MS Mega Express Four

Mega Express Four is a fast roll-on/roll-off ferry owned by Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries and operated on their routes from Nice and Toulon to Ile Rousse. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as Superfast II. Between 2003 and 2006 she sailed for TT-Line as Spirit of Tasmania III.[1][3]

Mega Express Four
Mega Express Four at Ajaccio
History
Name
  • 1995–2003: Superfast II
  • 2003–2006: Spirit of Tasmania III
  • 2006 onwards: Mega Express Four
Owner
Operator
  • 1995–2003: Superfast Ferries
  • 2003–2006: TT-Line
  • 2021-2021: Irish Ferries
  • 2006 onwards: Corsica Ferries[1]
Port of registry
BuilderSchichau Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven, Germany
Yard number1088[1]
Launched14 January 1995[1]
Christened25 March 1995[1]
Acquired31 May 1995[1]
Out of service24 May 2017
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics (as Superfast II)[1]
Class and typeSuperfast I class fast roll-on/roll-off ferry
Tonnage
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
General characteristics (as Mega Express Four)[1]
Tonnage
Speed26 kn (48.15 km/h) service speed[2]
Capacity
  • 1965 passengers
  • 909 berths
  • 550 cars
  • 1400 lanemeters

Concept and construction

Superfast II was the second ship built for Superfast Ferries for its Adriatic Sea services from Patras to Ancona.[4] Its construction was identical to that of MS Superfast I.[1]

Service history

1995–2003: Superfast II

Superfast II entered service on 11 June 1995 on Superfast Ferries' Patras to Ancona route.[1][3] In April 1998, following the delivery of the new MS Superfast IV,[5] Superfast II was transferred to the Patras—Igoumenitsa—Bari route. From October 1999 until January 2000 she returned to the Patras—Ancona route as a replacement for MS Superfast III that was undergoing repairs after an onboard fire. In July 2003 Superfast II was sold to TT-Line, with a delivery date set in September of the same year.[1][3] TT-Line had already purchased Superfast III and Superfast IV the previous year, renaming them Spirit of Tasmania II and Spirit of Tasmania I, respectively.[6]

2003–2006: Spirit of Tasmania III
Spirit of Tasmania III on Mersey River, Devonport.

TT-Line took over the ship on 30 September 2003 and renamed her Spirit of Tasmania III. It subsequently sailed to Hobart, Tasmania, where it was refitted for its new service. On 15 January 2004, the ferry entered service on TT-Line's new Sydney—Devonport route.[1][3] Passenger demand for the new service proved smaller than had been expected, and the low passenger numbers combined with rising fuel costs led to the Government of Tasmania's decision to terminate the service in August 2006. As a result, Spirit of Tasmania III was put up for sale.[7]

On 17 July 2006 Spirit of Tasmania III was sold to Mediterranean operator Corsica Sardinia Ferries for €65 million (A$111 million). The ship left on her final voyage for TT-Line on 27 August 2006.[8]

2006 onwards: Mega Express Four

Corsica Sardinia Ferries took over Spirit of Tasmania III on 5 September 2006 and renamed it Mega Express Four. The ferry entered service for its new owners in November of the same year.[1] Between January and April 2007, it was rebuilt at the Megatechnica shipyard in Perama, Greece with an expanded aft superstructure.[3][9] She returned to service on 4 May 2007.[1]

From February to 3 April 2021, she was chartered to Irish Ferries for general relief during their ferries annual overhauls, mostly covering the Dublin to Holyhead route.[10][11]

See also

References
  1. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Superfast II (1995)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  2. "Mega Express Four technicals details". The Yellow Lines. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  3. "Mega Express Four history". The Yellow Lines. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  4. Asklander, Micke. "Superfast Ferries". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  5. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Superfast IV (1998)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  6. Boyle, Ian. "TT-Line-Tasmania". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  7. "Tassie scraps Sydney to Devonport ferry". The Age. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 14 January 2007.
  8. "Corsica snaps up Spirit of Tasmania III". Direct Ferries. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 14 January 2007.
  9. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Mega Express Four (1995): Ombyggnadsbilder". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2008.
  10. Tarbox, Steven (16 February 2021). "Irish Ferries begins 2021 dry-dockings". niferry.co.uk - News and Information Ferry Site. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  11. Tarbox, Steven (6 April 2021). "[Updated] Irish Ferries' New Ship Arrives in Rosslare". niferry.co.uk - News and Information Ferry Site. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
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