Reproduced with permission of the MOD
Previous name: Stena Ausonia, Und Ege
Subsequent name: MSC Bridge, Mont Ventoux, Stena Forwarder, Ark Forwarder, Wilhelmsborg
Official Number: 223648000 / 901501
Class: Strategic Sealift Ro-Ro
Pennant No: A98
Laid down: 15 June 1996
Builder: Societa Esercizio Canteri, Italy
Launched: July 1997
Into Service: 18 October 1998
Out of service: 25 July 2002
Fate: Returned to owners
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
Background Data: The formation of the Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF) which later became the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) was announced in mid-1996 and the M0D had to look around for additional freight carrying capacity. It had also been announced in April 1996 that two ro-ro ferries were to be purchased. The JRDF included elements of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and 5 Airborne Brigade and its armoured reinforcement would have imposed additional transportation requirements over and above that of the existing fleet of LSL’s. Because it had not always been possible to find suitable vessels at short notice, it was decided in the short term that at least one, but perhaps two, commercial ro-ro vessels should be bareboat chartered with the option to extend this charter at the end of the agreed period. Stena Line was at that time committed to building five new ro-ro’s in Italy and they agreed to charter two of these to the MoD on a long-term agreement. These were originally supposed to have been nos. 2 and 3 of the 5-ship order, but owing to building delays, the original Turkish owners cancelled the order for the first one and the MoD were offered nos. 1 and 2. These were to become SEA CENTURION and SEA CHIEFTAIN.The latter was named by Mrs Squire, the wife of Commodore N D Squire on 5 May 1998 via a radio link from Sweden, and should have entered service in April 1999, but owing to continuing building and operational delays, hercharter was cancelled.
July 1997 launched by Societa Esercizio Cantieri Navali SpA, Viareggio as Yard Nr 1546 named STENA AUSONIA for Stena Line, Sweden. Sold to UND Ro-Ro, Turkey before completion and was renamed UND EGE
28 January 1998 bareboat chartered by the MoD (N) and was renamed SEA CENTURION by Mrs Caroline Richards, the wife of Brigadier D Richards, the Chief of RDF (Ops)
18 October 1998 completed by INMA, La Spezia and handed over at Genoa, Italy to enter operational service. Chief Officer Ray Bennett in Command.
6 November 1998 arrived at Marchwood Military Port for the first time
15 February 1999 sailed Emden, Germany as part of Operation Agricola for Salonika, Greece
18 May 1999 while letting go from the North West Wall of Portsmouth Naval Base, Motorman 1 Paul King was struck by a mooring rope and died from multiple injuries
20 May 1999 the Press & Journal newspaper reported …
11 November 1999 sailed Flushing
12 November 1999 arrived at and sailed from Millbay Docks, Plymouth
9 April 2000 arrived at Marchwood Military Port
27 April 2000 sailed from Marchwood Military Port
27 August 2000 berthed at Gibraltar
5 October 2000 at Marchwood Military Port
8 January 2001 to 9 January 2001 berthed at Gibraltar
2 February 2001 to 3 February 2001 berthed at Gibraltar
21 February 2001 berthed at Gibraltar
14 March 2001 to 16 March 2001 berthed at Gibraltar
27 March 2001 in dry dock at A & P, Wallsend on Tyne
18 April 2001 end of initial charter period – charter extended
16 May 2001 at Marchwood Military Port
June 2001 Chief Officer Peter Simpson RFA was in command
29 June 2001 at Augusta
23 July 2001 berthed at Gibraltar
5 September 2001 berthed at Marchwood Military Port
November 2001 Chief Officer Martin Harper RFA was in command
8 November 2001 in transit in the Suez Canal
20 November 2001 at Marchwood Military Port
22 December 2001 berthed at Marchwood Military Port
20 January 2002 in transit in the Suez Canal
23 January 2002 arrived at Augusta
9 February 2002 berthed at Commissioners Wharf, North Shields
15 February 2002 arrived at Marchwood Military Port
18 February 2002 berthed at Bergen, Norway
16 March 2002 sailed from Marchwood Military Port
19 March 2002 berthed at Antwerp
28 March 2002 berthed at Marchwood Military Port
13 May 2002 berthed at Rosyth
25 June 2002 berthed at Antwerp
5 July 2002 at Marchwood Military Port
19 July 2002 arrived at Marchwood Military Port for the last time as an RFA
25 July 2002 ceased to be classified as an RFA
27 August 2022 handed over to her owners Stena Ausonia Ltd (Northern Marine Management Ltd. – Managers) at Liverpool
17 January 2003 acquired by Sudcargo on charter and renamed MONT VENTOUX
30 August 2005 renamed Stena Forwarder forStena Ferries Ltd ( same Managers)
2005 Acquired by Acciona Transmediterranea on charter , name unchanged
November 2006 chartered to the Danish MoD for the ARK Project – the strategic sealift for Danish and German military and other NATO countries
January 2007 acquired on charter by DFDS Tor Line, name unchanged, and was initially placed on the Rotterdam – Immingham service.
