ST HELENA Photo: Russell Plummer

Cargo-passenger liner ST. HELENA sails on after airport problems

FerryWith a St.Helena island airport financed by the British Government at a cost of close to MGBP250 proving almost impossible to use because of serious wind shear on the south facing runway, sea connections to and from Cape Town continue with schedules for the 6,767gt ST.HELENA, operated by Andrew Weir Shipping, just announced though to February 2018.

Built by Hall, Russell and Co. at Aberdeen in 1960 and now one of world's last passenger cargo liners, the 128 passenger/56 crew ST. HELENA passed through Tower Bridge in London at the start of a much publicised final voyage via St.Helena to Cape Town on 14 June this year and was placed in the hands of sales brokers.

However, problems with bringing the British South Atlantic dependancy's airport into operation for the start of first scheduled links with South Africa, resulted in ST.HELENA being retained in service to Cape Town with regular southbound calls and Ascension Island.

At St.Helena, where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled from 1815 until his death in 1840, the vessel anchors off Jamestown with passengers and freight taken ashore by tenders and barges.

Dec 20 2016