MV Princess Seaways
ex Princess of Norway, Fjord Norway, Spir, Spirit of Tasmania, Peter Pan
© Andreas Wörteler
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1986 at Schichau Seebeckwerft AG, Bremerhaven, Germany (Yard No 1058) as a passenger car and commercial vehicle trailer ferry
Technical Data
- Length: 161.45 m (overall), 144 m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 28.20 m (extreme), 27.6m (moulded)
- Depth: 8.1m
- Draught: 6.21 m (maximum)
- Tonnage: 31356 (1986)gross/16200 (1986), 14025(1993) net/3761 deadweight
- Engines: Four MAK 8 M 552 diesels.
- Power: 19600 kW/26,655 hp
- Speed: 21.0 knots
- Capacity: 1700 passengers 550 cars (1987) or 120 trailers.
- Call Sign: DPPH, VLST, OXED2
- IMO Number: 8502391
- MMSI Number: 220489000
- Official Number: 31381
- Registry: Hamburg/Germany 🇩🇪, Devonport/Australia 🇦🇺, Bergen/Norway 🇳🇴, Copenhagen/Denmark 🇩🇰
- Sister ships: Nils Holgersson (1059), Olau Hollandia (II)(1067) ,Olau Britannia (II)(1068)
History
The first of a quartet of “Peter Pan” class built, at Schichau Seebeckwerft AG, Bremerhaven, between 1985 – 1989.
July 8th 1985: Keel struck.
November 30th 1985: Launched.
May 30th 1986: Delivered to TT-Line GmbH & Co, Hamburg, Germany.
© Andreas Wörteler (Travemunde, May 1992)(Left) and © Capt Jan Melchers (Right)
June 2nd 1986: Commenced services between Travemünde – Trelleborg.
© Simonwp (Travemunde 20/06/1989)
December 1990: Sold to Government Of State, Tasmania for delivery in September 1993.
August 31st 1993: Final day in service between Travemünde – Trelleborg.
September 1st 1993: Taken over by her new owners and refurbished/refitted at Lloyd Werft. Bremerhaven, Germany.
© Frank Heine (Bremerhaven, 17/09/1993)
September 30th 1993: Officially renamed SPIRIT OF TASMANIA.
October 1st 1993: Trials.
October 1993: Left Germany for Australia.
November 12th 1993: Arrived in Devonport.
November 28th 1993: Commenced services between Devonport – Melbourne.
Andreas Wörteler Collection (Left) and Nigel Thornton Collection (Right)
🆕 © Simonwp (Melbourne, March 1994)
September 5th 1999: Suffered engine failure and repaired in Devonport.
September 21st 1999: Returned to service.
September 1st 2002: Final day in service and then laid up for sale.
September 7th 2002: Arrived Sydney for further lay up.
December 11th 2002: Sold to Kommandittselskapet Nordsjøferger K/S, Bergen, Norway for 260 million Krone.
December 24th 2002: Renamed SPIR. Left Sydney via Colombo – Suez for Frederikshavn.
Andreas Wörteler Collection
January 28th 2003: Arrived at Örskov Yard, Frederikshavn refurbishment/refit costing 95 million Krone.
March 2003: Renamed FJORD NORWAY.
April 3rd 2003: Christened in Bergen.
April 8th 2003: Commenced service for Fjord Lines between Bergen – Haugesund – Egersund – Hanstholm.
© Andreas Wörteler (Hanstholm, 22/08/2003)
December 21st 2003: Whilst leaving Hanstholm in strong winds a rope fowled a bow thruster. The vessel remained in port until a tug arrived to assist.
© Frank Heine (Hanstholm, 26/06/2004)
November 3rd 2005: Trials between Bergen – Stavanger – Newcastle.
© Tim Vogel (Bergen, 21/07/2006)
November 17th 2005: Commenced services between Bergen – Stavanger – Newcastle.
