MS Mega Victoria

MS Mega Victoria is a cruiseferry owned by Corsica Ferries. She was formerly owned by Viking Line as MS Amorella and operated on the route Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm and from 2022 Helsinki-Mariehamn-Stockholm. She was built in 1988 by Brodosplit in Croatia, then Yugoslavia.

Mega Victoria At the port of Toulon, 2023
History
Name
  • 1988–2022:Amorella
  • 2022 onwards:Mega Victoria
Owner
Operator
  • 1988–1995: SF Line (in Viking Line traffic)
  • 1995–2022: Viking Line[1]
  • 2022 onwards: Corsica Ferries
Port of registryGenova,  Italy
Route
Ordered3 February 1986[1]
BuilderBrodosplit, Split, Croatia (Yugoslavia)[1]
Yard number356[1]
Launched18 July 1987[1]
Acquired28 September 1988[1]
In service14 October 1988[1]
Identification
General characteristics [2]
TypeCruiseferry
Tonnage
Length169.40 m (555 ft 9 in)
Beam27.60 m (90 ft 7 in)
Draught6.35 m (20 ft 10 in)
Depth13.99 m (45 ft 11 in)
Decks12[3]
Ice class1 A Super
Installed power
PropulsionTwo shafts; controllable pitch propellers[2]
Speed20.5 knots (38.0 km/h; 23.6 mph)[1]
Capacity
  • 2,420 passengers
  • 1,986 berths
  • 450 cars
  • 970 lanemeters[1]

Amorella has three sister ships: Gabriella in the Viking Line fleet, Isabelle operated by Tallink and Crown Seaways, operated by DFDS Seaways.

History
In Turku Harbor before a voyage to Stockholm

Amorella was ordered in 1986 by SF Line, one of the partners in Viking Line consortium. Although Brodosplit outbid other shipyards, the Finnish State offered to subsidise construction of the ship if she was built at a Finnish shipyard. This was a common practice in the 1980s to bring more jobs to Finland, but this time SF Line declined and had the ship built in Croatia. The original planned delivery date for Amorella was in March 1988, but due to delays in construction she was not completed until September, which meant SF Line was forced to operate the lucrative summer season with old tonnage.

Except for short periods of time in 1997, 1998 and 2002, Amorella has always served on the Turku–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Stockholm route, making her the longest-lasting ship on that route. Originally she only called in Mariehamn during day crossing, but in July 1999 she had to start calling at the Åland Islands in both directions to maintain tax free sales on board, and as a result a call at Långnäs was added to the night crossing.

Like all ships, Amorella has suffered occasional misfortune. In 1993 the ship ran aground near Stockholm. She was able to come off by her own power, but her bottom was damaged in the process; she started taking in water and diesel oil leaked from a damaged fuel tank. The ship continued to Stockholm, and after unloading passengers and cargo she sailed to Turku Repair Yard, Naantali for repairs.

Arriving at Mariehamn from Turku, 2019

In 1995, and again in 2001, there was a fire in one of the cabins but the ship's own firefighters managed to put it out. In May 2005 there was a fire in a car parked on the cardeck on Deck 5, but that too was put out by the ship's crew. In March 2010, the ship had to be rescued by ice breakers after becoming stranded in thick ice along with several other vessels. During this stranding, Amorella collided with the Finnlines ship Finnfellow which resulted in a large dent on the port side hull. Nobody was injured in the collision.

On 14 December 2013, MS Amorella lost her steering due to a blackout and ran aground with about 2,000 passengers on board.[4] The only hull damage that occurred was a breach into a bow ballast tank. Therefore, no environmental damage occurred and there was no leak into the vessel. After being stuck for about twelve hours she was able continue her journey to Mariehamn under her own power.[5]

On 20 September 2020, MS Amorella contacted the bottom with 207 and 74 crew aboard.[6] The ship was intentionally run aground to stabilize the vessel.

In January 2017, Viking Line announced that they will put Amorella for sale when their new ship, Viking Glory is delivered. The Viking Glory replaced Amorella on the Turku-Stockholm route in 2022. Since no buyers emerged, Viking Line announced on 26 January 2022 that Amorella instead would join her sister Gabriella on the Helsinki-Stockholm route. Amorella started this service on April 1, 2022.[7]

In August 2022 the ship was sold to Corsica Ferries for an undisclosed amount and was renamed Mega Victoria. Mega Victoria has been subjected to extensive renovations starting in October 2022 and has taken service in 2023.[8][9] It's the second ship that Corsica Ferries buys from Viking Line, the first being MS Mega Regina bought in 2021.

References
  1. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Amorella (1988)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  2. "Amorella (15087)". DNV Vessel Register. DNV. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  3. "M/S Amorella – Cut-away view". Viking Line. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  4. Viking Amorella karilla – "Jotkut ovat itkeneet". Ilta-Sanomat, 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  5. Ilta-Sanomat, 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  6. Schkvarkin, Erofey (20 September 2020). "VIKING's ferry AMORELLA grounded to avoid sinking, passengers evacuation". Maritime Bulletin. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  7. "Viking Line puts AMORELLA on the Stockholm - Helsinki route". Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  8. "Un nuovo traghetto per Corsica Ferries - Crociere e Traghetti - Mare". ANSA.it (in Italian). 5 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  9. Redazione (5 August 2022). "Corsica Ferries acquista un traghetto da Viking Lines". Shipmag (in Italian). Retrieved 11 August 2022.

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