You've really delighted me today, Sasha.

Not quite sure about correct spelling of her name; my notes, however, say [b]Tibor Szamueli[/b].

IMO: 7505334, call sign: ???

L: 267m, B: 35m, D: 11m; ? BRT, 36600 DWT (26 barges, 1100DWT each), 4x 9150hp Warstila main engine, 20kn.

Built in 1979 by Valmet Vuosaari Helsinki/FI, yard #291. Sister ship [b]Yulius Fuchik[/b], *1978, #290, IMO 7505322.
Both owned by Soviet Danube Shipping Co. (SDP) Izmail; operated by Interlichter Co. under "Danube – Sea Line" trademark; Soviet flag, port of reg. Izmail.

Both sailed between Danube (Sulina/RO) and Mekong (Ho Chi Minh/VN) deltas mainly, but also to Karachi/PK, Bombay/IN and Penang/MY. Barges were loaded in all then navigable Danube ports, from Regensburg/DE down to Galati&Braila/RO. They were then pushed downstream to Sulina, loaded onto a barge carrier, shipped to the Far East and then pushed or towed upstream Mekong as far as Phnom Penh /KH. The voyage from Danube to Ho Chi Minh took some 18 days normally, loading/unloading of the barges not more than 3 days and waiting at anchor in Ho Chi Minh for the barges to get to final destination, be unloaded and loaded and sailed back took often up to 3 months! So crews could enjoy nice holiday ;-)
Tibor and Yulius were the only two SDP-owned barge carriers, they were also the best know doing this job, but Interlichter from time to time hired other carriers as well.

After the demand for this service rapidly dropped in early 1990's, both Tibor and Yulius were laid up. Some sources have it that Yulius was sold to a U.S. owner, registered at Panama, equipped with rails and used for rolling stock export from USA to Latin America. Tibor is often said to be rebuilt to a drilling platfrom.
But their subsequent appearance in registers is as follows:
Tibor Szamueli:
1998 - sold to Epanopi Spg. Ltd., renamed to [b]Development Driller[/b], registered at Limassol/CY,
2002 - sold to ?, renamed to [b]Asian Reliance[/b], registered at Panama/PA,
2003 - sold? to ?, renamed to [b]Reliance[/b], registered at ?,
2003 - sold? to ?, renamed to [b]C Reliance[/b], registered at Ulanbatar/MN,
Oct 2003 - broken up at Gadani Beach/PK.

Yulius Fuchik:
1998 - sold to Kotronia Marine Co. Ltd., renamed to [b]Production Driller[/b], registered at Limassol/CY,
2002 - sold to Pacific Marine Ltd., renamed to [b]Asian Alliance[/b], registered at Panama/PA,
2003 - sold? to ?, renamed to [b]Alliance[/b], registeredat Ulanbatar/MN,
Jul 2003 - broken up at Alang/IN.

This suggest they were owned by the same people, were used for the same purpose (what?) and at the end shared the same fate... But more details would be welcome.

Doe's anybody have any more info on this vessel,or her sisters,(if any).

Mike