MV Moby Otta
Ex Princess of Scandinavia, Tor Scandinavia, World Wide Expo, Scan Arab Expo, Holland Expo, Tor Scandinavia
© Simonwp (Immingham, 01/05/1976)
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1976 by Lübecker Flender-Werke, Lübeck, Germany (Yard No 608) as a Passenger/RoRo Cargo/Ferry.
Technical Data
- Length: 182.35 – 184.55 m (overall) 163.186 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 23.63 – 26.40 m
- Depth: 16.06 m
- Draught: 6.050 m
- Tonnage:15673 – 21545 gross/7756 – 12099 net/3290 – 3335 t deadweight
- Engines: 4 x Vee Oil 4SA Pielstick PC3 12 V480 diesels
- Power: 34018 kW/45600 bHP
- Speed: 26 knots (Service) 27.2 knots (Max)
- Capacity: 1524 – 1720 passengers/420 cars
- Call Sign: SFKN, OWEN, OWEN2, ICBG
- MMSI Number: 247185400
- IMO Number: 7361324
- RI Number: 84364
- Port of Registry: Gothenburg/Sweden 🇸🇪, Esbjerg/Norway 🇳🇴, Copenhagen/Norway 🇳🇴, Naples/Italy 🇮🇹
- Sister-Ship: Tor Britannia (607)
Current AIS Location
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History
“Second of a pair of vessels, the original basic design, by Knud E. Hansen A/S who ceased to be involved in the project once the design was submitted. Subsequent development was carried out by Tor Line’s Technical Director, Lars Wikander.”.
April 2nd 1975: Keel laid.
November 4th 1975: Launched.
© Marius Esman (North Sea Canal, 01/01/1976)
April 15th 1976: Christened by Jennifer Wilson (the daughter of Sir Reginald Wilson, who was then chairman of the United Baltic Corporation.).
April 12th 1976: Delivered to Rederi Ab Salenia/ Salénrederierna/ Rederi Ab Transatlantic (Tor Line Ab), Gothenburg
April 15th 1976: Services between Gothenburg – Felixstowe/Immingham and Gothenburg – Amsterdam.
© Edmund Ziegler Collection (Immingham Dock, July 1976)
1976 (Autumn): Between Gothenburg – Amsterdam encountered a hurricane in the North Sea. Nine windows were broken, and the ship took in water through the front fresh air intakes. She was delayed for over 18 hours.
1977: Took up services Gothenburg – Felixstowe and Gothenburg – Amsterdam.
© Fotoflite
January 1979 – February 1979: Chartered to Dutch exhibitors as HOLLAND EXPO for use as an exhibition ship in the Middle East.
© Edmund Ziegler Collection
February 26th 1979: Returned to normal service.
December 23rd 1979: Ran aground and taken out of service for repairs.
December 28th 1979: Returned to service and runs aground again after a few minutes of departure from Gothenburg.
January 1980: Cooperation between Tor Line and Sessan Linjen begins. The new marketing name is Tor Sessan Linjen, which is painted on the ship’s hulls.
© Marius Esman (Amsterdam, 01/01/1980)
© Edmund Ziegler Collection
January 17th 1980 – March 6th 1980: Chartered to Scan Arab Expo for a new round trip as an exhibition ship in the Middle East and Asia.
Andreas Wörteler Collection (Left) Postcard (Right)
April 1980: Back in service.
“Triangle” was a BBC Television soap opera broadcast in the early 1980s, set aboard a North Sea Ferry that sailed from Felixstowe to Gothenburg and Gothenburg to Amsterdam. A third imaginary leg existed between Amsterdam and Felixstowe to justify the programme’s title, but this was not operated by the ferry company.”,
© Tony Garner (15/06/1980)
December 16th 1980 – March 1981: Chartered to Dutch exhibitors as an exhibition ship in the Middle East.
© Simonwp (Amsterdam, 01/03/1981)
March 1st 1981: The collaboration between Tor Line and Sessan Linjen ends
October 22nd 1981: Sold to Scandinavian Seaways Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas. (DFDS A/S).
December 1981: Tor Line was sold to the Danish company DFDS
© Ken Smith (Harwich, July 1982)
© Gordon Dalzell (Left) © Simonwp (Right)
December 10th 1981: Vessel taken over by DFDS. (Homeport Esbjerg). Used between Gothenburg – Felixstowe.
October 22nd 1982: Arrived in Copenhagen for refit.
October 25th 1982 – March 25th 1983: Chartered to Dutch exhibitors. Renamed WORLD WIDE EXPO .
© Simonwp (Amsterdam, 25/10/1982)
December 10th 1982: Left Copenhagen for Singapore via Suez.
January 10th 1983: Arrived Bangkok, then to Tanjung – Berhalam – Singapore – Port Keland – Balikpapan – Muara.
January 27th 1983: Arrived in Manila, Philippines.
