FerriesLion FerryPast and PresentSally LineStena Line

MV Prinsessan Christina (II) – Past and Present

IMO Number: 6918560

MV Ravi

ex Aqua Solution, Wind Solution, Palau, Commodore, Stena Prince, Lion Prince, Europafarjan I, Stena Nordica, Prinsessan Christina, Safe Christina, Prinsessan Christina II

© Aalborg Værft

© Aalborg Værft

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1969 at Aalborg Værft, A/S, Ålborg, Denmark (Yard No 180) for Rederi AB, Goteborg Frederikshavn Linjen, Sweden (operating under the name of Sessan Linjen) as a passenger and vehicle ferry

Technical Data

  • Length: 123.45m (404.9 ft)(overall)
  • Breadth: 19.61m (64.4 ft) (extreme)
  • Depth: 12.6m (41.4 ft)
  • Draught: 5.25 m (16.1150 ft)(maximum)
  • Tonnage: 5,697 gross (1969), 5,926 (1992), 8,893 (2006)/2,823 net, 2,978 (1992)/1,819 deadweight 1,848, 1,845
  • Engines: Eight 12-cyl, Nohab diesels. Eight 12-cyl, Nohab-Polar SF 112 VS-e diesels
  • Power: 11,475kw.
  • Speed: Max 21.0. Service 18.0.
  • Capacity: 1400 passengers, 360 cars
  • Call Sign: SDGW, IBIZ, 2ARO7, 5BXX4.
  • MMSI Number: 620987000
  • IMO Number: 6918560
  • Registry: Gothenburg/Sweden 🇸🇪, Genoa/Italy 🇮🇹, London/UK 🇬🇧, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾, Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Comoros 🇰🇲
  • Sister Ship: Prinsess Desiree (190)

History

“The first of a pair built at Aalborg Vaerft each vessel, unusually, having eight engines in an effort to give operational versatility.”

February 29th 1968: Date of building contract.

January 14th 1969: Keel laid.

May 9th 1969: Launched.

December 9th 1969: Delivered to Rederi Ab Göteborg -Frederikshavn Linjen, Gothenburg.

December 13th 1969: Introduced between Gothenburg and Frederikshavn.

1974 : Ship tours between Gothenburg and Travemünde.

Nigel Thornton Collection

1976: Rebuilt.

© Jürgen Stein

© Jürgen Stein (early 1979)

October 1979: Sold to Consafe Ship Rederi Ab, Göteborg and chartered back to Rederi Ab Göteborg-Frederikshavn Linjen, Göteborg.

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Gothenburg, October 1980)

February 1981: Handed over to her new owners and renamed SAFE CHRISTINA then laid up.

Andreas Wörteler Collection (Gothenburg, 1981)

August 24th 1981 – October 25th 1981: Chartered out to Sally Line and introduced between Ramsgate – Dunkerque.

   

© Ken Larwood (Both)

    

© Tony Garner (Left) and © Fotoflite (Right)

© Fotoflite

© Fotoflite 

January 17th 1982: Introduced by Vinga Line between Gothenburg  – Frederikshavn with freight only.

Andreas Wörteler Collection (Gothenburg, January 1982)

January 27th 1982: Sold to Stena Line Ab, Göteborg and renamed PRINSESSAN CHRISTINA.

Andreas Wörteler Collection (Gothenburg, 1982)

February 1982: Commenced service with Stena Sessan Line between Gothenburg – Frederikshavn.

May 1983: Introduced between Moss – Frederikshavn – Gothenburg.

© Jürgen Stein (Frederikshavn, July 1983)

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Frederikshavn, July 1983)

August 15th 1983: Renamed STENA NORDICA.

© Jürgen Stein

© Jürgen Stein (Frederikshavn, 1984)

October 1984 – November 1984: Rebuilt at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg with 60 new cabins.

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine

October 1985: Transferred to Lion Ferry and renamed EUROPAFÄRJAN I.

© Jürgen Stein

October 21st 1985: Commenced services between Helsingborg – Grenå.