© Ken Lubi
September 6th 2006: Sold to DFDS A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark for delivery on October 16th .
October 12th 2006: Final service for Fjord Line.
October 14th 2006: Left Bergen for Frederikshavn.
October 15th 2006: Arrived Örskov, Frederikshavn.
October 16th 2006: Taken over by DFDS A/S and renamed PRINCESS OF NORWAY.
November 6th 2006: Left Frederikshavn for Bergen.
November 8th 2006: Arrived Bergen and christened.
November 9th 2006: Commenced services between Bergen – Stavanger – Newcastle.
© Willem Oldenburg (Ijmuiden, 24/02/2008)
December 30th 2006 – January 2nd 2007: Cruise between Bergen – Gothenburg – Bergen.
January 22nd 2007 – February 4th 2007: Refit at Örskov, Frederikshavn.
May 29th 2007: Services between Newcastle – IJmuiden.
© Andreas Wörteler
February 2011: Refit at Fayard, Odense.
February 17th 2011: Renamed PRINCESS SEAWAYS.
February 18th 2011: Suffered a small fire originating in insulation in the funnel. Extinguished with minor damage.
February 20th 2011: Left Odense for Frederikshavn.
February 21st 2011: Arrived in Fredrikshavn for inspection and repair of the fire damage.
© Andreas Wörteler
February 26th 2011: Returned to service between Newcastle – IJmuiden.
© Ken Lubi (Tyne, 27/02/2011)
February 2018: After refit in Amsterdam, emerged with new livery.
© Willem Oldenburg (Ijmuiden, 13/02/2018)
February 4th 2019: Left Newcastle for Klaipeda.
February 9th 2019 – March 2019: Services Klaipeda – Karlshamn.
March 23rd 2019: Left Klaipeda for Ijmuiden.
March 27th 2019: Services Ijmuiden – Newcastle.
September 6th 2019: Announcement made that DFDS had purchased MOBY AKI and MOBY WONDER to replace the current vessels on the Newcastle – Amsterdam route.
“Moby will in turn acquire the two passenger ferries currently operating on the Amsterdam – Newcastle route: KING SEAWAYS and PRINCESS SEAWAYS…………”
“We expect to take over the new ferries during the second half of October. Therefore, DFDS will bareboat-charter KING SEAWAYS and PRINCESS SEAWAYS from Moby until January and February 2020, when the new ferries will be deployed.”
October 29th 2019: Agreement between DFDS and Moby cancelled.
January 2020: New livery on funnel
March 21st 2020: All sailings Newcastle – Amsterdam cancelled owing to COVID-19 pandemic. Vessel remained in Ijmuiden.
July 15th 2020: Reduced passenger capacity services resumed Amsterdam – Newcastle.
© Marcel and Ruud Coster (Ijmuiden, 09/05/2021)
© Frank Behrends (Ijmuiden, 18/04/2022)
January 15th 2023: Came off service at Ijmuiden and sailed to Gdansk for refit
January 18th 2023: Arrived Gdansk
February15th 2023: Left Gdansk for Ijmuiden
February 17th 2023: Arrived Ijmuiden.
February 18th 2023: Resumed service Ijmuiden – Tyne.
© Bernd Crause (Ijmuiden, 17/11/2023)
February 10th 2024: Came off service at Ijmuiden and sailed to Coenhaven (Amsterdam) for refit.
March 6th 2024: Left Coenhaven and sailed to Ijmuiden.
March 7th 2024: Resumed service Ijmuiden – Tyne.
© Marcel and Ruud Coster (Ijmuiden, 19/03/2025)
January 16th 2926: Came off service at Ijmuiden and sailed to Gdansk for extensive refit.
February 16th 2026: Left Gdansk for Ijmuiden.
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: Frank Behrends, Marcel and Ruud Coster, Bernd Crause, Frank Heine, Ken Lubi, Capt Jan Melchers, Willem Oldenburg, Simonwp, Tim Vogel and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