February 2007 renamed Ark Forwarder
March 2007 transferred to the Gothenburg – Tilbury service
9 August 2008 while on passage from the Thames Estuary to Tilbury, the chief and third engineers were in the engine control room (ECR) when an electrical earth was detected on the vessel’s calorifier sited in the bow thruster compartment. The Electro Technical officer (ETO) was woken at 0230 to rectify the fault and arrived in the ECR 10 minutes later. He then made his way to the bow thrusters compartment and, at about 0250, the chief engineer noticed the alarm indicating the earth stopped. Shortly afterwards, the third engineer left the ECR to conduct routine rounds of the engine room and found the ETO pinned between a powered watertight door and its frame. He was unable to open the door because the movement of its operating lever was impeded due to the position of the ETO. The third engineer raised the alarm and the ETO was eventually released after the door’s hydraulic system had been de-pressurised. The crew’s attempts to revive the ETO were not successful, and he was pronounced deceased by paramedics who met the vessel as she entered Tilbury dock
5 October 2010 at Cuxhaven, Germany
January 2011 was employed on the Rotterdam – Harwich service
26 June 2011 moored at Cuxhaven, Germany
10 November 2011 at Souda Bay, Crete
1 February 2012 moored at Cuxhaven, Germany
5 May 2012 off Abu Dhabi, UAE
24 May 2012 alongside at Toulon, France
June 2012 changed to French registration – call sign now FIEB
4 August 2012 sailed Tenerife, Canary Islands
11 August 2012 at Marseille, France
17 August 2012 sailed Marseille, France for La Goulette, Tunisia
19 August 2012 at Tunis harbour
23 August 2012 sailed Tunis to Marseille
25 August 2012 arrived at Marseille and sailed the same day La Goulette, Tunisia
27 August 2012 arrived at La Goulette, Tunisia
17 April 2014 sailed Immingham
17 April 2014 berthed at Esbjerg, Denmark
19 April 2014 sailed Esbjerg, Denmark
22 April 2014 berthed at Immingham
8 July 2014 berthed at Palermo
9 July 2014 sailed Palermo to Genoa
10 July 2014 berthed at Genoa
12 July 2014 berthed at Palermo from Genoa
13 July 2014 sailed Palermo
15 May 2015 ship renamed Wilhelmsborg under the British Registry
12 August 2015 sailed from Baltimore
22 August 2015 at Oran
4 September 2015 in the Ionian Sea
6 September 2015 berthed at Mersin, Turkey
27 November 2015 at Mersin, Turkey
4 December 2015 berthed at Livorno, Italy
7 December 2015 berthed at Genoa, Italy
9 December 2015 berthed at Tarragona, Spain
10 December 2015 berthed at Sagunto, Spain
13 December 2015 passed to the north of Maderia while on passage to Rio Haina
26 May 2016 at anchor off Genoa, Italy in the Ligurean Sea
22 June 2016 arrived Barcelona
23 June 2016 sailed Barcelona for Genoa
6 May 2017 at Rotterdam Anchorage
7 May 2017 at Zeebrugge, Belgium
4 June 2017 at Zeebrugge, Belgium
5 June 2017 arrived at Goteborg, Sweden
6 June 2017 sailed Goteborg, Sweden
14 June 2017 berthed at Zeebrugge, Belgium
18 June 2017 sailed Zeebrugge, Belgium for Genoa, Italy
14 September 2017 at Palermo
26 September 2017 at Genoa
Ark Forwarded moored at Genoa
28 September 2017 at Palermo
29 September 2017 at Genoa
30 September 2017 at Palermo
1 October 2017 arrived Genoa, Italy
4 January 2018 at Tangiers, Morroco
6 January 2018 at Marseilles, France
8 January 2018 at Tangiers, Morroco
9 January 2018 berthed at Casablanca, Morroco sailing later the same day
11 January 2018 at Tangiers, Morroco
13 January 2018 arrived at Marseilles, France sailing later the same day
15 January 2018 passed Gibraltar berthing later at Tangiers, Morroco then sailing the same day
16 January 2018 berthing at Casablanca, Morroco sailing later the same day
17 January 2018 anchored off Tangiers, Morroco
18 January 2018 sailed Tangiers Anchorage
20 January 2018 berthed at Marseilles, France sailing later the same day
21 January 2018 berthed at Genoa, Italy
17 February 2018 sailed Genoa, Italy
18 February 2018 berthed at Naples, Italy
26 February 2018 sailed Naples, Italy
27 February 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
28 February 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
1 March 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
3 March 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
4 March 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
7 March 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
8 March 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
10 March 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
11 March 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
14 March 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
15 March 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
16 March 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
18 March 2018 arrived at Gioia Tauro Anchorage, Italy
19 March 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
21 March 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
22 March 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
24 March 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
25 March 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
28 March 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
29 March 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
1 April 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
2 April 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
4 April 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
5 April 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
7 April 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
8 April 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
10 April 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
12 April 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
14 April 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
