MS Superfast IX, a sister ship of MS Stena Superfast VII, outside Helsinki in March 2009 |
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| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Stena Superfast VII |
| Owner: | 2002–2006: Superfast Ferries 2006 onwards: Baltic SF VII Ltd (Tallink)[1] |
| Operator: | 2002–2006: Superfast Ferries 2006-2011: Tallink[1] 2011 onwards Stena Line[1] |
| Port of registry: | 2002–2006: Piraeus, Greece 2006-2011: Paldiski, Estonia 2011 onwards: Belfast United Kingdom[1] |
| Route: | Belfast–Cairnryan |
| Builder: | HDW, Kiel, Germany |
| Yard number: | 358[1] |
| Launched: | 18 November 2000[1] |
| Acquired: | 8 May 2001[1] |
| Maiden voyage: | 17 May 2001[1] |
| In service: | 17 May 2001[1] |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9198941[1] |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics (as built)[1] | |
| Class and type: | Superfast VII class fast ropax ferry |
| Tonnage: | 30,285 GT (gross tonnage) |
| Displacement: | 5,915 metric tons deadweight (DWT) |
| Length: | 203.90 m (669 ft) |
| Beam: | 40.00 m (131 ft) |
| Draught: | 6.60 m (21 ft 8 in) |
| Decks: | 10[2] |
| Ice class: | 1 A Super[2] |
| Installed power: | 4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer NSD ZA V40S diesels combined 46000 kW |
| Propulsion: | 2 propellers 3 bow thrusters 1 stern thruster[3] |
| Speed: | 30.4 kn (56.30 km/h)[2] |
| Capacity: | 626 passengers 661 cars 1920 lane meters |
| Crew: | 63[3] |
MS Stena Superfast VII is a fast Ro-Pax ferry owned by the Estonian ferry company Tallink and chartered to Stena Line operated on their service between Belfast and Cairnryan. Built in 2001 by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany for Attica Group's subsidiary Superfast Ferries, she was sold to her current owners in 2006.[1]
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The Stena Superfast VII was the first ship in a series of four ice-classified ropax ferries built by HDW in Kiel for Superfast Ferries' Baltic Sea services.[4] She was ordered in 1998, alongside sister ship MS Superfast VIII,[5] launched from dry dock on 8 November 2000 and was delivered to Superfast Ferries on 8 May 2001.[1]
Following delivery the Superfast VII visited Rosyth, Scotland and Helsinki, Finland where she was displayed to the public. She inaugurated Superfast Ferries' Hanko (Finland) – Rostock (Germany) service on 17 May 2001. On 18 January 2002 a pregnant passenger went into labour on board while the Superfast VII was en route from Hanko to Rostock. Taking the ship to Karlshamn, Sweden where the expecting mother could be taken to a hospital was considered, but in the end the decision was made to bring a midwife on board by a pilot boat. The child had already been born by the time the midwife arrived on board, with the captain's wife assisting in childbirth.[1]
On 12 November 2004 the Superfast VII was entering Hanko harbour in heavy wind with the help of two tugs when she was grounded near the Hanko breakwater at 19:24 Eastern European Time. The grounding resulted in no major damage and the ship was able to continue to the harbour soon afterwards. 140 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. Subsequent enquiries revealed the Safety Management System instructions provided for the crew by Superfast Ferries had not included instructions for port steering during a storm, which had led to an incorrect estimation of the wind effect and insufficient utilization of the ship's navigational equipment.[3] Following the grounding the ship sailed to Luonnonmaan telakka in Naantali, Finland on 14 November 2004 and returned to service after repairs on 27 November 2004.[1]
On 21 March 2006 Superfast Ferries sold their Baltic Sea operations (Superfast VII, Superfast VIII and Superfast IX) to the Estonia-based Tallink, with the delivery date set for 10 April 2006. According to the agreement Tallink could continue utilising the Superfast brand until the end of 2007 at latest.[1][6] Following delivery to the new owners the ship was moved from Finnish to Estonian registry, and her route changed to Hanko–Paldiski–Rostock on 17 April 2006.[1] 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 the same time the "Superfast" text on the ship's side was altered into "Superfast operated by Tallink".[1]
The route of the Superfast VII was changed to Helsinki–Rostock on 1 January 2007 and Tallinn–Helsinki–Rostock on 14 January 2007. Coinciding with this all remaining Superfast logos on the ships were painted over with Tallink logos, but otherwise the original Superfast livery was maintained.[1] Due to falling passenger numbers and rising fuel costs the route of Superfast VII and VIII will revert to Helsinki–Rostock in late 2008, while the Superfast IX will be chartered to Marine Atlantic in October 2008.[7][8] Reportedly Tallink are considering the closure of the entire Tallink Superfast -division.[7] In January 2010, the Superfast VII and her sister were removed from service and laid up in Tallinn, but they resumed service on the Helsinki-Rostock route at the end of April 2010 and continuing during the summer and autumn season. On 29 and 30 December 2010, Superfast VII replaced MS Superstar on the route Tallinn-Helsinki due to scheduled docking[1]
In March 2011, Stena Line announced they will be chartering the Superfast VII and sister ship Superfast VIII. The Superfast VII And Superfast VIII will launch the 21 November 2011 after major refit by MJM forces in Remontowa Shipyard in Poland[9]. The vessels will operate between Belfast and Stena Line's new terminal at Cairnryan.[10]
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