During the middle of May 2019 Gozo Channel Line chartered the ropax NIKOLAOS arriving at Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal on Monday 10th June, 2019. She arrived fresh and clean after drydocking and wearing Gozo Channel Line livery.
During the news conference following the ship’s arrival the Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana explained that during the ship’s transfer, it will be able to accommodate more vehicles at the waiting bay. She added that the vessel is much faster than the rest of the fleet making the journey time much shorter. The Minister said that this means that a new schedule will now be brought into affect which will accommodate commercial vehicles. She also said that maintenance work will now also be able to be scheduled and added that process of finding a new vessel has been going on for a year now with most of the research on feasibility already carried out. Now the government was in the process of carrying out a tender that will be bringing forward a more permanent fourth ship for Gozo Channel.
She was built at Sunderland, UK by North East Shipbuilders in 1987 as Yard No 3001 – SUPERFLEX ALFA with Danish Flag of which she was renamed as DIFKO NYBORG. Completion date was back to August 1987 after she was launched earlier on 14th May, 1987.
Her vehicle capacity is 160 cars and passenger capacity is 650 in Summer and 350 in Winter.
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
