Sea Malta Company Limited was the Maltese National Shipping Line. Established on 10th November 1973 during the tenure of the Labour Government led by Dominic Mintoff, which had the majority of the shares in the new company. The quest of this company was to provide maritime services company as well as to the need of the nation in general, and to assist the Maltese industry.
In 1974, Sea Malta bought her first ships, one of them the ZEJTUN. She was built in 1967 at JJ Sietas Schiffswerft at Hamburg in Germany as yard no 606 with the name of WASA with German Flag. In 1973 she was renamed TAOS with Cyprus Flag and in 1974 she was bought by Sea Malta, renamed ZEJTUN and started operating in the fleet since 19th November 1975.
In 1976 she was quite unfortunate as a bow replacement was needed after a collision with another ship near Capo Passero in Sicily whilst in 1978 while moored at Tunis, she listed heavily and had to be brought to Malta Drydocks for needed repairs.
On 23rd May 1982 she was sold and renamed LISA B trading until July 1990 renamed to DURSUN REIS trading for 3 years and in July 1993 she was renamed as CENK II trading until 1997 of which she made a port call at Valletta berthing at Wine Wharf.
Other trading names were ANNA until August 1998; MARIANNA II until July 2001; LADY LINDA I until September 2001; ATHINA SKY I until 2001; ZAFER until 2020.
53 year old vessel and she’s still trading as RO-ROZAFER currently underway to Famagusta, Cyprus after she left Mersin, Turkey today Thursday 16th April, 2020 at 1808 hrs.
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Thursday 16th April, 2020
