FerriesOlau LinePast and PresentStena Line

MV Olau Finn – Past and Present

IMO Number: 6524905

MV Sancak I

ex Captain Zaman I, Festos, Folkliner, Olau Finn, Finnpartner, Stena Atlantica, Saga

© John Jones

© John Jones

Twin screw motor vessel built in 1965 by Lindholmens Varv Ab, Goteborg, (Yard no 1093) as a passenger and motor vehicle ferry for Rederi Ab, Swedish Lloyd, Goteborg

Technical Data

  • Length: 142.20m (overall) 128.02m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 20.96m
  • Depth: 14.03m
  • Draught: 5.519m
  • Tonnage: 7889 – 2978 gross/3322 – 3540 net/2600 – 2794 deadweight
  • Engines: Four Oil Sa 6-cylinder Pielstick-Lindholmens diesels
  • Power: 7414 kW/10080 HP
  • Speed: 18.0 knots
  • Capacity: 408 passenger 100 cars (1965), 1,500 passengers 300 cars (?)
  • Call Sign: SEXA, OIBT, SYXI, TCNK
  • IMO Number: 6524905
  • Official Number:
  • Port of Registry: Gothenburg/Sweden 🇸🇪, Helsinki/Finland 🇫🇮, Kaskinen/Finland 🇫🇮, Iraklion/Greece 🇬🇷, Istanbul/Turkey 🇹🇷
  • Sister Ships: Patricia (1095), Svea (1096)

History

October 18th 1965: Launched.

May 2nd 1966: Delivered to Rederi Ab Svenska Lloyd Göthenburg.

© Fotoflite Image Ref: 243383
© Fotoflite 

May 12th 1966: Commenced service between Göthenburg – Hull.

October 4th 1966: Commenced service between Gothenburg – Tilbury (London).

November 1971: Sold to Stena Ab, Göthenburg.

February 7th 1972: Taken over by Stena Ab, Göthenburg and renamed STENA ATLANTICA. Rebuilt with more cabins/berths.

Nigel Thornton Collection

Nigel Thornton Collection

March 15th 1972: Commenced service between Gothenburg – Kiel.

May 1972: Owners changed name to Stena Line Ab, Göthenburg.

June 1972 – August 1972: Services extended from Kiel – Korsör.

© Wolfgang Fricke

© Wolfgang Fricke (Kiel, 01/09/1972)

September 4th 1972: Commenced services between Gothenburg – Copenhagen.

January 1973: Sold to Thomesto Oy, Helsinki, Finland. (Oy Finnlines).

March 13th 1973: Taken over by Thomesto Oy and renamed FINNPARTNER in Gothenburg.

April 9th 1973: Commenced service between Helsinki – Nynäshamn – Travemünde.

Photoship

Photoship

September 8th 1973: Inaugural cruise around the Canaries.

June 1974 – November 1974: Services between Helsinki – Nynäshamn – Travemünde.

August 14th 1974: Med cruises suspended owing to political circumstances in Cyprus.

November 3rd 1974: Cruises around West-Africa.

June 1975: Services between Helsinki – Nynäshamn – Travemünde.

December 1st 1975: Laid up in Helsinki.

March 24th 1976: Chartered to Olau Line and renamed OLAU FINN.

Courtesy of Chris Howell Courtesy of Chris Howell  

Courtesy of Chris Howell (Flushing, 03/07/1977)

Andreas Wörteler Collection  Andreas Wörteler Collection  

Andreas Wörteler Collection (© Cees De Bijl)

© Ted Ingham

© Ted Ingham

May 1st 1976 – February 15th 1982: Services between Sheerness – Vlissingen.

© Achim Borchert (Frank Heine Collection) © Achim Borchert (Frank Heine Collection)

© Achim Borchert (Frank Heine Collection)( June 1977)

Andreas Wörteler Collection Andreas Wörteler Collection  

Andreas Wörteler Collection (© Cees DeBijl)

June 10th 1981: Bomb threat against the vessel. Proved to be a hoax.

May 1981: Collided with the ramp at Sheerness. Damage 4ft x 3ft hole in her stern. Temporary repairs, welded plate inside the ship and filling the hole with quick setting cement. Vessel sailed on time!

© John Jones © Capt Jan Melchers  

© John Jones (Flushing, 08/05/1982)(Left) and © Capt Jan Melchers (Right)

© Ken Larwood © Cees De Bijl

© Ken Larwood (Left) © Cees De Bijl (Right)

May 15th 1981: Final day in service for Olau having made 4,286 trips between Sheerness – Vlissingen.

May 15th 1981: Charter completed and returned to Thomesto.

May 25th 1982: Arrived Kaskö 

May 1982: Sold to Finska Postbanken (PSP-Rahoitus Oy), Finland.

May 25th 1982: Chartered to Folkline, Kaskö, Finland and renamed FOLKLINER.

May 28th 1982: Services between Kaskö – Gävle.

© Jurgen Stein  © Simonwp

© Jurgen Stein (Left) 🆕 © Simonwp (Right)

August 24th 1984: Folkline went bankrupt owing 10 million FIM.

September 3rd 1984: Final day in service between Gävle – Kaskö.

September 8th 1984: Laid up in Turku and advertised for sale.

October 30th 1984: Sold to Minoan Lines Shipping SA, Heraklion, Greece for $4.8 million.

November 8th 1984: Renamed FESTOS and left Turku for the Mediterranean.

© Simonwp © Simonwp

© Simonwp (Piraeus 01/09/1985) 🆕

1985: Services between Piraeus – Heraklion.

© Frank Heine © Frank Heine  

© Frank Heine (Piraeus, 17 – 21/07/1990)

© Yvon Perchoc

© Yvon Perchoc (Heraklion, 28/06/1991)

1992: Services between Ancona – Igoumenitsa – Corfu and Piraeus – Heraklion.

1993: Services between Ancona – Kefallonia – Patras – Heraklion – Cesme.

© Frank Heine

© Frank Heine (Ancona, 23/07/1996)

1997: Services between Venice – Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Patras.

February 1998: Sold to Ferro Feribot ve Roro Tasimaciligi, Istanbul, Turkey (Registered to Sirene Shipping & Trading Inc., Belize) and renamed CAPTAIN ZAMAN I.

February 19th 1998: Left Piraeus for Istanbul and began trading under TEM-Diler Lines.

1998 (Spring): Chartered to General National Maritime Co, Tripoli, Libya for services between Benghazi – Valletta.

July 1998: Services between Brindisi – Igoumenitsa.

June 21st 2000 – September 25th 2000: Chartered to Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation (COMANAV), Morocco and introduced between Nador – Sete.

June 2001: Sold to Sancak Line, Istanbul, Turkey and renamed SANCAK I.

June 2nd 2001: Services between Brindisi – Cesme.

©  Aleksi Lindström

April 16th 2003: Whilst under refit in a shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey a fire broke out.

April 19th 2003: Fire extinguished, but the vessel was totally destroyed.

April 2003: Sold for scrap.

July 24th 2003: Arrived at Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping.


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, Wolfgang Fricke, Frank Heine, Chris Howell, Ted Ingham, John Jones, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindström , Captain Jan Melchers, Yvon Prchoc , Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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