Speedlink Vanguard was a 3,514 GRT train ferry which was built in 1973 as Stena Shipper.

The ship sailed under the flags of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Greece, New Zealand, Panama, Sweden, Turkey and West Germany at various points in her career.

[1] Stena Shipper was built in 1973 by A. Vuyk & Zonen's Scheepswerven, Capelle aan den IJssel, Netherlands as Yard Number 864.

[1] In May 1981, Alpha Express was sent to Smith's Dock, Middlesbrough, Tyne & Wear for conversion to a train ferry.

[2] Speedlink Vanguard entered service on the Harwich – Zeebrugge route on 21 August.

On 19 December 1982, Speedlink Vanguard collided with European Gateway off Harwich, tearing a 70-metre-long (230 ft) gash in European Gateway's hull and causing her to capsize in the shallow water with the loss of six of the 70 people on board.

[5] On 6 January 1987, Speedlink Vanguard lost engine power and steering in a Force 8 gale in the North Sea and issued a Mayday.

Between April and June 1989 the ship was rebuilt at Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, West Germany, following which she was chartered to Truckline Ferries, Caen, France and renamed Normandie Shipper.

Two days later, she was sold to Trond A Kittelsen Shipping, A/S, Brevik, remaining on the Hirtshals – Langesund route.

She was operated by Thraki Med RoRo Lines on the Volos – Izmir route from September 2006.

On 3 November 2007, Boa Vista was sold to Thraki Shipping Co SA, Panama and renamed Birlik 1.