HSC Speedrunner III

HSC Superseacat Three departing Helsinki, October 2006
Career
Name: 1999–2009: HSC Superseacat Three
2009–present: HSC Speedrunner III
Operator: 1999–2003: Sea Containers
2003–2006: Silja Line
2006–2008: SuperSeaCat
2008–present: Aegean Speed Lines
Builder: Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso, Italy
Yard number: 2003
Acquired: March 1999
In service: 8 April 1999
Homeport: 1997–2008: La Spezia  Italy
2008–present: Piraeus  Greece
Identification: IMO number: 9141871
Status: In service
General characteristics [1]
Tonnage:4465 GT
Displacement:340 TDW
Length:100.30 meters
Beam:17.10 meters
Height:10.70 meters
Draught:2.60 meters
Installed power:4 × Ruston V20RK 270
Propulsion:4 × KaMeWa 112F11 waterjets
combined 27500 kW
Speed:35 knots (65 km/h) service speed
40 knots (74 km/h) maximum speed
Capacity:688 passengers
120 cars
4 busses

HSC Speedrunner III is a fast ferry operated by Aegean Speed Lines between Piraeus, Siros, Tinos and Mykonos. She was built in 1999 at Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso, Italy, for Sea Containers Ltd as HSC SuperSeaCat Three. Under that name she sailed on Sea Container's services around the British Isles, as well as with their subsidiaries Silja Line and SuperSeaCat on the Baltic Sea.[2]

History

SuperSeaCat Three was the third mono-hulled fast ferry to be built for Sea Containers. She was initially set in traffic between Liverpool, England and Dublin, Ireland. In 2000 Dublin was switched to Douglas, Isle of Man. The following year SuperSeaCat Three started operating between Dover, England and Calais, France.[2]

Since the year 2000 Sea Containers had operated HSC SuperSeaCat Four between Helsinki and Tallinn, marketed as a part of their Silja Line brand. The route was highly profitable and in 2003 It was decided that SuperSeaCat Three should join her sister in that service. Due to the Baltic Sea freezing during winter, the service could not be operated between January and April each year, so the ship spent those month laid up.[2] For the summer season of 2005 a third ship, HSC SuperSeaCat One was added to the service.[3]

SuperSeaCat Three approaching Helsinki in intermediate livery, August 2006

In late 2005 Sea Containers decided to sell their ferry operations, including the profitable Silja Line. However, the company that bought Silja Line, Estonian ferry operator Tallink, already operated several fast ferries (as well as traditional ferries) between Helsinki and Tallinn. As a result they could not take over the SuperSeaCats as that would have given them a dominant market position on the route. Hence Sea Containers decided, despite their earlier decision, to continue operating SuperSeaCat Three and Four under the SuperSeaCat brand.[4]

On 12 October 2007 the SuperSeaCat Three collided with HSC Tallink AutoExpress 2 in Tallinn harbour. Due to strong winds the SuperSeaCat Three was assisted by a tug, but this was not enough to prevent the collision. No passengers were harmed, but the SuperSeaCat Three tore a meter-long hole on the side of the AutoExpress 2.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ SuperSeaCat: Specifications, retrieved 1. 10. 2007
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: HSC SuperSeaCat Three (1999), retrieved 12. 10. 2007
  3. ↑ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: HSC SuperSeaCat One (1997), retrieved 12. 10. 2007
  4. ↑ (Finnish) Valkeat laivat: Uudet tuulet puhaltavat, retrieved 12. 10. 2007
  5. ↑ (Finnish) Ilta-Sanomat: SuperSeacat ajoi päin Tallinkin AutoExpressiä, retrieved 12. 10. 2007
  6. ↑ (Finnish) / (English) FCBS Forum: SuperSeaCat Three osui Tallink AutoExpress 2:een, retrieved 12. 10. 2007

External links