Owner Nordisk Faergefan.
Operator Channel Islands Ferries
Builder Jos L. Meyer, Papenburg Yn 560. 1970
Tonnage 6,480gt 2218nt 1200
Dimensions 108.72m 17.25m 4.598m
Propulsion 2 x Man oil engines 9,054 bhp Ne 82
Passengers 870dk pass
CORBIERE came to the Channel Islands in March 1985 when a new company Channel Island Ferries commenced a service from Portsmouth to the Islands. The vessel had been operating for Brittany Ferries as BENODET on their Plymouth to Roscoff route, and she arrived Falmouth from Plymouth for handover on March 3 1985. The ship left that port as CORBIERE on 9 March bound for Saint Malo where she was overhauled, and this completed, CORBIERE arrived at St. Peter Port on March 26, sailing the next day for St. Helier ready to commence her maiden voyage to Portsmouth on March 28.
In late June that year the ship included Saint Malo in her sailings, this to cover for the PRINCE OF BRITTANY, and a month later had to have a quick dry docking in Southampton to fix a propeller problem.
On September 30 1986 it was announced that British Ferries (Channel Islands) and Channel Island Ferries were to join up and form British Channel Islands Ferries, and that CORBIERE and EARL GRANVILLE would provide the main Portsmouth to Channel Islands service. This resulted in the blocking of the ramp in St. Peter Port, and for a period of time CORBIERE was unable to berth in Guernsey.
The formation of British Channel Islands Ferries still went ahead, and when the ship returned to service after overhaul in 1987, the logo on the ships hull now included the word British.
The completion of the new ro/ro berths at Jersey in early 1989 meant that larger ships could be used on the service, resulting in the introduction of ROZEL in February that year. CORBIERE thus made her last passenger sailing on Monday February 20, then took up the cargo service until April 8 1989, being replaced by the HAVELET.
The ship was then used from May 26 to open the passenger service on the Poole to Cherbourg of the Truckline service until replaced by the TREGASTEL in that July, and she was then laid up in Cherbourg.
It announced late in 1989 that the ship would provide an extra service on the Poole to Cherbourg service, and when she arrived in the Islands on April 2 1990 to replace HAVELET during overhaul / improvements the ship was in Truckline colours, but still named CORBIERE. She remained on the C.I. route until May 10 when she sailed from Guernsey to Cherbourg.
Late in the summer it was announced that the ship had been sold to Eckero Line for delivery in 1991, but she still had a few more spells of C.I. service.
From October 1 1990 she again replaced HAVELET until November 9, and then chartered to the French Government for voyage from Toulon to the Middle East with Gulf War supplies.
CORBIERE was back in CI waters early the following year when between January 28 1991 and February 28 again replacing HAVELET. This was her last call to the Islands, and after a summer spent on the Poole to Cherbourg route she finished service Truckline service on September 29, and ended her charter to Brittany Ferries.
The ship had been built in 1970 as APOLLO for the Baltic services of Viking Line, but remained in their service only until 1975, being replaced by larger vessels. She was sold that year to Ole Lauritzen for use by Olau Line on its Sheerness to Vlissingen service, but the company ran into difficulties in 1980, resulting in the ship being arrested on 10 September 1980. In 1981 the ship was sold to Nordisk Faergefan, renamed GELTING NORD, being used in 1982 on their Faborg to Gelting route, then in 1984 on the Hundested to Sandefjord service.
This ceased in 1984 when a long term charter to Brittany Ferries became available, and she was renamed BENODET and took up their Roscoff to Plymouth service on 29 April 1984.
As we have seen she moved to Channel Island Ferries in 1985, and following the end of her Brittany Ferries charter in October 1991 she was sold to Eckero Linjen. She was used on charter by a number of operators, Estonian New Line from 1991 to 1994, operating between Helsinki and Tallinn trading as LINDA I. She then went to Tallink for 1994, and the following year to Eestin Linjat for whom she reverted to the name APOLLO.
Laid up for a period in 1998, she then went on charter the following year to Langeland – Kiel, but was laid up on 1 July due to the EU terminating duty free sales on board vessels in EU waters.
It was while laid up that the ship was sold to the Labrador Marine Inc., part of the Woodword Group in Canada, for use on the service between St. Barbe in Newfoundland and Sablon in Quebec. The vessel is still in service making two round voyages each day, and is still named APOLLO.
Picture : © PHOTO ONE 301w
93k 
Arriving Jersey for the first time March 27 1985
Picture : © PHOTO ONE
131w 9.928
126w 9.38k
Picture
: © PHOTO ONE CP88/M/13 
Seen operating with the title British Channel Island Ferries, on February 9 1989 , ten days before being replaced by ROZEL.
