The London registered Brig Stavros S Niarchos sailing this afternoon,
Built in Appeledore in 2001 she is a hefty 500 ton and belongs to the Tall Ships Youth Trust.

Lovely shot. She took part in the Tall Ships' Races in Hartlepool during August 2010. She's also due back to Hartlepool, according to the PD Ports site, on June 29th. I am sure many will welcome her back.

Actually she/they were not built by Appledore Shipbuilders.

Stavros S Niarchos was launched as Neptun Princess (Yard Number 6442) and Prince William as Neptun Baroness (Yard Number 6441) in 1996 by Aberking and Rasmussen at Bremen, Germany for a Company belonging to the Aberking and Rasmussen Group.
The Company then got into financial difficulties and the Hulls with completed superstructure were laid up. In 1996 both Hulls were towed to Rostock where they were moored at the Neptun Werft Yard on the eastern side of the Warnow River.

The Hulls were bought by the Tall Ships Youth Trust in 1997 and I have a recollection that they were both laid up in the Hudson Dock at Sunderland while funds were raised for rebuilding. [Can one of our Sunderland Team confirm this??]

Agreement was reached with Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd to rebuild both Hulls. Stavros was Yard Number A.S 178 and Miramar has her Completion Date as September 2001 whilst Prince William was Yard Number A.S 179 and her completion date is down as March 2001. Both were Brigantine Rigged.

Aux. Engines were Twin M.T.U. Diesels developing a total of 906 hp (Stavros) and 898 hp (PW) however for some reason the Stavros is credited with a speed of 10 knots whilst the PW is credited with a speed of only 8 knots. Both were also equipped with two thrusters.

In 2007 the Prince William was laid up and eventually sold to the Pakistani Navy in 2010 and renamed RAH NAWARD.

Current plans by the Trust are to replace the Stavros with a smaller Tall Ship in the next few years that will be cheaper to operate.

I assume the Prince William must have had a few problems which forced the Trust to Lay her up and eventually sell her but "Prince William" was a much more patriotic name for a UK Tall Ship than "Stavros S Niarchos".

I would say that 'Prince William' is a more monarchist name, rather than more patriotic. The difference is often overlooked.

Paul,
I'm certain you're right as I'm sure i have a photo somewhere of one of them being towed into or out of Sunderland.

Paul

I am sure you are right about the lay up in Sunderland. I have a photo somewhere of the two hulls moored side by side and I have been looking for it to post on NEM. I will probably come across it in 2016.

Dave,

You said: I will probably come across it in 2016.

Oh, I'm so glad somebody else has a filing system as good as mine!!

Ron

You certainly get lots of information on this site.

Stavros S Niarchos in Blyth sunny (?) today