European Ferries

The European Ferries Group was incorporated in 1935 as Monument Securities Limited, becoming a public limited company in 1949. In 1957, Monument Securities bought a 51% stake in Townsend Car Ferries and in 1959 acquired the remaining shares. The same year Monument Securities changed its name to George Nott Industries Limited. ==Townsend Thoresen==

'' in Dover's Eastern Docks, 1984 In 1968, George Nott Industries purchased the Otto Thoresen Shipping Company and its subsidiary Thoresen Car Ferries. As a result of this acquisition it changed its name to European Ferries Limited. In 1971 the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company Limited (trading as Transport Ferry Service) was acquired from the National Freight Corporation. All three of the companies under European Ferries used the name Townsend Thoresen to market their ferry services. In 1973, European Ferries purchased Larne Harbour Limited and a 50% stake in the former naval dockyard at Harwich. This was followed in 1976 with the acquisition of The Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company. In 1979, European Ferries entered the property industry in a joint venture for property development in Denver, it expanded this in Atlanta and in 1980 began buying further land in Houston. It had acquired around of land. Larne Harbour Limited In 1973, European Ferries took over the operations of Port of Larne, Northern Ireland, following the purchase of Larne Harbour Limited. and a new passenger terminal in 1985. ==Property management==

European Ferries Group had a number of subsidiaries in the property management and development industry. These were managed by subsidiaries EF International Inc in the United States, Inmogold SA in Spain and Townsend Thoresen Developments Limited and Townsend Thoresen Properties Limited in the United Kingdom. In May 1985, European Ferries transferred the majority of its UK property interests to Stockley Plc in exchange for a 44% share and as a result of Stockley's acquisition of 26.5% Stock Conversion Plc this stake was reduced to 34.7%. European Ferries maintained a portfolio of around 15 to 20 properties in the UK and was also involved in a leisure development in Southern Spain and other properties in Hamburg and Frankfurt ==In the media==

• In the 1969 original version of The Italian Job, the ferry used by the robbers to reach the continent was the Free Enterprise I (around 40 minutes into the film). • In 1977, the Viking Valiant attended the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Fleet Review in the Solent. • Townsend Thoresen was the sponsor for the British Formula Ford 1600cc Championship in 1981, when future Formula One Grand Prix winner Ayrton Senna won the championship. ==Falklands War==

In 1982, three vessels operated by European Ferries were requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence to assist with the Falklands Campaign. The three vessels were; Europic Ferry, Nordic Ferry and Baltic Ferry • Baltic Ferry was equipped with a helipad and carried three Army helicopters, 105 troops, and 1874 tons of stores and ammunition to Ajax Bay on 1 June 1982. • Nordic Ferry was equipped with a helipad and carried troops, stores, and ammunition to the Falklands on 29 May 1982. Following the Falklands War, a number of lessons had been learnt by the British Government. In a bid to test their understanding of these lessons, the Ministry of Defence scheduled a military exercise named Exercise Purple Warrior in Scotland in November 1987. A number of vessels were chartered by the MoD, including European Ferries Viking Viscount. Prior to leaving for this charter the Viking Viscount was fitted with an extra ramp to enable unloading of vehicles to Mexeflotes. A number of military vehicles were embarked in Plymouth prior to the exercise beginning. ==References==