Picture : © PHOTO ONE CP88/M/14
Pictured on same day as above. 310web 105k
Picture : © PHOTO ONE
Her last spell of service saw her in the colours of Truckline Ferries. 305web 66k
CORNOUAILLES IMO 7527899 (LN7527899)
HAVELET
Owner: Brittany Ferries
Operator British Channel Islands Ferries.
Builder A/S Bergens M/V, Bergen. Yn. 735 1977
Tonnage 6,918ngt 2,294nrt 1650 1,1650dw
Dimensions 109.7m length bp 102.24m x 16.50m Draft 4.312m
Propulsion Twin screw, oil engines. 2 x Pielstick K-
Passengers 500 pass 1990 560 pass 16 kts
This vessel first came to the Islands as CORNOUAILLES in 1986 when between March 4 and March 15 she replaced CORBIERE on the Channel Islands Ferries between Portsmouth and the Islands. She returned the following year when she stood in for the PORTELET on the British Channel Islands Ferries service from Weymouth to the Islands.
Her first call as HAVELET was on April 10 1989 when she took up the BCIF service between Poole and the Islands. being on charter from Brittany Ferries.
See HAVELET for full history.
Picture : © PHOTO ONE CP86/7/24 201w 54.3k
CORNOUAILLES arriving Jersey April 15 1987
Builder Nort-
Tonnage 53gr 30net
Dimensions 17.5m 4.2m 2.0m
Propulsion Twin screw, Baudoin oil engines each 125 H.P.
Passengers 80
The vessel was used to commence a service between Port Bail and Gorey in 1973. A
new company was set up to challenge the service from Carteret, and commenced on
June 4 that year. The service came about due to the Association Pour Le Developpement
et la Ronouiation Rurale de Secteur Barneville -
COTE DES ILES had been built in 1970 as DE POINTIS for use at Nantes, and was altered before entering service at Port Bail.
Withdrawn at the end of the 1974 season, she left Port Bail on November 7 and was delivered to her new owners Flotta Sg at Greenock on November13 when she was renamed FLOTTA. The vessel was registered in Glasgow on January 12 1976 to Ian David Wilson of London, and on January 26 1976 there were five Bills of Sale , each of 9 shares to Roro Shipping Co. Ltd., M. C. Baker, C. W. Herbert, G. L. Robinson, M. T. Waters. All 64 shares were sold on February 25 / March 7 1977 to Offshore Workboats Ltd., and on April 15 1977 permission was granted to rename the vessel FLOTTA OWL.
By Bill of Sale dated October 24 1983 the vessel passed to Jeship Ltd., of Great Yarmouth, and on November 29 1983 she was registered as PINGER.
The registry was cancelled on June 1 1987.
Last known details are that she had a certificate for 58 passengers until September 24 1980.
It has been reported that she has appeared in the sales lists of several magazines since that time.
NO FURTHER DETAILS
Picture : © PHOTO ONE
COTE DES ILES approaching Gorey August 4 1973 305web 59k
Picture
: Emy -
Arriving at Portbail 301 web 271k
Picture : ARTAUD Freres 820
Alongside at Portbail 832k
Owner Societe de la Roche et Cie, Port Bail
Builder R & H Green, London Yn 472 3.1884
Tonnage 132gr 67net
Dimensions 97oa 90.0(rl) 18.1 8.4 6’ draft
Propulsion Single screw, SR, 2cyl 15" & 27" -
26 NHP 157 i.h.p. 9 knots
COTENTIN was built for the Portbail -
She mostly ran all the year round but as traffic built up through Carteret there were times when she was laid up during the winter months.
The vessel spent much of 1891 under repair, and also for a period in 1892, and this no doubt led to the law suite in April 1883 between the Commune of Portbail and M. De La Roche regarding the poor service.
Changes took place in the following year, but COTENTIN did not return.
The next know service of the ship was in about 1909 when she started operating on the Brest / Le Conquet to Ouessaint, and Lloyds Registers would indicate that she was still owned by Le Roux & Cie but registered in Brest.
By 1915 the vessel was at Boulogne and in LR 1919/20 she was owned by P. Libert, but still registered at Brest. Her last entry in LR was in the 1926/27 edition.
Picture :
COTENTIN at Gorey. 546k
COURIER (I) 1876-
Operator T.N. Barbenson & Co.
