M/S Superfast VII
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M/S Superfast VII is a fast Ro-Pax ferry operated by the Estonian ferry company Tallink on the route Tallinn (Estonia) — Helsinki (Finland) — Rostock (Germany). She was built in 2001 by Howaltswerke Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel, Germany for Superfast Ferries.
Superfast VII was the first ship to start operating on the Baltic Sea for Superfast, inaugurating their Hanko (Finland) — Rostock (Germany) service on 17 May 2001. Prior to beginning scheduled services the ship had visited Rosyth, Scotland and Helsinki, Finland where it had been displayed to the public.
In March 2006 Superfast sold their Baltic Sea operations to Tallink, but the name Superfast was mainteined as a marketing brand until the end of 2006. The ship was moved from Finnish to Estonian registry, and her route changed to Hanko — Paldiski — Rostock from April 2006 onwards. The route change caused problems however as Estonia was not a member of the Schengen Treaty (unlike Finland and Germany), and passport control facilities had to be built in all ports. Already in June of the same year the route reverted back to Hanko — Rostock. Around this same time the "Superfast" text on the ship's side was altered into "Superfast operated by Tallink". From the beginning on the year 2007 the ship's route changed to Tallinn — Helsinki — Rostock, and the Superfast logos and hull markings were replaced by Tallink's logos (however, the ship's red hull colour was retained).
[edit] Specifications
- Built: 2001, Howaltswerke Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel, Germany
- Length: 203,9 meters
- Width: 25 meters
- Depth: 6,6 meters
- Tonnage: 30,285 GT
- Passengers: 626
- Beds: 626
- Car capacity: 661
- Lanemeters: 1891
- Max speed: 28,9 knots
- Ice class: 1 A Super
- Sister ships: M/S Superfast VIII, M/S Superfast IX, M/S Jean Nicoli
[edit] External links
- M/S Superfast VII at Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish)