MV Optima Seaways
ex Lisco Optima, Svealand, Alyssa
© Carsten Dettmer (Klaipeda, 24/05/2018)
Steel twin screw “P 129” motor vessel built in 1999 by Cantiere Navale Visentini di Visentini Francesco & C, Porto Viro yard, Italy (Yard No 1166) as a Passenger/Ro-Ro Cargo Ship for Levantina Transport, Bari, Italy
Technical Data
- Length: 186.00 m (overall) 169.50 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 25.60 m
- Depth: m
- Draught: 5.50 m
- Tonnage: 25206 gross/7744 net/7500t deadweight
- Engines: 2 x MAN-B7W 9L48/60 diesels
- Power: 18900 kW/HP
- Speed: 21.50 knots
- Capacity: 327 passengers/221 cars/2300 lane meters
- Call Sign: IBNE, C6TS9, IBHB, LYSD
- MMSI Number: 277339000
- IMO Number: 9188427
- Port of Registry: Bari/Italy , Nassau/Bahamas , Genoa/Italy , Klaipeda/Lithuania
Current AIS Location
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History
June 25th 1997: Keel struck.
December 19th 1998: Launched as ALYSSA
June 30th 1999: Delivered to Royal Maritime Ltd, Valletta, Malta. (Registered to Levantina Transport, Bari, Italy).
August 1999: Chartered to Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation (CTN), Tunisia for services between Tunisia – France/Italy.
© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 13/10/1999)
March 3rd 2000: Chartered to Cia Trasmediterranea SA, Spain for services between Barcelona – Palma de Mallorca.
© Simonwp (01/06/2000)
© Yvon Perchoc (Palma de Majora, 26/10/2000)
May 2001: Services between Valencia – Palma De Mallorca.
June 2001: Chartered to Stena Line, Gothenburg (SweFerry, Scandlines).
July 3rd 2001: Arrived at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg and renamed SVEALAND.
July 10th 2001: Services between Gothenburg – Travemunde.
July 11th 2001: Went aground outside Zealand and suffered damage to her propeller and hull. Sailed to Flender Werft, Lubeck for repairs.
July 26th 2001: Scandlines Hansa services between Trelleborg – Travemunde.
September 23rd 2002 – October 2002: Refit at Western Ship & Repair, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
April 17th 2003: Chartered to Scandlines AG for services between Kiel – Klaipeda.
© Gena Anfimov (Klaipeda, 03/06/2004)
August 2004: Sold to Rederi Ab Hornet, Nassau, Bahamas and chartered to Scandlines AG for services Kiel – Klaipeda.
July 4th 2005: Registered to Stena Bermuda Line Ltd, Nassau, Bahamas.
January 2006 – April 2006: Chartered to TT Line for services Trelleborg – Travemunde.
March 20th 2006: Sold to Lisco Baltic Service, Klaipeda, Lithuania (DFDS Tor Line).
April 2006: Transferred to her new owner and registered to Lisco Optima Shipping Ltd, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
© Andreas Wörteler (Travemunde, 15/04/2006)
April 27th 2006: Arrived at Western Ship & Repair, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
May 2006: Renamed LISCO OPTIMA.
May 7th 2005: Dry-docked.
May 8th 2006: Services between Klaipeda – Kiel.
© Dirk Jankowsky (Kiel, 18/03/2008)
© Andreas Wörteler (Kiel, 10/05/08)
May 25th 2009: Services between Karlshamn – Klaipeda.
February 21st 2011: Services between Klaipeda – Kiel.
September 30th 2011: Services between Karlshamn – Klaipeda.
April 4th 2012: Renamed OPTIMA SEAWAYS.
© Gena Anfimov (Klaipeda, 06/05/2012)
© Gena Anfimov (Klaipeda, 11/09/2012)
April 2014: Completed fitting of A/S hybrid Alfa Laval exhaust scrubbers at Remontowa Shipyards, Gdansk.
© Gena Anfimov (Inbound in Klaipeda, 19/05/2014)
January 6th 2019: Upon arrival at Karlshamn suffered stern ramp failure necessitating the use of a crane to unload. The unloading took 22 hours and she was taken out of service for repairs.
January 14th 2019: Returned to service.
December 23rd 2019: Final crossing between Karlshamn – Klaipeda.
January 6th 2020: Services between Paldiski – Kapellskär.