February 1st 1983: Left Singapore for Copenhagen.
February 26th 1983: Renamed TOR SCANDINAVIA .
March 3rd 1983: Service Gothenburg – Felixstowe – Amsterdam.
© Fotoflite
© Fotoflite
April 1st 1983: Services Gothenburg – Harwich – Amsterdam.
© Ken Smith (Left) Courtesy of Chris Howell (Right)
© Pieter Inpyn (Ijmuiden, 11/09/1983)
September 24th 1983: Services to Amsterdam closed.
© Ulrich Streich Harwich 11.83
December 1983: Sold to K/S Difko XXXIII, Copenhagen, Denmark as part of the company’s financial restructuring. Re-chartered for 15 years with right of first refusal after 5 years.
June 2nd 1984: Services Gothenburg – Harwich.
September 1984: Chartered to NATO for the following:
September 11th 1984 – September 13th 1984: Two round trips between Harwich – Zeebrugge.
September 18th 1984 – September 21st 1984: A round-trip Harwich – Esbjerg.
September 21st 1984 – December 11th 1984: Service for DFDS, Gothenburg – Harwich.
December 11th 1984: Left Gothenburg for Aalborg and layup.
January 15th 1985: Services Gothenburg/Esbjerg – Harwich.
© Tony Garner (11/06/1985) (Left) © Brian Fisher (Right)
© Brian Fisher (September 1986)
November 3rd 1987 – November 12th 1987: Chartered to NATO for voyage between Harwich – Plymouth – Luze Bay – Loch Ryan – Luze Bay – Esbjerg.
© Brian Fisher (Southampton, November 1987)
1988: The name Scandinavian Seaways was introduced for DFDS’s passenger services.
February 1989: Also services Gothenburg – Amsterdam.
September 25th 1989: On a voyage between Gothenburg and Harwich, a fire broke out on board which turns out to be arson. Two people died and the ship sails into Esbjerg under its own power.
September 2nd 1989 – September 27th 1989: Repaired at HDW Nobiskrug, Rendsburg, Germany.
© Michael Neidig (08/10/1989)
October 28th 1989: Laid up in Esbjerg.
December 4th 1989: Resumed service.
© Fotoflite
March 26th 1990 – April 4th 1990: Services Gothenburg – Copenhagen.
© Edmund Ziegler Collection
June 16th 1990 – August 27th 1990: Services Gothenburg – Newcastle/Harwich.
© Ken Lubi (Tyne, 17/06/1990) © Ken Lubi (Tyne, 26/08/1990)
August 27th 1990 – November 1st 1990: Services Gothenburg – Harwich/Amsterdam.
November 1st 1990 – December 12th 1990: Services Gothenburg – Copenhagen.
© Fotoflite
January 14th 1991: Sold to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark.
January 17th 1991 – Februay 11th 1991: Refit at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany.
February 22nd 1991: Renamed PRINCESS OF SCANDINAVIA .
March 16th 1991: Officially renamed at a ceremony in Gothenburg.
March 1th 1991: Services Gothenburg – Amsterdam/ Harwich – Esbjerg.
© Pieter Inpyn (Amsterdam, 01/04/1991)
November 5th 1991 – December 11th 1991: Services Copenhagen – Gothenburg.
February 11th 1992 – March 25th 1992: Services Copenhagen – Gothenburg.
June 13th 1992 – August 24th 1992: Services Gothenburg – Newcastle.
November 2nd 1992 – January 1st 1993: Services Copenhagen – Gothenburg.
January 1st 1993: Laid up in Gothenburg.
February 25th 1993 – March 3rd 1993: Chartered to NATO for round trip between Gothenburg – Granvin – Bogen – Gothenburg.
April 1st 1993: Services Gothenburg – Amsterdam/ Harwich, Harwich – Esbjerg.
© Ken Smith (Harwich, 09/06/1993)
© Simonwp (Esbjerg, 01/07/1993)
October 1st 1993: Between Gothenburg and Amsterdam, suffered an engine room fire. Extinguished and the ship was able to reach Esbjerg. Taken out of service for repairs.
November 30th 1993: Left Esbjerg via Copenhagen for Gothenburg.
December 2nd 1993: Laid up in Gothenburg.
February 17th 1994 – June 8th 1994: Services Gothenburg – Harwich/ Gothenburg – Copenhagen.
June 9th 1994 – June 29th 1994: Services Gothenburg – Harwich/Newcastle.
June 18th 1994: Suffered gear failure between Newcastle – Gothenburg. Port gearage and three gears destroyed, the largest with a diameter of 2.8 m. She continued to Gothenburg on two main engines. Continued in service with only two engines, as spare parts had to be specially built.
June 30th 1994 – July 16th 1994: When docking at Skibsdokk Sör, Kristiansand, Norway, the ship capsized causing damage to the hull.
