MV SeaFrance Berlioz approaching Dover |
|
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | MV SeaFrance Berlioz |
| Owner: | SeaFrance |
| Operator: | SeaFrance |
| Port of registry: | Calais, France |
| Route: | Dover-Calais |
| Builder: | Chantiers Atlantique, France |
| Yard number: | 032 |
| Launched: | October 14th 2004. |
| In service: | March 30th 2005 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9305843 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 33,796 GT (gross tonnage) |
| Length: | 185.82 m (610 ft) |
| Beam: | 27.7 m (91 ft) |
| Installed power: | 2 x Wartsila 8L46B, 2 x Wartsila 12V46B diesels, 9,000kW |
| Speed: | 25 kn (46.30 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 1900 passengers, 2000 lane metres (120 lorries or 700 cars) |
MV SeaFrance Berlioz is a ferry owned by SeaFrance and operated on its Dover—Calais route. She was built in 2004 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Yard No.032) at Saint-Nazaire, France, for SeaFrance, as a passenger and roll-on roll-off car and commercial vehicle ferry. SeaFrance Berlioz is engined by Wartsila of Helsinki, Finland, and was launched 14 October 2004. She has a sister ship, the MV SeaFrance Rodin.[1]
The SeaFrance Berlioz carries out up to ten English Channel crossings per day with SeaFrance, in a time of 70 minutes each. In total, there are 11 decks. The passenger areas account for the upper two decks, with the lower decks used for the vehicles. The passenger area includes a retail space and children's play area. The retail area covers around 500m² and includes a boutique and a shopping area offering clothes, cosmetics, confectionary, beer, wines and spirits. There is also a newspaper kiosk, bureau de change and information desk. On board, there are six bars and restaurants. The Latitudes café bar and the Le Parisien café are located in the ship's bow - the former on the upper deck and the latter on the lower deck. The Latitudes can seat 260 passengers with waiter service for 60 and the Le Parisien café can accommodate 350 diners. The other areas are the Relais self service restaurant, the la Brasserie Restaurant, the Le Pub bar, which has seating for 400 people, and a commercial driver's restaurant catering for 160 people. The Relais is situated at the stern and overlooks the children's play area. It has seating for 350 customers. [2]
Maneuverability is important for a vessel having to make 20 port movements a day. To assist in manoeuvring at port, the vessel has four transverse thrusters, three in the bow and one in the stern. The Wartsila thrusters are rated at 1,800kW each. The propellers and thrusters can be controlled individually, with the aid of a joystick, or simultaneously. It can berth in wind speeds of 50 knots without tug assistance.[3]