1986: In the summer she operated between Varberg – Grenå – Helsingborg – Grenå.

March 30th 1987: Renamed LION PRINCE after refit.

© Jürgen Stein
© Frank Heine
© Frank Heine (Genoa 10/07/1987)

September 1988: Introduced between Halmstad – Grenå.

1989: In the summer operated between Varberg – Grenå – Helsingborg – Grenå.

October 1989: Operated between Halmstad – Grenå.

© Pieter Inpyn  © Pieter Inpyn  

© Pieter Inpyn (Halmstad (01/06/1990)

January 27th 1991: Ran aground outside Grenå.

April 1994: Operated between Varberg – Grenå.

© Andreas Wörteler

© Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer (Grenå, 22/08/1994)

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Genoa 30/08/1996)

January 1998: When the Lion Ferry routes were incorporated into parent company Stena Line she was renamed STENA PRINCE.

© Ulrich Streich

February 1st 1999: Final day in service and lid up for sale.

March 1999: Sold to Freedom Ferries SrL, Naples, Italy (T.R.I.S) and renamed COMMODORE.

April 17th 1999: Left Varberg for Italy.

© Carlo Martinelli

© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 02/05/1999)

June 13th 1999: Introduced between Genoa – Paula (Sardinia) – Porto Vecchio (Corsica).

April 14th 2000: Introduced between Genoa – Porto Torres – Propriano.

  © Carlo Martinelli

© Andreas Wörteler (Genoa, June 2000)(Left) © Carlo Martinelli (April 2000)(Right)

2001: Operated between Genoa – Paula (Sardinia) – Porto Vecchio (Corsica).

© Frank Heine  © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Genoa 02/07/2001)

December 2001: Introduced between Portoferraio – Piombino.

   

© Andreas Wörteler (Both)

© Carlo Martinelli

© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 23/08/2002)

October 2002: Laid up in Genoa after T.R.I.S. went bankrupt.

2003: Sold to Enermar Trasporti Isole Sarde S.r.l., Genoa, Italy.

April 2003: Renamed PALAU.

April 11th 2003: Commenced services between Genoa – Palau.

© Ton Grootenboer

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Genoa, 27/07/2003)

November 2004: Chartered out for 3 months, with extension option, to D&P Cruises, S.p.A. Italy.

December 2004: Operated between Bari – Durazzo.

June 2005: Services between Genoa – Palau.

© Federico Bolognini

© Federico Bolognini (Genoa, 06/07/2005)

© Frank Heine © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine (Genoa, 15/07/2005)

October 1st 2005: Sold to D&P Cruises, S.p.A. Italy for services between Bari – Durres.

© Frank Heine  © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine (Genoa, 08/08/2006)

June 15th 2007 – September 16th 2007: Service between Salerno – Olbia.

February 2008: Left Italy for Tallinn, Estonia for conversion to a hotel ship.

© Ulrich Streich

February 29th 2008: Went through the Kiel Canal, but stopped at Kiel owing to bad weather.

March 2008: Sold to C-bed BV, Holland. (English flag, home port London). Renamed WIND SOLUTION.

March 2nd 2008: Continued from Kiel to Tallinn where conversion was completed.

March 20th 2008: Arrived in Grimsby to act as a hotel ship for engineers constructing offshore wind farms, and had been surveyed to start the process for transferring her to the UK flag. The ship remained in port completing remedial work identified during survey.

May 6th 2008: Whilst departing the Port of Grimsby, UK the vessel made contact with the harbour wall resulting in damage to plating on the port quarter and a small hole on the transom.

“At 0532, the pilot was on board, two tugs were in attendance and the crew went to stations. The master agreed to the pilot’s suggestion that the master would manoeuvre the ship off the berth and turn her, and then the pilot would take over to negotiate the locks and the river passage. During the process of letting go, sailing was temporarily delayed while it was confirmed that all passengers had boarded. Letting go having resumed, the pilot went inside the bridge to collect his radio, and on return to the bridge wing found the ship already moving off the quay.

