One of the 22 ships built by Appledore Shipbuilders at Appledore was the 1970 built tug COLERAINE.
She was ordered in 1969 with her keel laid on 29th September 1969 and launched on 8th January 1970 as yard number A.S. 70 completed for J. Cooper (Belfast) Ltd and homeported at Belfast. During June, 1971 she was transferred to Cory Ship Towage (N.I.) Ltd and in 1985 to Cory Towage Ltd. Single Screw Fire fighting tug with bollard pull of 35 tons and speed of 12 knots. During December 1996 her Simon-Snorkel Hydraulic Fire Fighting Platform was removed and replaced with a bridge roof mounted fire monitors
In 2007 she was sold to Maltese Interests and was seen at Valletta with the same name and livery berthed alongside other Britannia International ship broker vessels.
On 22nd October, 2007 she was spotted at Gibraltar
In 2008 as owned by Greenstone Enterprises Ltd, Bristol she was chartered to tow tuna cages during the Blue fin Tuna Season – Below images are while leaving Valletta back to 16th April, 2008.
During 2008 she was sold to Greenlink Marine Services at Port Harcourt in Nigeria and renamed SIR IAN.
She was lifted on her hard at Marsaxlokk Hard Standing facilities and in January, 2011 she was spotted at Las Palmas heading for Nigeria.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Sunday 8th August ,2021
