Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (ASN)FerriesHellenic Mediterranean Lines (HML)Past and PresentSealinkThoresen Car FerriesTownsend Thoresen

MV Viking I – Past and Present

IMO Number: 6407652

MV Edi

ex Media V, Media II, Neptunia, European Glory, Sunny Boat, Vasmed, Caravan, Sun Boat, Viking Victory, Viking I

© Fotoflite, Dover Ferry Photos Library

© Fotoflite

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1964 by Kaldnes Mekaniske Verksted A/S. Tonsberg, Norway, (Yard No 158) for Otto Thoresen Shipping Co. A/S, Oslo, Norway, as a passenger and vehicle ferry.

Technical Data

  • Length: 99.50m (overall)
  • Breadth of Hull: 18.32m (extreme)
  • Draught: 4.42m (maximum)
  • Tonnage: 3,680 gross, 1,782 net, 1,199 deadweight
  • Engines: Two 12-cylinder, Pielstick – Lindholmens diesels
  • Power: 7620 kW
  • Speed: 18.5 knots
  • Capacity: 940 passengers, 180 cars
  • Call Sign: JXYO, H2PJ
  • IMO Number: 6407652
  • Registry: Oslo/Norway 🇳🇴, Limassol/Cyprus 🇲🇹
  • Sisters: Viking II (160), Viking III (618)

History

October 1963: Keel laid.

Motor Ship

January 31st 1964: Launched

Motor Ship

Motor Ship

April 29th 1964: Delivered to Otto Thoresen Shipping Co A/S, Oslo, Norway.

May 4th 1964: Introduced between Southampton – Cherbourg , being registered as CARFERRY VIKING I.

September 7th 1964: Slightly damaged in Outer Dock, Southampton when in collision with British Railways cargo vessel ELK.

1965 (Winter): Chartered to Atlantic Steam Nav. Co., London. Introduced between Tilbury/ Felixstowe – Rotterdam – Antwerp.

1965 (Summer): Operated between Southampton – Cherbourg.

Photo Precision Postcard

Photo Precision Postcard

January 1966 – March 1966: Chartered to Atlantic Steam Navigation for service between Tilbury (London)- Antwerp.

March 1966: Back operating between Southampton – Cherbourg.

December 21st 1966 – February 18th 1967: Chartered to Atlantic Steam Navigation for the Antwerp – Rotterdam route then switched to the Irish Sea and operated seventeen sailings between Preston and Belfast/Larne. She then went to Oslo for the fitting of additional cabin accommodation behind the bridge.

March 1967: Back in service between Southampton – Cherbourg.

© John Clarkson, Dover Ferry Photos Library

© John Clarkson

September 12th 1968: Registered to Thoresen Car Ferries A/S, Oslo and chartered for 20 years to Thoresen Car Ferries Ltd., Southampton. Merger of Otto Thoresen Shipping Co, A/S, Oslo and Townsend Car Ferries, Dover. Joint companies named changed to Townsend Thoresen Car Ferries.

© Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher

October 11th 1969: Chartered to Oy Siljarederiet AB, Åbo, Finland. Left Southampton for Åbo via Lübeck.

Edmund Ziegler Collection (Charter to Silja Line)

October 15th 1969 – December 25th 1969: Operated between Stockholm – Mariehamn – Åbo.

November 1st 1969: Damaged in severe storms and repaired at Finnboda Yard.

November 11th 1969: Resumed in service.

© J K Byass, Dover Ferry Photos Library

© J K Byass

December 25th 1969: Left Stockholm for Dover.

© Fotoflite

© Fotoflite

December 28th 1969: Commenced service between Dover – Zeebrügge.

February 4th 1970 – February 27th 1970: Laid up in Southampton.

February 1970 – April 1970: Major refit at builders yard in Bergen, Norway.

Edmund Ziegler Collection

April 1970 – October 15th 1970: Operated between Southampton – Le Havre/ Cherbourg.

October 16th 1970: Left Southampton for Gothenburg.

October 18th 1970 – November 27th 1970: Major refit at builders yard in Gothenburg.

November 29th 1970: Introduced between Southampton – Le Havre/ Cherbourg.

October 1st 1973: Chartered to Travemünde-Trelleborg Linien GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg, Germany. Left Southampton for Travemünde.

October 6th 1973 – March 1974: Operated between Trelleborg – Travemünde.

March 1974: Commenced service between Southampton – Le Havre/ Cherbourg.

February 1975: Chartered for a month to Lion Ferry Ab, Halmstad, for use with Prinzen Line services between Hamburg – Harwich.

April 11th 1975 – May 21st 1975: Operated between Felixstowe – Zeebrügge.

