MS Skania

MS Skania is a fast ropax ferry operated by Unity Line on their Świnoujście-Ystad route. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as MS Superfast I. Between 2004 and 2008 she sailed for Grimaldi Lines as MS Eurostar Roma.

MS Skania
History
Name
  • 1995–2004: Superfast I
  • 2004–2008: Eurostar Roma
  • 2008 onwards: Skania
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
BuilderSchichau Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven, Germany[1]
Yard number1087[2]
Launched30 July 1995[2]
Christened25 March 1995[2]
Acquired6 April 1995[2]
In service15 April 1995[2]
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeSuperfast I class fast ropax ferry
Tonnage
  • 23,663 GT
  • 5,717 t DWT
Length173.50 m (569 ft 3 in)
Beam24.00 m (79 ft)
Draught6.41 m (21 ft 0 in)
Installed power
Speed27.9 knots (51.7 km/h; 32.1 mph) maximum speed
Capacity
  • 1400 passengers
  • 686 berths
  • 830 cars
  • 1850 lanemeters

Concept and construction

The Superfast I was the first ship built for Attica Group's subsidiary Superfast Ferries for their Adriatic Sea services from Patras to Ancona.[3] She is a sister ship of MS Superfast II.[2]

Service history

1995–2004: Superfast I

The Superfast I entered service on 14 April 1995 on Superfast Ferries' Patras—Ancona route.[2] In March 1998 after the arrival of the Superfast III & Superfast IV, Superfast I, along with her sister MS Superfast II were transferred to a new route Bari – Igoumenitsa – Patras. In January 2004 the Superfast I was sold to Grimaldi lines, with a delivery date in February of the same year.[2]

2004–2008: Eurostar Roma

Grimaldi Lines took over their new ship on 30 September 2003 and renamed her Eurostar Roma.[2] On 15 March 2004, after a small refit she began on the Civitavecchia – Barcelona route. In March 2008 she was sold to the Polish Steamship Co. with delivery set for May 2008. In April, after the delivery of the new MS Cruise Roma she was put on Civitavecchia/ Salerno-Palermo- Tunis route for a short time.[2]

2008 onwards: Skania

On 5 May she was handed over to her new owners, Polish Steamship Co (Unity Line) and renamed Skania.[2] She then sailed to Gdańsk for a refit, in which her aft open deck was enclosed, amongst other upgrades for her new role. On 29 August she was Christened in Szczecin and had public open days for the flowing two days in the port. On 1 September 2008, she started on the over night Świnoujście–Ystad route.[1] On 17 February 2009, the Skania was involved in a collision near Ystad (Sweden).[1]

References
  1. Koefoed-Hansen, Michael. "M/F Skania". The Ferry Site. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  2. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Superfast I (1995)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  3. Asklander, Micke. "Superfast Ferries". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 April 2009.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.