76 / 5,983gt / 5,525dwt (BGR) [gct]

owner : Navigation Maritime Bulgare

built : Stocznia Szczecińska im. 'A. Warskiego'
yd : 287 type : B80/VI/12
L - 23:12:1975, D - 18:06;1976

sold Butoni Demizcilik, arrived Aliaga, TUR, 07:10:2003

photo : Great Yarmouth, 15:07:1980
photo : © Dr. Allan Ryszka-Onions 1980/2008

the penultimate of a class of 13 cargo training ships built for Eastern Block countries, 9 to Russia, 2 to Poland (transferred to China in 1989), 1 to Bulgaria and the last one to Romania. They had 3 cargo holds, a variety of cargo handling gear and berths for 159 trainees (except #12 which had 180 berths). Quite the largest ship I ever saw coming into Great Yarmouth (still not sure how she got round the bend) and I can honestly say this was the only time I was late for an appointment through photographing ships !!!!!! (but I was not missing this one).

It was to facilitate the naming of this vessel, that the previous NV was renamed Balchik. Again I have used the spelling on the ship, not that in the Registers.