15 April 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
18 April 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
19 April 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
21 April 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
22 April 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
25 April 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
26 April 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
28 April 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
29 April 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
3 May 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy for Rades, Tunisia arriving later the same day
6 May 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia anchoring later at Valetta, Malta anchorage
7 May 2018 sailed from Valetta, Malta anchorage berthing at Gioia Tauro, Italy later in the day
9 May 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
11 May 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
12 May 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia
13 May 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
16 May 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
17 May 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
19 May 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia berthing at Gioia Tauro, Italy the same day
22 May 2018 named changed to MSC Bridge registered in Cyprus
23 May 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
24 May 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
26 May 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia
27 May 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
29 May 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
31 May 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
2 June 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
3 June 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
6 June 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro, Italy
7 June 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
9 June 2018 sailed Rades, Tunis
10 June 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
13 June 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro, Italy
14 June 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
16 June 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
17 June 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
20 June 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro, Italy
21 June 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
23 June 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
25 June 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
27 June 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro
28 June 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
30 June 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
1 July 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
4 July 2018 sailed from GioiaTauro
5 July 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
7 July 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia
9 July 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
11 July 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro
12 July 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
14 July 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
15 July 2018 arrived at Gioia Tauro, Italy
18 July 2018 sailed from Gioia Tauro, Italy
19 July 2018 berthed at Rades,Tunisia
21 July 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia
22 July 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
25 July 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
26 July 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
28 July 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
30 July 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
1 August 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
2 August 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
4 August 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
6 August 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
8 August 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
9 August 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
11 August 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia
12 August 2018 berthed at Gioia Tauro, Italy
15 August 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
16 August 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
18 August 2018 sailed Rades, Tunisia
19 August 2018 berthed ay Gioia Tauro, Italy
30 August 2018 berthed at Rades, Tunisia
2 September 2018 sailed from Rades, Tunisia arriving later at Malta Anchorage then sailing Malta Anchorage
3 September 2018 arrived at Gioia Tauro, Italy
5 September 2018 sailed Gioia Tauro, Italy
6 September 2018 berthed at Radies, Tunisia
Notes:
1. SEA CHIEFTAIN had been completed to about 50% with the hull works completed when the contract was cancelled. The shipyard went into liquidation in 1999 and work ceased. Stena Ro Ro of Sweden bought the incomplete ship from the bankruptcy estate at an auction in 2002 and renamed her STENA SEAFREIGHTER. The ship was towed to a berth in Toulon where she lay for 6 months. Finally in February 2003 the ship was towed to Croatia but the shipyard there too went into liquidation and she was towed to Venice, but was subsequently finally completed at Kraljevica in Croatia. At the end of February 2006 the ship was finally delivered to Stena renamed STENA FREIGHTER.The 3rd ship in the series was purchased by Enrico Bugazzi Ship Management, Italy named ARONTE and was towed to Marina di Carrara to be completed. In 2004 she was transferred to Stena Line and renamed STENA CARRIER 11 until she too was purchased by Stena in the spring of 2006 and renamed STENA CARRIER.The fourth and fifth ships in the series were never built.