July 17th 1994: Services between Gothenburg – Newcastle/Harwich, Esbjerg – Harwich, (at reduced speed).
September 8th 1994 – October 2nd 1994: Services Gothenburg – Ijmuiden.
October 2nd 1994 – October 4th 1994: Chartered to Novo Nordisk to act as a restaurant in Kalundborg celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary.
October 5th 1994 – February 3rd 1995: Repairs at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg.
February 3rd 1995 – February 4th 1995: Trials.
February 9th 1995 – May 24th 1995: Services Gothenburg – Harwich, Gothenburg – Copenhagen.
May 24th 1995 – September 18th 1995: Services Gothenburg – Harwich/Newcastle.
September 19th 1995 – December 20th 1995: Services Gothenburg – Harwich, Gothenburg – Copenhagen.
1996: Services: Gothenburg – Harwich, Gothenburg – Copenhagen (out of summer time) Gothenburg – Newcastle (summer time only).
January 21st 1998 – March 11th 1998: Rebuilt at Gdanska Stocznia “Remontowa” im J Pilsudskiego SA, Gdansk, Poland with side sponsons etc.
© Bernd Crause (at Skandiahamn)
April 23rd 1998 – May 11th 1998: Services Gothenburg – Harwich, Gothenburg – Kristiansand.
1998: The decision was made to use the DFDS name across the entire company.
January 3rd 1999: Last call Harwich.
September 24th 1999 – April 4th 2000: Cracks in the engine mounts were repaired at Frederikshavns Værft, Denmark and one of the main engines was removed for repair in St Nazaire, France.
2000: The Scandinavian Seaways name was replaced, and the passenger services returned to being known as DFDS Seaways.
March 30th 2000 – March 31st 2000: Trials after repair
April 6th 2000: Services Gothenburg – Kristiansand – Newcastle.
July 31st 2000: Sold to DFDS Seaways, Copenhagen, Denmark.
© Simonwp Tyne 01072001 a
May 17th 2002: At 22:33 the on board fire alarm was activated during the voyage from Newcastle to Kristiansand – Gothenburg. Fire was discovered between two of the main engines spreading upwards to the funnel.
May 18th 2002: Fire extinguished. There were 758 passengers and 126 crew members aboard, and at 02:30 engines were restarted. At reduced speed, headed towards Kristiansand.
May 21st 2002: Arrived at Fredericia Shipyard, Fredericia for repairs.
June 14th 2002: Back in service Gothenburg – Kristiansand – Newcastle.
© Hans Deijs
November 27th 2003: Registered owner, DFDS A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark.
© Cees De Bijl
January 12th 2004 – February 1st 2004: Laid up in Gothenburg and refitted.
January 11th 2005 – February 2nd 2005: Rebuilt in Gothenburg.
January 7th 2006: Arrived in Gothenburg, then taken out of service.
February 10th 2006 – March 7th 2006: Services Newcastle – Ijmuiden.
© Rob de Visser Ijmuiden 05.03.06
March 9th 2006: Back in service between Gothenburg – Kristiansand – Newcastle.
© Ken Lubi Tyne 24082006 x2
September 6th 2006: Sold to Moby SrL, Naples, Italy.
September 31st 2006: Last day of service between Gothenburg – Kristiansand – Newcastle.
November 1st 2006: Arrived Orskov, Frederikshavn.
November 2nd 2006: Taken over by Moby Lines and renamed MOBY OTTA .
November 12th 2006: Left Frederikshavn for Italy.
© Matteo Fasce (Edmund Ziegler Collection)
November 2006 – May 2007: Rebuilt with more cabins.
May 2007: Services Genoa – Porto Torres/ Bastia (during the summer season, otherwise suspended).
© Carsten Dettmer (Genoa, 30/07/2015)
© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 11/05/2017)
May 2018: Services Genoa – Olbia.
October 30th 2018: Winter lay up in Genoa.
April 19th 2019: Refit in Genoa.
© Simonwpwp (Livorno, 01/08/2010)
November 2020: Laid up in Genoa.
March 2021: Services Civitavecchia – Cagliari.
May 2022: Services Genoa – Olbia
Septenber 20th 2022: Winter lay up in Livorno.
June 4th 2023: Services Genoa – Olbia.
September 18th 2023: Winter lay upin Genoa.
May 9th 2024: Services Genoa – Olbia.
© Dogan (Olbia, 15/05/2024)
September 4th 2024: Winter lay up in Genoa.
May 29th 2025: Services Genoa – Olbia.
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: Cees de Bijl, Carsten Dettmer, Dogan, Marius Esman, Egidio Ferrighi, Bian Fisher, Fotoflite, Chris Howell, Pieter Inpyn, Lars Helge Isdahl, Ken Lubi, Carlo Martinelli, Derek Sands, Simonwp, Ulrich Streich, Fabian Vornholt and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