Builder Day, Summers & Co., Northam. Yn 39 Completed 4.1876
Tonnage 1876 86gr 35net
1894 105gr 37net
Dimensions 1876 99.8(rl) 17.1 7.9
1894 109.7(rl) 17.1 8.1 Re-
Propulsion Single screw, SR, 2cyl 13" & 26" -
Upon the death of Capt. George Scot in 1875 Alderney found itself without a steamer service to Guernsey, and some residents joined together and decided to built a ship for the route. The vessel was named COURIER and launched by Miss Wills on February 26 1876, arriving in Guernsey following a call at Alderney on April 11 that year. The ship was owned by six shareholders and operated by Mr. T.N. Barbenson & Co. The vessel proved too small for the trade, and a larger vessel was built in 1883 and given the same name, but as COURIER (I) was not sold the two ships became known in the islands as little COURIER and big COURIER.
In 1897 the share holders formed the Alderney Steam Packet Co. to own the two vessels, and the registration passed to the company.
COURIER (I) was used as relief vessel when required and operated excursions during the summer, and was based in Jersey for 1901 1902, 1903, 1905, 1910 and 1911.
In January 1913 it was stated that COURIER (I) had been sold to Italian buyers for use in and around Constantinople. She sailed from Guernsey as AHDON on February 3 bound for Naples after a call at Dartmouth. The vessel was then to proceed to Turkey to be used as a passenger steamer in and around Constantinople.
The vessels change of name was noted in Lloyds Register of Shipping for 1912/1913 as AYDON but no owners, and her entry in the Register remained until the 1919/1920 edition, but no further information has been found for her removal from the book.
Picture : Collection P.B., Cherbourg
The two COURIER’s in Cherbourg 101w 19.87k
121w
Picture :
COURIER (I) close to the harbour mouth at Creux, between 1889 -
Note -
COURIER (II) 1883-
Operator T. N. Barbenson & Co.
Builder Day, Summers & Co., Northam. Yn 68 Completed 7.1883
Tonnage 1883 140gr 49net
1899 151gr 55net
Dimensions 129.8(rl) 19.2 9.7
Propulsion Single screw, SR, 2cyl 20" & 40" -
Passengers 1947 had Steam 2 cert for 185 pass.
Built to provide a better service in the conditions experienced in the area, the ship was given the same name as her smaller sister, and they became known as the Big and Little COURIER’s. The vessel underwent trials in Southampton Water on June 28 1883, and arrived in Guernsey on July 5.
Like the smaller vessel, COURIER (II) was owned by many local residents holding a small number of shares, with the vessel being managed by T. N. Barbenson & Co. This changed on September 24 1897 when all the privately owned shares were sold to the newly formed Alderney Steam Packet Company, but still with the same managers.
The vessel was a well loved ship, but operating in an area of fast tidal runs and narrow passages the ship suffered a number of incidents.
On November 16 1893 in thick mist she struck the Flat Rock off Herm when inward bound
to Guernsey but managed to reach St. Peter Port. On August 26 1901 when taking the
Perchee Passage off Herm the ship struck rocks and had to be beached at Herm, and
following patching and re-
The most serious incident took place on April 30 1906 when she was again off Herm and struck rocks, but this time she was not so lucky and sank with the loss of one life. The vessel was uninsured at the time, but her owners salvaged her, the vessel being raised on July 13 1906 and towed to Southampton on October 8 by the tug ALBERT EDWARD (later to become JOYBELL III). COURIER (II) was repaired, and arrived back in Guernsey on December 16 1906, with the steering position having been raised by three feet.
The ship maintained her lifeline service during the first World War, and little changed until 1928, when on October 6, Peter Thomas Mignot and Edward George Willis were designated as managers.
Further changes took place the following year, when in August 1929 Rev P. T. Mignot purchased the remaining shares in the company that he did not own, and then in the November, the Alderney registered company was placed in liquidation, and a company of the same name was registered in Guernsey. COURIER (II) passed by a Bill of Sale dated November 13 1929 to the Guernsey company, with the P. T. Mignot being named Manager.
The operation of the vessel must have been proving difficult at this time, as on February 2 1931 it was announced that the ship had been sold to the St. Malo & Binic S. S. Co. this to take effect upon completion of her overhaul at Dartmouth, for which she left Guernsey the next day. COURIER (II) returned on March 11, and that day ownership was transferred, with Piperell being the managers. During the overhaul, the bridge had been raised to a full deck height, and it was noted in the press that the ship sailed for Sark on March 13 with the new owners house flag at her main mast.
