MS Europic Ferry

MS Europic Ferry was a roll-on/roll-off car ferry built in 1967 by Swan Hunter for the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (ASN). She was acquired by European Ferries in 1971 when they took over the ASN and served with them under the Townsend Thoresen branding. The Europic Ferry was requisitioned by the British government in April 1982 and transported stores, equipment and troops to the South Atlantic during the Falklands War. After the war she returned to service with European Ferries until that company was sold to P&O in 1987. She was sold again to Namora Shipping in 1993 and served on routes in the Mediterranean until sold for scrapping in 2004.

The Europic Ferry was built as hull number 2025 at the Neptune Yard of Swan Hunter at Walker on the River Tyne and was launched on 3 October 1967. A roll-on/roll-off car ferry, as-built she had a gross tonnage of 4,190 and a deadweight tonnage of 2,740. She measured 450 feet (140 m) in length, 66 feet 6 inches (20.27 m) in beam and had a draught of 15 feet (4.6 m). She was fitted with two SEMT Pielstick 4-stroke single-acting diesel engines that were installed by Lindholmens and had a maximum speed of 19.25 knots. She also had stabilisers and a bow thruster.

Europic Ferry had two main decks that spanned the entire vessel (a vehicle deck and an upper deck), a lower vehicle deck was located behind the engine room and was accessed via a hydraulic ramp from the vehicle deck. The main vehicle deck was accessed by a hydraulic stern ramp and could carry almost 100 road vehicles. Europic Ferry also had cargo space to carry unit loads. Load-carrying space was maximised by placing the machinery and accommodation towards the bow. Europic Ferry was built with a mixture of two- and four-berth cabins for passengers and vehicle drivers, giving a total capacity of 44.

Europic Ferry was delivered to the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (ASN) on 29 December. She commenced operations with ASN's Transport Ferry Service on 17 January 1968, after a brief voyage to Tilbury. She made her maiden voyage from Felixstowe on 17 January 1968 and by the middle of that year was running a regular service between that port and Europoort in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She cut the journey time on this route to six hours which made it the fastest North Sea ferry crossing of the time. The Europic Ferry carried road vehicles, freight (containerised and flat) and passengers and was equipped to serve meals and provide sleeping accommodation. ASN operated her with 52 crew.

In 1971 the ASN was purchased by European Ferries, and Europic Ferry afterwards sailed under the Townsend Thoresen branding.

After the 2 April 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands the British government assembled a taskforce to retake the territory. This included many merchant ships taken up from trade (STUFT) as well as Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service vessels. Europic Ferry was one of the first vessels to be identified by the Ministry of Defence as required for the campaign; it was earmarked for use as a stores transport ship in early April. She was officially requisitioned on 19 April and spent the next three days at Vosper & Company, Southampton, being modified for military service. She was fitted with replenishment-at-sea equipment, freshwater generators, satellite navigation and satellite communications systems. Additional crew and troop accommodation was also installed. The vessel was also fitted with pintle-mounted Bren light machine guns as a rudimentary defence against low-level air attack.

The Europic Ferry loaded at the port of Southampton and departed for the South Atlantic on 25 April, calling briefly at Portland Harbour. She was loaded with ammunition, stores, fuel and vehicles including much of the support equipment for the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment. She also carried equipment for No. 656 Squadron AAC, including four Westland Scout helicopters lashed to her deck, and for 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, including six L118 light guns which were secured on deck next to her superstructure. A number of personnel were also carried including the ground crews for the Westland Wessex and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters carried aboard the Atlantic Conveyor.

Europic Ferry called at Freetown, Sierra Leone, for fuel before arriving at Ascension Island in company with the troop ship Norland (another requisitioned ferry) on 8 May. The two vessels spent the day there crossloading stores before sailing to meet up with Atlantic Conveyor, Canberra, Elk and a number of navy and RFA vessels that would form part of the first amphibious landing force, some 1,000 miles (1,600 km) north-west of Tristan de Cunha. The force sailed southwards together and, after being overflown by Russian aircraft and reportedly spotting a submarine periscope, enacted wartime measures including keeping watertight doors closed and sailing in zig-zag courses.