December 16th 2020: DFDS announcement;
“Ferries in place for DFDS’ new Ireland – France freight route”
The ferries VISBY, KERRY, and OPTIMA SEAWAYS are ready to welcome lorries and their drivers on the new Rosslare – Dunkerque freight route. From 2 January, the route will enable customers to keep their freight transport within the EU and avoid the customs formalities that will apply to transport passing via the UK.”………
“Visby and Kerry are chartered ships, including crews, and Optima Seaways is our own ferry, which currently operates between Sweden and Lithuania.”………
“ There will be six weekly departures from each port. The first departure will be on Saturday 2 January from Rosslare. Sailing time will be just under 24 hours.”……….
Source: DFDS
December 26th 2020: Left Klaipeda for Dunkerque.
December 28th 2020: Arrived in Dunkerque West.
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque, 28/12/2020)
December 28th 2020: Left Dunkerque West for Rosslare (eta 30/12/2020)
“Ireland – France route ready”
December 29th 2020
The three ships have arrived in Dunkerque for berth tests and supplies. First departure will be from Rosslare on 2 January.
DFDS’ new route between Ireland and France is getting ready for its first departure. In just a few days, on 2 January at 14:00 (Ire time), a fully booked Optima Seaways will set sail towards Dunkerque – only to be followed by an equally fully booked Kerry departing at 23:00 ex Rosslare on the same day, whilst Visby will depart from Dunkerque towards Rosslare at 23:00 CET. It’s all happening on Saturday.
Kerry arrived in Dunkerque on 27 December and both Visby and Optima Seaways on 28 December for berth tests and the obligatory EU-inspection, that is to ensure that the ships comply with EU regulation before they are allowed to start operating.
Optima Seaways and Kerry are currently en-route to Rosslare in preparation and standby.
In addition to this, the ships were busy taking on stores, with catering supplies for a DFDS branded service and other supplies needed.
Source: DFDS
December 30th 2020: Arrived in Rosslare.
© Peter Scallan (Left) and © Brian Cloney (Right)(Rosslare, 30/12/2020)
January 2nd 2021: Inaugural sailing Rosslare – Dunkerque.
© Brian Cloney (Rosslare, 02/01/2021)
January 3rd 2021: Arrived in Dunkerque.
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque West, 03/01/2021)
© FOREwardthinkinganuaticalflavour
January 26th 2021: Arrived in Dunkerque from Rosslare and came off service.
January 27th 2021: Left Dunkerque showing destination as Klaipeda.
January 28th 2021: Arrived Klaipeda and expected to resume Klaipeda – Karlshamn 01/02/2021.
February 11th 2022: Extensive refit at Remontowa, Gdansk.
March 9th 2022: Resumed service Klaipeda – Karlshamn.
May 6th 2022: Left Klaipeda for Dunkerque (eta: 09/05/2022). Expected to resume service Dunkerque – Rosslare.
May 9th 2022: Arrived in Dunkerque.
© Nathan Burt (Dunkerque West, 09/05/2022)
© Julien Carpentier (Dunkerque West, 22/05/2022)
June 12th 2022: Completed sailings Dunkerque – Rosslare.
June 13th 2022: Left Dunkerque for Klaipeda.
June 16th 2022: Arrived Klaipeda.
June 27th 2022: Services between Paldiski – Kapellskär.
October 21st 2022: Left Paldiski for Klaipeda.
October 22nd 2022: Services between Klaipeda – Karlshamn.
November 21st 2022: Came off service at Klaipeda and made a single journey to Kiel.
November 23rd 2022: Laid over in Klaipeda.
December 14th 2022: Made a single journey to Kiel.
December 15th 2022: Laid over in Klaipeda.
December 25th 2022: Left Klaipeda for Dunkerque (West)(eta: 27/12/2022) as relief vessel cover for REGINA SEAWAYS (Dunkerque – Rosslare).
December 28th 2022: Arrived Dunkerque and took up service Dunkerque – Rosslare.
December 23rd 2023: Came off service at Dunkerque (West) and laid over.
January 5th 2024: Sailed to Damen Yard, Dunkerque (East).
© Julien Carpentier (Damen Yard, 06/01/2024)
January 29th 2024: Left Dunkerque East and sailed to Dunkerque West.
January 29th 2024: Resumed service Dunkerque – Rosslare.
March 15th 2024: Came off service at Dunkerque and sailed to Gdansk for refit. She will be relieved by AF CLAUDIA.
March 18th 2024: Arrived Gdansk.
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: Gena Anfimov, Nathan Burt, Carsten Dettmer, Dirk Jankowsky, Carlo Martinelli, Yvon Perchoc, Simonwp, Julien Carpentier, Brian Cloney, Peter Scallan, Marko Stampehl and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
