MS Silja Europa

History
Name: Silja Europa
Owner:
Operator:
Port of registry:
Builder: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
Yard number: 627
Launched: 23 January 1993
In service: 1993–present
Refit:

(2014) Bridgeman

(2016) Tallink
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Type: Cruiseferry
Tonnage: 59,914 GT
Length: 201.8 m (662 ft 1 in)
Beam: 32.5 m (106 ft 8 in)
Draught: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in)
Ice class: 1 A Super
Installed power:
  • 4 × MAN 6L58/64
  • 31,800 kW (combined)
Propulsion: Two shafts; controllable pitch propellers
Speed: 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph)
Capacity:
  • 3,013 passengers
  • 3,644 passenger beds
  • 400 vehicles (932 lane meters)

MS Silja Europa, owned and operated by Tallink, is one of the largest cruiseferries in the world. It was built at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany for the ferry operator Rederi AB Slite, a part of Viking Line. Main architect was Per Dockson, Sweden.

The ferry was already painted in Viking Line's colors and almost ready to be handed over, when the Swedish krona was devaluated by 10%, which led Slite into economical difficulties. Slite could not pay for the ship so Meyer Werft kept it and soon managed to charter it to Viking Line's rival, Silja Line. It was put on the HelsinkiStockholm route, replacing MS Silja Serenade which was put to the TurkuMariehamn–Stockholm route, but Silja Europa and Silja Serenade had to exchange routes in 1995 as Silja Serenade had troubles navigating in the Turku archipelago.

A McDonald's restaurant was located onboard Silja Europa from its maiden trip until 1996 when it was closed down and replaced by Silja Line's own hamburger restaurant.

History

MS Europa as she would have appeared in Viking Line's colors. Advance painting from circa 1992.

Europa was launched on January 23, 1993 and christened the Silja Europa in Hamburg, Germany on March 5, 1993.

Silja Europa on one of her Christmas cruises from Turku to Riga.
Silja Europa in Silja Line colours

See also

References

Preceded by
MS Silja Symphony
World's Largest Cruiseferry
19932001
Succeeded by
MS Pride of Rotterdam
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