MV Stena Superfast VIII
ex Superfast VIII
© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 21/11/2011)
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 2001 by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) AG, Kiel (Yard No. 358) as a Ro/Ro (Passenger) Ferry for Superfast Ferries, Athens, Greece
Technical Data
- Length: 203.30m (overall) 185.6m (between perpendiculars
- Breadth of Hull: 25.43m (extreme)
- Depth: 9.1m
- Draught: 6.715m (design)
- Tonnage: 30,285 gross/10,769 net/5525 deadweight
- Engines: Four 16-cylinder Wärtsilä-Sulzer ZAV40S diesels
- Power: 46,000kW
- Speed: 28.6 knots (max) 22 knots (service)
- Capacity: 626 – 1200 passengers, 661 cars/110 trucks
- Call Sign: 2EZR4
- MMSI Number: 235089436
- IMO Number: 9198953
- Official Number: 5226889
- Registry: Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Paldiski/Estonia 🇪🇪, Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾, Belfast/UK 🇬🇧
- Sister Ships: Superfast VII (357), Superfast IX (359), Superfast X (360)
Current AIS Location
Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.
History
The second of four identical ice-classified ropax ferries built to the same Knud E. Hansen A/S design that were delivered to Superfast Ferries in 2001 and 2002.
June 26th 1999: Keel laid.
November 28th 2000: Launched.
© Simonwp (Fitting out at HDW in Kiel, 01/05/2001)
July 12th 2001: Delivered to Superfast Ferries, Piraeus, Greece as the second vessel of the four ship “Superfast VII” series completed by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG in Kiel, Germany.
July 16th 2001: Services between Rostock – Hanko (Finland).
© Wolfgang Kramer (Baltic, 16/07/2001)
March 21st 2006: Sold to SF VIII Ltd (AS Tallink Group), Paldiski, Estonia.
April 10th 2006: Handed over to her new owners.
© Aleksi Lindström (16/04/2006, Hanko (with homeport of Piraeus painted over))
April 17th 2006: Services between Rostock – Paldiski – Hanko.
June 2006: Services between Hanko – Rostock.
December 2006 – December 21st 2006: Services between Hanko – Rostock/ Hanko – Paldiski.
January 1st 2007: Services between Helsinki – Rostock.
January 11th 2007: Services between Helsinki – Tallinn/ Helsinki – Rostock.
© Aleksi Lindström (Helsinki, 04/04/2007)
April 5th 2007 – April 12th 2007: Services between Tallinn – Helsinki.
April 13th 2007: Services between Helsinki – Tallinn/ Helsinki – Rostock.
© Simonwp (Rostock, 01/07/2009)
September 1st 2008: Services between Helsinki – Rostock.
December 24th 2009: Taken out of service and laid up in Kopli (sub-district Tallinn).
March 18th 2010 – March 29th 2010: Services between Tallinn – Helsinki.
March 30th 2010: Laid up in Paljassaare harbour, Tallinn.
April 30th 2010 – December 23rd 2010: services between Helsinki – Rostock.
December 23rd 2011: Laid up in Tallinn.
March 7th 2011: Agreement announced to charter the vessel to Stena Line for 3 years (+ 1 year extra option).
April 3rd 2011 – August 12th 2011: Services between Helsinki – Rostock.
© Marko Stampehl (Warnemunde, 28/06/2011)
August 14th 2011: Left Helsinki for Tallinn.
August 15th 2011: Moved from Tallinn till Muuga (Estonia).
August 22nd 2011: Arrived at Remontowa, Gdansk for rebuilding. Passenger capacity increased.
© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 09/09/2011)
September 1st 2011: Renamed STENA SUPERFAST VIII.
© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 30/09/2011)
© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 19/10/2011)
© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 22/10/2011)
© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 30/10/2011)
November 16th 2011: Left Gdansk for Cairnryan.
November 21st 2011: Services between Belfast – Cairnryan.
February 2nd 2013 – February 18th 2013: Refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.
February 19th 2013: Resumed service between Belfast – Cairnryan.
February 1st 2016 – February 14th 2016: Refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.
© Scott Mackey (Belfast, 07/02/2016)
February 15th 2016: Resumed service between Belfast – Cairnryan.
July 12th 2017: Sold to Stena Ropax Ltd, Gothenburg for delivery in December
© Scott Mackey (2017)
December 14th 2017: Transferred to Stena North Sea Ltd, Belfast, UK. Continued Belfast – Cairnryan.
© Pieter Inpyn (Belfast, 09/09/2019)
September 10th 2020: Refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.
July 12th 2021: Suffered an engine-room fire which was extinguished by crew.
May 5th 2023: Left Loch Ryan Port for refit at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. STENA NORDICA still covering.
© Robert Foy (Cammell Laird, 07/05/2023)
May 23rd 2023: Left Birkenhead for Belfast.
© Robert Foy (Birkenhead, 23/05/2023)
May 23rd 2023: Arrived Belfast Anchorage.
May 23rd 2023: Arrived Belfast.
May 24th 2023: Took up service Belfast – Cairnryan.
© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 27/05/2023)
October 5th 2023: Owing to technical issues, came off service at Belfast and moved to Harland and Wolff Shipyard.
© Trevor Kidd (Belfast, 05/10/2023)
© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 05/10/2023)
October 5th 2023: Technical issues resolved and resumed service.
February 25th 2024: Came off service at Belfast and shifted to “Lay Over Berth” prior to dry-docking.
February 26th 2024: To dry dock.
🆕 © Stephen Brown (Belfast, 01/03/2024)
March 2nd 2024: Left dry-dock and took up service Belfast – Loch Ryan.
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: Jakub Bogucki, Stephen Brown, Robert Foy, Pieter Inpyn, Aleksi Lindström, Scott Mackey, Simonwp, Marko Stampehl, Luke Wilson and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Special thanks to Luke Wilson
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
