ship speed = {{convert|18.5|kn}} | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} |
MV Apollo was a vehicle/passenger ferry that previously serviced the route between St. Barbe, Newfoundland and Labrador and Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, Canada.{{cite web |url=http://www.labradormarine.com |title=Vessel Departure Information |website=labradormarine.com |accessdate=22 April 2017}}
History
Apollo was originally built for Rederi Ab Slite of Sweden in 1970. She was put into service for Viking Line from Kapellskär, Sweden, to Naantali, Finland, via Mariehamn on Åland. In 1975 the route was changed to Stockholm–Mariehamn. In 1976, she was sold to Olau Line for its service between Sheerness, England, and Vlissingen, Netherlands, and was renamed Olau Kent, before returning to Scandinavia in 1981 as the Gelting Nord of Danish operator Nordisk Færgefart. In 1984, she was chartered to Brittany Ferries as the Benodet, before moving to sister company British Channel Island Ferries in 1985 as the Corbière. In the early 1990s, she was sold to Rederi Ab Eckerö and moved back to the Baltic Sea serving between Helsinki and Tallinn, first for Tallink, under the marketing name Linda 1, and from 1995 for Eckerö Line and reverting to its original name of Apollo. After some further charters in the late 1990s, in 2000 Apollo was sold to the Woodward Group of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, entering service with its Labrador Marine subsidiary.
Service with Labrador Marine
File:MV Apollo Corner Brook March 2015.jpg in March 2015.|224x224px]]
File:Apollo Québec 2020.jpg in 2020.|225x225px]]
Apollo typically operated across the Strait of Belle Isle between St. Barbe, on the island of Newfoundland and Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, close to the border with Labrador. Winter ice conditions sometimes prevent Apollo from entering the harbour at St. Barbe, and service is provided from the Newfoundland port of Corner Brook instead, resulting in a crossing time of 12 hours rather than 1 hour 45 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices/schedules/pdf/2016/strait_belle_isle.pdf |title=Strait of Belle Isle Ferry Service |publisher=Government of Newfoundland and Labrador|date=5 January 2017|accessdate=7 June 2017|quote=Service will revert to Corner Brook if ice conditions do not allow access to St. Barbe.}}
In January 2008, Apollo suffered a minor engine room fire.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/n-l-playing-russian-roulette-with-aging-ferry-fleet-1.731592|title=N.L. playing 'Russian roulette' with aging ferry fleet|publisher=CBC News|date=14 January 2008|accessdate=7 June 2017}}
On 13 April 2017, Apollo became stuck in ice in the Strait of Belle Isle near Blanc-Sablon, Quebec for nearly 30 hours with 70 passengers on board. The Canadian Coast Guard vessel {{ship|CCGS|Henry Larsen}} was sent to aid the ferry and escorted Apollo to port once it was free of the ice.{{cite news |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/national/newfoundland+ferry+stuck+over+hours+near+quebec+gets/13301874/story.html |title=Newfoundland ferry stuck in ice for over 24 hours near Quebec gets escort to port |newspaper=Calgary Herald |agency=The Canadian Press |date=14 April 2017 |accessdate=16 April 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415144549/http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/national/newfoundland+ferry+stuck+over+hours+near+quebec+gets/13301874/story.html |archivedate=15 April 2017 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/apollo-stuck-ice-1.4071086 |title=Apollo arrives in Blanc Sablon after spending more than 30 hours stuck in ice |last=Bartlett |first=Geoff |work=CBC News |date=14 April 2017 |accessdate=22 April 2017}} Sailings were cancelled on 14 April, but the vessel returned to normal service following the incident. On 19–20 April, all sailings by the ferry were cancelled due to severe ice conditions in the strait.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/icebreakers-busy-in-straits-1.4075702 |title=Coast guard busy breaking up icy conditions in Strait of Belle Isle |last=Wall |first=Lukas |work=CBC News |date=19 April 2017 |accessdate=22 April 2017}}
In February 2019 the ship crashed into the landing dock in Godbout, Quebec, tearing a hole in the ship's bow. It crashed again the following month at a wharf across the river in Matane, Quebec. It was permanently removed from service after the two crashes. Plans were established to sink the vessel to create an underwater diving attraction, but asbestos was discovered on the ship and the project proved impractical. In October 2019, while the ship was costing $30,000 per month to keep the ship docked at a facility in Quebec City, it was announced that the vessel would be scrapped.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/10/22/crash-prone-ferry-mv-apollo-slated-for-new-life-as-quebec-tourist-site-to-be-junked.html |newspaper=Toronto Star |title=Crash-prone ferry MV Apollo, slated for new life as Quebec tourist site, to be junked |first=Sidhartha |last=Banerjee |agency=The Canadian Press |date=22 October 2020 |access-date=1 March 2021}} {{MV|Qajaq W}}, formerly MV Grete, replaced Apollo on the Strait of Belle Isle crossing in late 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/qajaq-labrador-straits-apollo-replacement-1.4963079 |title=Meet the Qajaq, set to sail the Strait of Belle Isle in 2019 |work=CBC News |date=2 January 2019 |access-date=15 March 2021 }}
Apollo was finally scrapped in September 2021 at Aliaga in Turkey.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.labradormarine.com Labrador Marine (Woodward Group)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apollo}}