This was a time of changing traffic in the area, and on April 29 1933, to better reflect the current business of the owners, the company title was altered to the Guernsey, Alderney & Sark Steamship Co., with J. G. Piperell & E. G. Piprell remaining as Managers.
By the late 1930’s a rival company was providing a serious challenge, and on October 20 1938 the Guernsey, Alderney & Sark company was taken over by Capt. John Albert Leighton, who became the managing owner, but the company retained its name.
The ship went to the United Kingdom before the Islands were invaded by the German forces in June 1940 and she spent much of her time working in the Clyde as H.M.S. CARACOLE.
Unfortunately Capt. Leighton died in 1944, and there was thus no one to re-
The ship returned to Guernsey on July 11 1947 amidst much nostalgia, and commenced services to Sark and Alderney, but there were too many operators on the routes, and a coal fired steamer was not an economic venture, and COURIER (II) slipped out of St.Peter Port on November 25 1947 never to return.
She sailed to Shoreham and was laid up, remained there until January 14 1949 when she left in tow of the Dutch tug HUMBER bound for Niew Lekkerland in Holland where she arrived the following day to be broken up by Mach en Scheeps "De Koophandel".
Picture : Fred Tozer
COURIER ((II) pictured as built at Alderney. 395w 808k
Picture :
Providing trips round the Royal Yacht VICTORIA AND ALBERT during a visit
by King George V and Queen Mary on July 11 1921. 397w 341k
Picture :
COURIER (II) seen alongside Quai Cologny, her usual berth for her twice weekly
service from Guernsey and Alderney. 395w
Seen departing St. Peter Port. 401w 216k
Picture : Courtesy G. Harris.
Seen at Alderney after March 1931, showing the bow scroll to good effect.
346w 808k
Picture :
COURIER (II) pictured at Alderney in March 1931, now with a raised bridge, and
black top to her funnel. 399w 430k
Picture :
COURIER (II) seen arriving St. Peter Port for the first time after WW II on July 10
1947. 307w 423k
Owner
Builder A.Normand, Havre. 1854
Tonnage 146gr 63 net
Dimensions 138.1(rl) 19.0 9.3
Propulsion Paddles, SR, 2cyl 37½ " -
The vessel made her inaugural voyage from Carteret to Gorey on June 30 1894, and was to remain on this route for the next eighteen years. Many post cards of the ship were produced of her, both at Gorey and Carteret most with her flying the CRN house flag of Compagnie Rouennaise de Navigation, and being registered at Rouen.
In September 1895 it was reported that a new steamer was to replace CYGNE for 1896, but this did not occur, but on August 3 1897 the paper stated “the new French paddle steamer CYGNE arrived at Gorey this morning. The boat is much on the same model as the old CYGNE but much improved upon. Has straight stem, with rounded stern, with anchors of the improved type to draw up close to the hawse pipe”.
This proved to be incorrect, as it was the same CYGNE, but she had undergone a major overhaul, and at the same time undergone a change of ownership.
Although many post cards were produced of the vessel, all collected so far can be dated to after the ships major overhaul.
During her time on the route she had one major incident, when in October 1903, the vessel had a machinery defect just outside Carteret harbour, and the local lifeboat took off the passengers as the steamers position appeared critical.
On October 14 1912 CYGNE made her last sailing on the route, and left the same day for Havre.
The Lloyds Casualty Returns for 1 April -
The details of the vessel first appeared in Lloyds Register in the 1890/1891 edition, stating that she had been built in 1854, and that her name had been changed from HALLOIN to CYGNE in 1882.
It is difficult to exactly state her owners, but the local newspaper reports give
the following operators, 1894 -
Owners taken from Lloyds Registers give -
1890 -
1896 -
1903 -
1906 – 1912 Soc des Bateaux Omnibus de Rouen.
Picture : unknown 319w 557k
CYGNE in an all white colour scheme, and being dressed “overall” it could be
following her major overhaul in 1897. The card is post marked July 1902.
Picture : No 40 309w 785k
At Gorey, note the wooden slide down which luggage and small parcels were loaded onto the ship. The light house was erected in June 1898.
Picture : H. G. Allix No 71 311w 696k
Seen leaving Gorey.
Picture : 321w 602k
Arriving Carteret
Picture : 315w 647k
Note the CRN house flag.
Picture : 012w 127k
A very smart CYGNE pictured at Gorey alongside the wooden landing stage erected early in 1909.
Picture : Collect des Nouvelles Galeries No 29 323aw 201k
Seen laid-
Picture : Ian Boyd 1w 235k
A painting by Ian Boyde, used as the basis for the Jersey Post stamp issued in