The master manoeuvred the ship sideways parallel to the quay, and then began turning her to starboard. The pilot was stood forward of the engine control console, from where he could see the position of the engine and bow thrust controls. However, he could not monitor the amount of rudder applied, since the steering gear was operated by push button controls, and he was unable to see the rudder angle indicator.

No instructions had been given to the second officer stationed aft on the poop with respect to reporting clearing distances. However, since the poop was divided by the stern door, he had stationed an AB on the port side, with a VHF radio and instructions to call the bridge with distances off the quay if closing. As the turn progressed, and with the port quarter closing the quay, the AB called the bridge by VHF radio several times, counting down the distance. This was heard by the second officer on the starboard poop, but by no one on the bridge. The port quarter made contact, and scraped along the quay for approximately 30 metres, dislodging a set of quayside bollards, before the pilot, who had now taken control, manoeuvred the ship clear.

The ship then continued without further incident to the Bull anchorage for pilot disembarkation. The coxswain of the boat being used for pilot transfer reported to the pilot and master that he could see a hole in the ship’s port quarter. Having inspected the damage, the master decided to return to port for repairs.”

Source: Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)

January 2009: Arrived at Fredericia after rebuild.

   

© Dirk Jankowsky (Both)

June 23rd 2010: Noted as being at the Greater Gabbard Anchorage, off Felixstowe and then operating in the North Sea.

October 10th 2014: Noted as being at anchor in Colwyn Bay.

© Ray Goodfellow  © Ray Goodfellow  

© Ray Goodfellow  © Ray Goodfellow  

© Ray Goodfellow  © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow (Departing Portsmouth 12/10/2017)

January 2018: Sold to Eagle Shipping Ltd, Registered manager; Sea Jets Maritime Co and renamed AQUA SOLUTION, registered in Cyprus.

January 12th 2018: Departed Portland, United Kingdom for Piraeus, Greece.

January 25th 2018: Arrived in Piraeus, Greece.

© Dimitris Mentakis (Piraeus, 25/01/2018)

February 2018: Moved to Drapetsona Bay near Piraeus.

© Dennis Mortimer  © Dennis Mortimer  

© Dennis Mortimer (Drapetsona Bay 07/07/2018)

November 11th 2019: Whilst moored in Piraeus, in collision with AARGAUTHE. No casualties and no marine pollution were reported from the incident. The relevant Port Authority in Piraeus, which conducted the preliminary investigation, banned the ships from sailing until the presentation of a seaworthiness certificate.

© Dimitris Mentakis (Drapetsona, 11/02/2020)

March 7th 2021: “The NORAH was moored in the repair zone of Neos Molos Drapetsonas, broke lose from its moorings and was pushed agains the AQUA SOLUTION, which was moored astern. The collision caused minor material damage. No injuries or marine pollution were reported. Three tugs came to assist and pulled the ship to a safer place of Neos Molos Drapetsonas. The North Port Department of Keratsini of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus continued the long time ban of the ships from sailing until the presentation of seaworthiness certificates”.

June 20th 2022: Left Piraeus showing destination as Port Said.

July 5th 2022: Arrived at As Suways (Suez) Anchorage.

July 7th 2022: Left As Suways (Suez) Anchorage showing destination as Muscat, Oman.

October 20th 2022: Left Muscat for Alang, India.

November 2022: Renamed RAVI .

November 9th 2022: Arrived at Alang, India for scrapping.

Ship Breaking 

Ship Breaking 


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Federico Bolognini, Carsten Dettmer, Carlo Martinelli, Dimitris Mentakis, Dennis Mortimer, Tony Garner, Ton Grootenboer, Frank Heine, Pieter Inpyn, Dirk Jankowsky, Ken Larwood, Jürgen Stein, Ulrich Streich, and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Special thanks to Nigel Scutt @ Fotoflite

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

2 Comments

  1. Currently, June 2013, anchored off Prestatyn, North Wales as hotel vessel for Gwynt y Mor windfarm.

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