The Regent Sky laid up at Eleusis.
History
Name	1984–1990: Stena Baltica 1990–2009: Regent Sky 2009–2012: Zoe
Owner	1984–1989: Stena Line (planned) 1989–1996: Regency Cruises 1996–1999: Bank of Greece 1999–2004: Sea Nomad Maritime 2004–2011: Prince Nomad
Port of registry	Greece (1996–2011?)  Comoros (2011)
Builder	Stocznia Gdanska SA, Gdansk
Yard number	B494/04
Laid down	1985
Launched	16 October 1990
In service	1997/98 (planned)
Identification	IMO number: 7907685
Fate	Scrapped in 2012
Notes	Beached for scrap on 16 July 2012
General characteristics
Tonnage	55,000 tons
Length	174.9 meters (1986) 228 meters (1990)
Beam	27.7 meters
Draught	6.7 meters
Capacity	1,600 passengers (planned)

MV Regent Sky was an unfinished cruise ship that travelled to several locations during her incomplete construction. She was initially being built in Poland as the cruise ferry Stena Baltica, one of four sister ships planned for the Stena Line. Still incomplete, she was purchased by Regency Cruises and moved to Greece, but her new owners filed for bankruptcy in 1995.

The unfinished ship was sold for scrap in July 2011.^[1]

History

Regent Sky was originally ordered in 1979 and laid down in 1985 under the name Stena Baltica.^[2] She was one of four fairly identical cruise ferries being built by Stocznia im Lenina, in Gdańsk, a Polish seaport on the Baltic coast, for Stena Line, Stena Germanica, Stena Scandinavica and Stena Polonica.^[3] In 1986, her construction was cancelled (and her sisters' delayed) because of problems with the shipyard.^[4]

The unfinished hull was purchased in 1989 by A. Lelakis, owner of Regency Cruises.^[5] Regency planned to put her into service as their first new ship, having previously purchased and converted ocean liners.^[6] Stena Baltica was towed to the Avlis Shipyards at Perama, Greece (also owned by Lelakis), where a US$200 million process to convert her into a cruise ship began. The vessel was renamed Regent Sky at this time, and 7,000 tons of steel were installed after she was lengthened 50 meters at Elefsis Shipyards in Greece.

Regent Sky laid up at Elefsis.

In 1995, while Regent Sky was at the Avlis Shipyards of Chalkis, Greece and about 60% finished, Regency Cruises ceased operations. The vessel was seized by the National Bank of Greece and Hellenic Industrial Development Bank in July 1999. Since then, Regent Sky moved from one lay up berth to another, including Perama, Ambelakia and then Kinossoura. All attempts to sell the vessel at auction failed. The Regent Sky was later moved to anchorage off Eleusis, Greece, until July 2011 when she was sold for scrapping.^[1][7] This ship, the longest-lived passenger liner that was never completed, finally arrived for demolition in Aliaga, Turkey on 16 July 2012.^[8][9]

Condition

A rendering of Regent Sky as Zoe.

Since her construction was halted, Regent Sky had rusted heavily. During her conversion Wärtsilä main engines were installed. After the bankruptcy of Regency, the engines were removed, leaving Regent Sky unable to move without being towed. The foremost part of her bow was never completed. There were several renderings of the completed ship, with one depicting her as Zoe, sporting a white hull and red funnel.

References