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Ferry set sail to Fiji after languishing for more than 2½ years

The "Queen of Melbourne", left to languish for more than 2½ years on Corio Bay, has finally sold to an international buyer. She set sail from Geelong on Jan 5, 2018, bound for the South Pacific. She was to be used as a passenger ferry servicing islands in Fiji and should be there in a few days. The ferry had been idle in Geelong since May 2015, following a string of incidents that began in Europe and stretched through the Middle East and into Australia. The owner Farooq Qamar bought the vessel in Norway for $300,000 and planned to operate it as a party boat in Melbourne. He hired a crew to sail it to Melbourne in September 2014, but an on-board mutiny that threatened to turn violent forced Spanish authorities to intervene. Qamar hired a new crew in Morocco but the ferry was damaged in heavy weather in the Red Sea off Egypt. After battling a cyclone off West Australia’s coast — and seeing eight crew members detained and then deported — another crew was engaged for the vessel’s final voyage from Fremantle to Melbourne. However, another on-board standoff, and the failure to secure sites at Docklands and Williamstown, left the ferry stranded in Corio Bay. For the past 18 months authorities had been charging $200 per day for the ferry to berth at Corio Wharf. It had earlier been left about 200 metres offshore, but was moved due to fears it could break loose and cause damage. Report with photo: http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/stranded-ferry-queen-of-melbourne-to-set-sail-from-geelong/news-story/8947fb1606e6b7d0cfbafdaa597d7f8b

Rusting ferry towed to port

The "Queen of Melbourne" has been taken to port from its long time mooring in the Corio Bay on June 8, 2016. The ferry sat idle in the bay since May 2015 after a dispute erupted between her owner and the captain. She was originally brought out to Australia from Norway, with the former owner hoping to use her as a party hire boat in Melbourne. The vessel has now been docked at Corio Quay after concerns were raised about her continued seaworthiness. The Victorian Regional Channels Authority was now trying to find out what the future plans were for the ferry. The Victorian Regional Channels Authority was now charging the owner $200 per day after shifting the ferry to the Corio Quay wharf. Reports with photos: http://www.bay939.com.au/news/local-news/63112-stranded-ship-towed-to-shore http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/rusting-queen-of-melbourne-brought-to-shore-after-languishing-in-corio-bay-for-more-than-a-year/news-story/ef3f64a5053b37d73bcdac20252323ec

Ferry arrived in Fremantle to make final preparations ahead of its expected quarantine clearance

On Mar 4 , 2015, the "Queen of Melbourne" berthed in Fremantle fishing port at the request of Customs and Border Protection. The owner, the Victorian businessman Farooq Qamar, confirmed a hijacking off the Spanish coast in October 2014. The ferry had been bought just weeks before in Bergen where it was renamed, and Mr Qamar made preparations to have it head to Victoria to operate as a sightseeing vessel between Geelong and Frankston. Mr Qamar was not among the eight crew but enlisted a friend from Victoria to travel with seven Pakistanis.According to Mr Qamar, his friend wanted to buy into the business and when he was refused, became agitated at sea and convinced two crew to help take control. When the ship approached Algeciras for refuelling, the captain managed to call the Coastguard, which sent two boats to intercept it. The agitators gave up after a short chase and were ejected by Spanish authorities which left the problem of an undermanned vessel and Mr Qamar had no sooner begun recruiting replacement crew from Morocco when a fresh dilemma emerged. Australian authorities advised that the vessel did not have authority to enter Commonwealth waters, and it took two months before certification had been granted under the old name. Finally, it left Algeciras in January 2015 after picking up the replacement crew in Morocco. It charted a course for Fremantle via the Suez Canal, Maldives and Christmas Island. A mix up between Mr Qamar's shipping agent and Australian authorities resulted in the crew obtaining the wrong visas, and they were promptly taken to Northam's Yongah Hill immigration detention centre after arrival. Eight Pakistani crew had since voluntarily departed Australia. Mr Qamar, who has recruited another crew from Victoria to get the vessel to Melbourne, was in Fremantle to make final preparations ahead of its expected quarantine clearance.