M/V Marcella II, Taylor Corp. vessel, replaced M/V Marcella I on the Nassau-Freeport run c.1987 – built in 1956

by Eric Wiberg

M/V Marcella II, presumably in Europe earlier in her career, though this looks like a modern image. It is possible that this is not the same Marcella II trading in Bahamas.

Photo source: copyright by Vladimir Knyaz, http://www.grosstonnage.com/index.php?session=16442S2074293468IBYDQI8575&syslng=ing&sysmen=-1&sysind=-1&syssub=-1&sysfnt=0&code=VESSEL&vck=B@D55@5CW7i@0Ezd@26@9Ec@12@BE@0F

MAILBOAT NAME: M/V Marcella II
PAST NAMES: not known
DIMENSIONS: said to be 170′ long, 298 gross tons, 511 DWT or cargo tons, IMO # 5236654,
CONSTRUCTION: steel
YEAR BUILT: 1956
BUILDER: Busumer Schiffswerft, Busum, Germany (then West Germany)
EARLY CAREER: presumably traded coastwise from Germany 1956-1980s
BAHAMAS CAREER: presumably served Freeport Grand Bahama from Nassau like her namesake the M/V Marcella I, plied Bahamas trades from about 1986/1987 to 1987/1988 when she was damaged and written off. 
CAPTAINS: Capt. Eddins Taylor

FATE: damaged in a storm and insurance was paid c. 1987/1988. According to Capt. Eddins Taylor she became an artificial reef off Long Island Bahamas. See http://www.bahamas.com/diving-in-long
NOTES: I interviewed Capt. Eddins Taylor of the Taylor Corporation, owners of the Pirate’s Well Investments, which owned the Marcella II. Although he didn’t have a photo of the vessel, he said that this ship was the first steel-hulled mail boat owned by black Bahamians. 

1 – According to www.GrossTonnage.com (link below) the vessel is flagged to Bahamas

2 – On the Government list of mailboats c.2000 “M/V Marcella II” is specifically listed as serving the Bahamas.

3 – The owners of the Marcella I also owned the Marcella III, and they are likely to have had a Marcella II.
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Clarification from the audience is, as ever, welcome.