SS El Faro
Year Built: 1974
Reconstruction: 1992/2006
FEU Capacity: 600
Speed: 22 knots
El Faro, which means lighthouse in Spanish, is a symbol of Sea Star Line’s vision, guidance, and commitment to the trade between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
SS El Yunque
Year Built: 1976
Reconstruction: 1990/97
FEU Capacity: 600
Speed: 22 knots
The SS El Yunque was named for Puerto Rico’s 28,000-acre rain forest, a protected tract in the rugged Sierra de Luquillo, 40 kilometers southeast of San Juan. One of the oldest reserves in the Western Hemisphere, El Yunque is the only rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. It is home to the rare Puerto Rican Parrot, one of the top ten most endangered birds in the world.
SS El Morro
Year Built: 1974
Reconstruction: 1990/96
FEU Capacity: 600
Speed: 22 knots
The SS El Morro steams past her namesake monument, Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, each time she enters San Juan Harbor. The imposing fortress has protected the entrance of San Juan Bay since 1540. Its name, literally, “Fortress of Saint Philip of the Promontory”, refers to the high bluff on which it proudly stands.
Vessels
Sea Star Line has announced the addition of a new ship to its fleet. El Faro, which means lighthouse in Spanish, began service in March 2006 as Sea Star’s third ship in the rotation between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
El Faro, formerly named the Northern Lights was operated by Totem Ocean Trailer Express in the Alaska trade and is coming off charter from the Military Sealift Command, servicing the Middle East. El Faro was modified by Atlantic Marine in Mobile, Alabama to a configuration similar to Sea Star’s other vessels.
Our versatile high-speed ships were built by Sun Shipbuilders in Philadelphia, Pa. Prior to commencement of service with Sea Star they underwent significant reconstruction. Sea Star vessels are the only combination roll-on roll-off/ lift-on lift-off ships in the trade.
The names of the ships were carefully selected to reflect the heritage and pride of Puerto Rico. SS El Yunque is named after the Puerto Rican rain forest the only rain forest in the United States National Forest System. SS El Morro is named after the fortress that has protected the entrance of the San Juan Bay since 1540. SS El Faro is named after the many Puerto Rican lighthouses and represents Sea Star Line’s vision, guidance, and commitment to the trade between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Since their deployment with Sea Star Line in the Puerto Rico trade in November 1998, these ships have maintained a 98.5% ON-TIME arrival record (i.e., within two hours of schedule) at San Juan.
Click here to view the vessel layout