MV Norland

Norland in Rotterdam in 1979
History
Name	Norland (1974–2002) SNAV Sicilia (2002–2010)
Owner	North Sea Ferries (1974–1996) P&O North Sea Ferries (1996–2002) SNAV Aliscafo (2002–2010)
Operator	North Sea Ferries (1974–1996) P&O North Sea Ferries (1996–2002) SNAV (2002–2010)
Port of registry	Hull,  UK (1974–2006) Madeira,  Portugal (2006–2007) Naples,  Italy (2007–2010)
Yard number	972
Launched	13 October 1973
In service	1974
Out of service	2010
Identification	IMO number: 7333822
Honours and awards	Falkland Islands, 1982
Fate	Scrapped 2010
General characteristics
Type	RORO
Tonnage	12,988 GRT
Length	152.77 m (501.2 ft)
General characteristics after 1987 stretch
Tonnage	26,290 GT
Length	173.29 m (568.5 ft)
Beam	25.2 m (83 ft)
Draft	6.02 m (19.8 ft)
Propulsion	Two SWD 16TM410
Speed	19 knots (35 km/h)

MS Norland in Hull 1986

The Norland was a P&O roll-on/roll-off ferry operating between Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire, UK, and Rotterdam Europoort, Netherlands, and then Zeebrugge, Belgium. The 27,000 tonne ferry was built in 1974 by AG Weser, Bremerhaven, for Dutch North Sea Ferries partners Noordzee Veerdiensten N.V. Sistership MV Norstar sailed under Dutch flag and Norland under British flag and with (mainly) British crew. The ship transferred to P&O North Sea Ferries in 1996.

Geoff Capes, the Strongman, once pulled the ship along.

Falklands Service

During the Falklands War, the Ministry of Defence requisitioned the Norland to be used as a troopship in the Task Force sent to retake the Falkland Islands from Argentina. Norland was among the ships to enter San Carlos Water during the amphibious landings of Commandos and Paratroopers, Captained by Donald Ellerby CBE. The ship survived attack from the Argentine Air Force, and at the end of the war repatriated the defeated Argentine troops back home, alongside the Canberra.[1] For this service Norland received the battle honour "Falkland Islands 1982,"[2] which for many years was displayed in one of the passenger lounges, with a painting of the ship in San Carlos Water.

SNAV Sicilia

Post P&O

In 2002, the Norland was sold to SNAV as the SNAV Sicilia for service between Naples and Palermo.<ref>"The Ferry Site SNAV Sicilia". Retrieved 21 December 2009.</

The ship was broken up in India in the summer of 2010.

Popular culture

She was seen in the BBC TV Only Fools and Horses episode To Hull and Back, when the Trotter family used her as a means of navigation.

References

1. Falkland-war details from British Units in the Falklands War Archived 4 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine website, visited 22 November 2009
2. "Your Democracy - Defence". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.