MV Transporter
Ex Birka Transporter, Hamno
© Frits Olinga (Rendsberg 18/05/2001)
Steel single screw motor vessel built in 1991 by Brodogradiliste “Sava”, Macvanska Mitrovica, Yugoslavia (Yard No 303) (Hull) Fosen Mekaniske Verksted, Rissa, Norway (Yard No 41) (Fitted Out) as a Roll-on / roll-off carrier.
Technical Data
- Length: 122 m (overall) 112 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 19 m
- Depth: 12.4 m
- Draught: 6.363 m
- Tonnage: 6620 gross/1986 net/5387t deadweight
- Engines: 1 x 16-cylinder Wärtsilä Vasa 16V32D diesel
- Power: 5920 kW/8051bHP
- Speed: 16.5 knots
- Capacity: 12.014 cbm 296 TEU 1 320 m S./ 1278 lane meters
- Call Sign: OJCW, EAJI
- MMSI Number: 230684000
- IMO Number: 8820858
- DNV id: 16341
- Port of Registry: Mariehamn/Finland 🇫🇮, Santa Cruz de Tenerife/Spain 🇪🇸
- Sister-Ship: Grano (304/42), Styrso (304/47), Aknoul (310/49), Ahtela (305/46), Amber (309/48)
Current AIS Location
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History
December 9th 1988: Ordered.
July 25th 1989: Keel laid.
November 1990: Launched and towed to Rissa, Norway.
February 11th 1991: Delivered as HAMNO to Rederi AB Gustav Erikson, Mariehamn, Finland.
1991: Chartered to Transfennica for services Finland – Western Europe.
1995: Registered to United Shipping, Mariehamn.
1996 – October 1996: Services Hanko – Lubeck.
October 1996: Services Finland – Kiel.
February 1997: Services Hanko – Lubeck.
© Simonwp (River Schelde, 1999)
January 2000: Chartered to Korsnäs AB, Gävle for services Gävle – Terneuzen – Chatham.
© Frits Olinga (Rendsberg, 18/05/2001)
January 2002: Registered to Birka Cargo Ab, Ltd, Mariehamn, Finland.
May 4th 2002: Chartered to Transfennica for one service Lübeck – Hankö.
October 2002: Renamed BIRKA TRANSPORTER.
© Dirk Jankowsky (Lübeck, 25/06/2005)
© Simonwp (Terneuzen, 01/06/2006)
© Aleksi Lindstrom (Rendsberg, 11/09/2007)
April 2009: Chartered to Grimaldi Lines for services Marseille – Tunis.
2010: To Holmen Paper Ab.
© Marcel & Ruud Coster (Ijmuiden, 19/06/2010)
© Ulrich Streich (29/07/2010)
February 14th 2011: In collision with the Urk based Dutch trawler WILLEMPIE HOEKSTRA – UK 33, 15 kilometres west of Den Helder. While the BIRKA TRANSPORTER suffered only limited damage and was allowed to proceed to Amsterdam after investigations were carried out, the WILLEMPIE HOEKSTRA – UK 33 had suffered hull damage and water ingress. The MRCC Den Helder sent the KNRM-boat from Den Helder, the Dutch Navy vessel HM LUYMES and the CG emergency tug IEVOLI BLACK. Several additional dewatering pumps were put on board the fishing vessel. There was no immediate danger for the crew. After the situation was stabilized, the trawler proceeded to Den Helder. The BIRKA TRANSPORTER moored in the Bering Harbour at 11.15 a.m.
February 14th 2011: The BIRKA TRANSPORTER finally departed from Amsterdam and reached its destination Chatham in the morning of Feb 15th. The Dutch trawler WILLEMPIE HOEKSTRA, which had been escorted back to Den Helder in the morning of Feb 14th by the HM LUYMES, the tug IEVOLI BLACK and the rescue boat JOKE DIJKSTRA, was drydocked at the Visser Yard at midday. Once raised out of the water, a significant leak at the bow thruster on starboard side became visible.
© Marcel & Ruud Coster (Ijmuiden, 14/02/2001)
© Simonwp (Travemunde, May 2012)
April 1st 2013: Registered to Eckerö Shipping Ab, Mariehamn, Finland.
June 2013: Renamed TRANSPORTER.
© Aleksi Lindstrom (Rendsberg, 10/07/2013)
© Dennis Mortimer (Drapetsona ,14/07/2014)
© Cees Bustraan (Willemstad, 09/04/2015)
January 11th 2016: Sold to Naviera Benzu Sl, Ceuta, Spain. .
January 28th 2016: Sold to Santander Banco SA, Madrid, Spain and chartered to Naviera Benzu Sl, Ceuta, Spain for services Algeciras – Ceuta.
© Malcolm Cranfield (Ceuta, 18/07/2018)
March 2019: Sold to Eckerö Shipping Ab, Mariehamn, Finland.
March 19th 2019: New owners took her over in Algeciras.
April 19th 2019: Time charter to DFDS and took up services Zeebrugge – Immingham – Fredrikstad – Halden
© Julien Carpentier (Zeebrugge, 19/04/2019)
© Simonwp (Immingham, 12/09/2020) (Left) © Simonwp (Immingham, Dock, 26/06/2021) (Right)
© Simonwp (Immingham, 15/08/2021)
© Simonwp (Immingham Dock, 10/06/2023)
August 15th 2025: Sold to Godby Shipping, Mariehamn, Åland who took over the time charter with DFDS until end December 2025. The ship will keep its name, TRANSPORTER. The vessel’s current crew will also remain onboard, ensuring continuity of service for DFDS
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 Bustraan, Julien Carpentier, Marcel & Ruud Coster, Malcolm Cranfield, Fotoflite, Aleksi Lindstrom, Dennis Mortimer, Frits Olinga, Simonwp, Ulrich Streich and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
