MS Ålandsfärjan
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| MS Ålandsfärjan | |
|---|---|
| Shipyard: | Helsingör Skibs & Maskinbygg, Helsingör, Denmark |
| Launched: | March 24, 1972 |
| Delivered: | July 14, 1972 |
| Route: | - |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 6,336 gross register tons (GRT) |
| Length: | 105.2 m |
| Beam: | 18.6 m |
| Propulsion: | Two HSM/ B&W 10U45HU diesels. 8,096 kW |
| Speed: | 16 knots |
| Passengers: | 963 |
| Car capacity: | 180 |
| Lane meters: | 340 |
| Ice class: | 1 B |
| Sister ship: | MS Djursland (scrapped 2005) |
MS Ålandsfärjan (literally "the Åland ferry") is a ferry owned by the Finnish ferry company Viking Line. Until May 29, 2008 she serviced on a route connecting Mariehamn, Finland to Kappelskär, Sweden. She is currently laid up in Mariehamn, awaiting to be handed over to her new owners, G.A.P Shipping Co. The ship was built in 1972 by Helsingör Skibs & Maskinbygg, Helsingör, Denmark as MS Kattegat for Jydsk Færgefart A/S.
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[edit] Service history
The Kattegat was delivered in 1972 and placed on the intra-Denmark Grenå—Hundested service of Jydsk Færgefart A/S. She stopped serving on that route in December 1977. In March 1978 she was sold to the London-based Midland Montague Leasing Ltd who leased the ship to P&O Normandy Ferries Ltd, also based in London. After rebuilding at Caillard S.A., Le Havre, France the ship was renamed MS nF Tiger placed on Dover—Boulogne-sur-Mer service. In 1985 P&O Normandy Ferries was bought by Townsend Thoresen. The ship's name was shortened to MS Tiger, but she remained on the same service.
In July 1986 the ship was laid up, and in November of the same year she was sold to Finlandshamnen AB, a subsidiary to SF Line, one of the owners of the Viking Line consortium. After being rebuilt the ship was renamed MS Ålandsfärjan and placed in Mariehamn—Kapellskär service in May 1987. In 1993 after bankruptcy of the other Viking Line partner, Rederi AB Slite, Ålandsfärjan's route was extended into Naantali—Mariehamn—Kappelskär (freight only on the Mariehamn—Naantali part of the route), but this solution was found impractical and soon the ship returned to the earlier route.
In 2002 the ship was rebuilt at Baltic Ship Repairers, Tallinn, Estonia, where sidesponsons were added for increased stability. In recent years the ship has suffered from numerous engine problems, and in January 2007 Viking Line ordered a replacement for her to be delivered in summer 2009, codenamed Viking ADCC.
On 23 October 2007 the ship touched the bottom near Mariehamn. Passengers were readied for evacuation, but an inspection of the ship revealed no major damage and she was able to cuntinue to Mariehamn under her own power, arriving some 30 minutes behind schedule.[1] As a result of the accident, all departures until 22 November were cancelled.[2] Investigations revelated that the cause for the accident were new duty rosters: the officer on duty was inspecting the new roster and because of that failed to notice that the ship should have made a course change while approaching Mariehamn.[3]
Already in September 2007 an Ålandian newspaper had claimed that the Ålandsfärjan would be replaced on the Mariehamn—Kapellskär route already in spring 2008, when MS Rosella would take over the route.[4] On 8 April 2008 Viking Line confirmed the claim[5] and on 30 May, the Rosella replaced the Ålandsfärjan the route. On 27 May, Viking Line revealed that they had sold the Ålandsfärjan to G.A.P Shipping Co in Barbados with delivery on mid June 2008. [6]
[edit] Decks
- Engine room
- Car deck
- Car deck
- Sea Side Café, Tax-Free shop, Parfymeria, Children's playroom
- Restaurant Rödhamn, Sun Deck Bar
- Bridge, Conference room, "Air seats"
[edit] References
- ^ (Finnish) MTV3: Ålandsfärjan ajoi karille, retrieved 23. 10. 2007
- ^ Viking Line traffic bulletin, retrieved 1. 11. 2007
- ^ (Finnish) Ilta-Sanomat 14. 11. 2007: Perämies tuijotti työvuorolistaa - laiva karille, retrieved 14. 11. 2007
- ^ (Swedish) Ålandstidningen: Rosella sätts in på Kapellskär till våren, retrieved 26. 9. 2007
- ^ M/S Rosella snart tillbaka i Roslagens skärgård: Viking Line ersätter M/S Ålandsfärjan med större fartyg (PDF). Viking Line press release. Viking Line (2008-04-08). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
- ^ (Swedish) M/S Ålandsfärjan säljs, retrieved 2008-06-01
[edit] External links
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