MV Funchal
 MV Funchal in Helsinki, June 2009 | |
| Career (Portugal) |  Portugal |
|---|---|
| Name: | Funchal |
| Namesake: | Funchal |
| Operator: | Empresa Insulana de Navegação |
| Port of registry: | Lisbon |
| Builder: | Helsingor Skibsvaerft A/S |
| In service: | 1961 |
| Out of service: | 1974 |
| Refit: | 1972 |
| Homeport: | Lisbon |
| Career (Portugal) | Portugal |
| Name: | Funchal |
| Operator: | CTM - Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Marítimos |
| Port of registry: | Lisbon |
| In service: | 1974 |
| Out of service: | 1985 |
| Refit: | 1972 |
| Homeport: | Lisbon |
| Career (Portugal) | Portugal |
| Name: | Funchal |
| Owner: | G. Warwick Co. Inc |
| Operator: | Classic International Cruises |
| Port of registry: | Madeira |
| In service: | 1985 |
| Out of service: | 2011 |
| Homeport: | Lisbon |
| Status: | Transferred to Portuscale Cruises in 2013 |
| Career (Portugal) | Portugal |
| Name: | Funchal |
| Operator: | Portuscale Cruises |
| Port of registry: | Madeira |
| In service: | 2013 |
| Refit: | 2013 |
| Homeport: | Lisbon |
| Status: | In active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Cruise liner |
| Tonnage: | 9,563 GRT |
| Length: | 152.6 m (501 ft) |
| Beam: | 19.05 m (62.5 ft) |
| Depth: | 6.18 m (20.3 ft) |
| Decks: | 6 |
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Capacity: | 524 passengers |
| Crew: | 155 |
MV Funchal is a Portuguese passenger and cruise liner. It is the last remaining ship and symbol of the once large fleet of Portuguese liners. Since the beginning of 2013, Funchal has been owned and operated by the Portuguese cruise company Portuscale Cruises.
The ship was built in 1961, under the guidancet of the Portuguese naval engineer Rogério d'Oliveira.
Funchal is a classic cruise liner with a beautiful profile and charming interiors. It has a fascinating and proud maritime heritage, having served as a Portuguese Presidential yacht for state visits. The ship was also once owned by one of the wealthiest families in the Azores.
The ship has been successfully serving the British cruise market over the past 20 years, carrying thousands of passengers and was the first vessel to join the Classic International Cruises fleet in 1984.
Its features include stabilisation, air-conditionimng, three lifts, a main show lounge (Ilha Verde), piano bar (Porto Bar), club room, library, card room, lido bar, shop, photo shop, medical centre, excursion office, and reception with exchange facilities
Having gone through extensive works in 2010 (to comply with SOLAS 2010) the ship went back to a Lisbon Shipyard in February 2011 for a lengthy refit, which should include changes to its power plant as well as passenger and crew cabins and public lounges. The idea is to make the ship fit for service for at least another ten years. In November 2011, she completed 50 years of service, always under the same name. During 2012 work began to come to an end at the shipyard and finished towards April with only 20% of the required work completed, and following Classic International Cruises' liquidating in December 2012 she faced the threat of going for scrap.
In early 2013 a Portuguese entrepreneur Rui Alegre purchased Funchal - as well as Princess Danae, Arion and Athena - to serve for the newly formed Portuscale Cruises. During 2013, Funchal was extensive;y refurbished in the Lisbon Naval Rocha shipyards, being upgrated to 4 star vessel, with an investment of about 10 million euros. In the refurbishment, the ship's hull was re-painted in black, its original colour.
On the 1 August 2013, the refurbished Funchal was re-inaugurated, in the presence of prime-minister Passos Coelho. In late August 2013 the ship left drydock in Lisbon, Portugal and on August 27, 2013 arrived in Gothenburg, Sweden to restart her cruising career.
On the 28 of August 2013 the refurbished Funchal was not released from the harbour in Gothenburg. The cruiseship was fully loaded with passengers but was not allowed to leave. Accordingly to some Swedish press, many security issues where found.[1] In a press release, Portuscale Cruise CEO denied the existence of security issues, informing that the issues were only related with the mulfunction of two watertight doors and one sprinkler station that had already been detected by the crew, which informed the Swedish Port State Control authorities.
On the 2 of September 2013, already with the issues solved, all inspections made and certified, Funchal left Gothemburg harbour and restarted its cruise, heading to Scotland.[2]
- ↑ http://www.expressen.se/gt/fartyget-stoppades--ligger-kvar-i-goteborg/
- ↑ http://www.portuscalecruises.pt/en-GB/Portuscale-Cruises--The-Discoveries-Continue.aspx