Andreas Wörteler Collection

Andreas Wörteler Collection

June 17th 1976: Renamed VIKING VICTORY. Introduced between Portsmouth – Le Havre/ Cherbourg.

© Urbain Ureel

© Peter Longhurst © Peter Longhurst

🆕 © Peter Longhurst

September 1976 – December 1976: Chartered to Stena Line Ab, Gothenburg. Operated between Gothenburg – Frederikshavn.

December 1977: Laid up in England.

June 1977 – September 1977: Operated between Portsmouth – Cherbourg.

Dover Ferry Photos Library  Photo Precision Postcard

🆕 Postcards

September 1977: Laid up as an accommodation ship in Southampton.

October 1st 1977 – November 23rd 1977: Chartered to Travemünde-Gedser Ruten A/S, Gedser, Denmark. Operated between Gedser – Travemünde.

April 1st 1978 – April 28th 1978: Chartered to Sealink U.K. Ltd. Operated between Weymouth – Guernsey – Jersey, as cover for the strike-bound EARL GODWIN.

© Ken Larwood

© Ken Larwood

May 18th 1978 – September 10th 1978: Operated between Portsmouth – Cherbourg.

October 31st 1978: Introduced between Felixstowe – Europort.

June 1979 – September 1979: Portsmouth – Cherbourg. Thereafter laid up for the winter.

June 1980 – September 1980: Operated between Portsmouth – Cherbourg.

April 9th 1981 – April 16th 1981: Chartered to Sealink Manx Line for Heysham – Douglas services.

April 21st 1981 – September 13th 1981: Operated between Portsmouth – Cherbourg.

September 13th 1981: Departed Portsmouth for Gothenburg to be laid up for sale.

© A Scrimali, Dover Ferry Photos Library

© A Scrimali

1983: Sold to Euphoria Navigation Sa, Limassol, Cyprus, renamed SUN BOAT. Introduced by Happiness Maritime Co between Piraeus – Rhodess – Limassol – Beirut – Latakia.

© Tony Garner

© Tony Garner (Piraeus, 21/06/1983)

February 7th 1985: A fire on the SEA NYMPH, which was moored alongside, spread causing minor damage.

April 1985: Sold to Red Sea Line SA, Limassol, Cyprus, renamed CARAVAN. Introduced between Aqaba – Jeddah – Suez.

April 19th 1986: Sold to Bluebird Shipping Co Ltd, Limassol, Cyprus, renamed VASMED.

Andreas Wörteler Collection

Andreas Wörteler Collection

1986: Registered to Sharo Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus. Renamed SUNNY BOAT. Operated between Piraeus – Rhodes – Heraklion – Limassol – Latakia.

July 1990: Chartered to European Seaways. Renamed EUROPEAN GLORY. Operated between Patras – Igoumenitsa – Korfu – Brindisi.

© A Scrimali, Andreas Wörteler Collection

 © A Scrimali

© Frank Heine  © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine (Patras, 14/07/1990)

July 1991: Sold to Regonti Navigation Ltd, Piraeus, Greece.

September 1991: Chartered to Hellenic Mediterranean Lines Piraeus, Greece. Renamed NEPTUNIA. Introduced between Patras – Igoumenitsa – Corfu – Brindisi.

1992: Sold to Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, Piraeus, Greece (Registered in Cyprus with home port being Limassol). Renamed MEDIA II. Introduced between Patras – Igoumenitsa – Corfu – Brindisi.

© Andreas Wörteler

© Andreas Wörteler

© Frank Heine  © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine (Brindisi, 16/07/1992)

March 8th 2002: Sold to Mediterranean Freedom Marine, Limassol, Cyprus, renamed MEDIA V. Introduced between Italy – Albania.

© Andreas Wörteler  © Andreas Wörteler  

© Andreas Wörteler (all)

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Brindisi, 23/07/2002)

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Brindisi, 27/07/2004)

May 1st 2005: Arrested in Durres, Albania.

September 9th 2006: Arrived Igoumenitsa.

November 16th 2006: Arrived Drapetsona.

2007: Planned services for Ionian Sky Ferries between Brindisi – Corfu – Igoumenitsa did not materialise and she was laid up.

© Aleksi Lindstrom

© Aleksi Lindstrom

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Perama, 07/08/2007)

2007: During the autumn she was floated to Eleusis Bay to await scrapping.

March 12th 2008: Sold by auction for breaking.

May 4th 2008: Having been renamed EDI arrived in Aliaga, Turkey.

May 14th 2008: Beached and scrapping commenced.

©  Selim San  ©  Selim San 

©  Selim San


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Brian Fisher, Fotoflite, Tony Garner, Frank Heine, John Hendy, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindström, Peter Longhurst, Selim San, Urbain Ureel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in compiling this feature.

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

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