MS Stena Superfast VII

header caption	(in Stena Service)‡R4R‡
class	Superfast VII class fast ropax ferry
tonnage	10769 Net Tonnage 30285 Gross Tonnage
displacement	13315 tonnes (light)
length	203.3 m
beam	25 m
draught	6.6 m
depth	9.1 m
deck clearance	4.7 m, 5.1 m on central 4 lanes of the upper vehicle deck
power	4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer NSD ZA V40S main engines producing 11,500 kW each(total 46000 kW), coupled to 2 × 5.2 m KaMeWa propellers via 2 × Schelde dual input single output gearboxes 3 × MAN B&W 8L28/32H, producing a total of 1,848 kW each @ 720 rpm
propulsion	2 × 5.2 m KaMeWa propellers 3 × 925 kW KaMeWa bow thrusters *1 × 1,350 kW stern thruster‡R4R‡
speed	20 kn - 22 kn‡R4R‡ Consumption: 50 tonnes at slow speed (16 - 18 knots), 75 tonnes at eco speed (19 - 21 knots)
capacity	1,200 passengers 661 cars or 110 trailers (or a mix of both) 1924 lane metres 5920 Deadweight
crew	65 - 80 (dependent on service requirements) 18 (Minimum Safe Manning)
notes	Entered Stena service along with her sister Stena Superfast VIII on 21/11/2011.‡R4R‡

MS Stena Superfast VII is a fast Ro-Pax ferry owned by Stena Line and operated on their service between Belfast and Cairnryan. Built in 2001 by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany for Attica Group's subsidiary Superfast Ferries, The ship was sold to its current owners in 2017.[1]

Concept and construction

Stena Superfast VII was the first ship in a series of four ice-classified ropax ferries built by HDW in Kiel for Superfast Ferries' Baltic Sea services.[5] The ship was ordered in 1998, alongside sister ship MS Superfast VIII,[6] launched from dry dock on 8 November 2000 and was delivered to Superfast Ferries on 8 May 2001.

Service history

2001–06: Superfast Ferries

Following delivery the Superfast VII visited Rosyth, Scotland and Helsinki, Finland where it was displayed to the public. It inaugurated Superfast Ferries' Hanko (Finland) – Rostock (Germany) service on 17 May 2001. On 18 January 2002 a pregnant passenger went into labour on board while the Superfast VII was en route from Hanko to Rostock. Taking the ship to Karlshamn, Sweden, where the expecting mother could be taken to a hospital, was considered, but in the end the decision was made to bring a midwife on board by a pilot boat. The child had already been born by the time the midwife arrived on board, with the captain's wife assisting in childbirth.[1]

On 12 November 2004 the Superfast VII was entering Hanko harbour in heavy wind with the help of two tugs when she was grounded near the Hanko breakwater at 19:24 Eastern European Time. The grounding resulted in no major damage and the ship was able to continue to the harbour soon afterwards. 140 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. Subsequent enquiries revealed the safety management system instructions provided for the crew by Superfast Ferries had not included instructions for port steering during a storm, which had led to an incorrect estimation of the wind effect and insufficient utilization of the ship's navigational equipment.[3] Following the grounding the ship sailed to Turku Repair Yard in Naantali, Finland on 14 November 2004 and returned to service after repairs on 27 November 2004.[1]

2006–11: Tallink

On 21 March 2006 Superfast Ferries sold their Baltic Sea operations (Superfast VII, Superfast VIII and MS Superfast IX) to the Estonia-based Tallink, with the delivery date set for 10 April 2006. According to the agreement Tallink could continue utilising the Superfast brand until the end of 2007 at latest.[1][7] Following delivery to the new owners the ship was moved from Finnish to Estonian registry, and the ship's route changed to Hanko–Paldiski–Rostock on 17 April 2006.[1] The route change caused problems however as Estonia was not a member of the Schengen Treaty (unlike Finland and Germany), and passport control facilities had to be built in all ports. Already in June of the same year the route reverted to Hanko–Rostock. Around the same time the "Superfast" text on the ship's side was altered into "Superfast operated by Tallink".[1]

The route of the Superfast VII was changed to Helsinki–Rostock on 1 January 2007 and Tallinn–Helsinki–Rostock on 14 January 2007.

2011 onwards: Stena Line

In March 2011, Stena Line announced they will be chartering the Superfast VII and sister ship Superfast VIII. Superfast VII and Superfast VIII commenced operations on 21 November 2011 after major refit by MJM Marine in Remontowa Shipyard in Poland.[10] The vessels now operate between Belfast and Stena Line's new terminal at Cairnryan.[11] In February 2014, Stena renewed the charter of these ships until Autumn 2019. However, Stena decided to purchase both vessels outright for a combined price of €133.5m during 2017.[12]

MS Stena Superfast VII

Concept and construction

Service history

2001–06: Superfast Ferries

2006–11: Tallink

2011 onwards: Stena Line

Conversion to day ferries

Incidents

Other information

External links

References