MV St Damian
Ex Ionian Spirit, Roslagen, Wasa Express, Viking 3, Wasa Express, Viking 3
Viking 3 – © Andreas Wörteler (Emden, 16/04/1972)
Twin screw motor vessel built in 1972 at Jos L Meyer Werft, Papenburg-Ems, Germany (Yard No. 565) for Rederi Ab Sally, Mariehamn as a passenger and vehicle roll-on/roll-off ferry
Technical Data
- Length: 108.72m (overall), 96.50m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 17.56m (extreme), 17.25m (overall)
- Depth: 6.0m
- Draught: 4.60m (maximum)
- Height on vehicle deck: 4.20m
- Tonnage: 4,239 gross/1,880 net/1,000 – 1,110t deadweight
- Engines: Two 12-cyl, Deutz SBV 12M 350 diesels
- Power: 5888 kw/8000 bhp
- Speed: 18.75 knots
- Capacity: 1,200 passengers, 265 cars or 26 x 12m haulage vehicles
- Call Sign: OIAP (1971-2006), J8B3748, 3FC6
- IMO Number: 7128887
- Registry: Helsinki/Finland, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Kingstown/Panama
- Sister-ships: Apollo (1969) Viking 1 (1970) Diana (1972) Viking 4 (March 1973) Coromuel (July 1973) Puerto Vallarta (November 1973) Viking 5 (March 1974) Azteca (November 1974).
History
Constructed between 1969 – 1974, the nine so-called ‘Papenburg Sisters’ were all built at Jos. L. Meyer Werft shipyard at Papenburg-Ems, West Germany.
September 9th 1970: Ordered
July 19th 1971: Keel laid.
December 17th 1971: Launched.
Viking 3 – © Andreas Wörteler (Emden after trials)
April 16th 1972: Delivered.
Viking 3 – © Andreas Wörteler (Emden, 16/04/1972)
April 21st 1972: Arrived in Mariehamn.
April 22nd 1972: Presentation in Helsinki.
April 24th 1972: Entered service for Viking Line between Naantali, Mariehamn and Kappelskär.
November 17th 1972: Trial trip between Naantali – Turku.
December 17th 1972: Ran aground at Korpo, Finland. Passengers evacuated to VIKING 1. Arrived the following day and repaired in Nystad.
January 16th 1976: Commenced service between Stockholm and Helsinki.
June 12th 1973 – September 1st 1973: Service between Naantali / Turku, Mariehamn and Stockholm.
January 16th 1974 – February 1974: Service between Stockholm and Helsinki.
February 20th 1976: Sold to Oy Vaasa-Umea AB, Vaasa with delivery in May.
April 28th 1976: Last day in Viking Line service.
April 29th 1976: Dry-docking in Nystad and transfer to the new owner.
May 4th 1976: Renamed to WASA EXPRESS.
Wasa Express – © Jurgen Stein
May 7th 1976: Commenced service between Vaasa and Umeå/Örnsköldsvik/Sundsvall.
June 1st 1979: Transferred to Vaasanlaivat OY, Vaasa.
September 1st 1982: Transferred to Rederi AB Sally (Vaasanlaivat OY), Vaasa.
March 29th 1983: Renamed VIKING 3, home port: Mariehamn.
April 12th 1983: Commenced service for Sally The Viking Line between Ramsgate and Dunkerque.
Viking 3 – © Ken Larwood (all)
March 1984: Returned to the Baltic Sea.
April 10th 1984: Again renamed WASA EXPRESS and used between Vaasa and Umeå. Port of Vaasa.
Wasa Express – © Jurgen Stein
Wasa Express – Jurgen Stein Collection
August 8th 1988: Sold to Rederi AB Eckerö Mariehamn handover in November.
October 31st 1988: Last departure between Vaasa and Umeå.
November 1st 1988: Taken over by Eckerö and renamed ROSLAGEN. Home port: Eckerö.
November 9th 1988: Arrived in Berghamn.
November 11th 1988: Commenced service between Grisslehamn and Eckerö (Berghamn).
February 9th 1989 – March 17th 1989: Chartered to Viking Line (Slite) and used between Kapellskar, Mariehamn and Naantali.
January 21st 1990 – March 15th 1990: Chartered to GT-Link A / S, Gedser and used between Gedser and Travemünde.
October 22nd 1992: To Roslagen Navigation Corp.. (Eckerö Line Ltd..), Nassau.
October 23rd 1992: In Port of Tallinn.
October 25th 1992 – May 30th 1993: Chartered to Inreko Laeva AS (Estonian New Line) and used between Helsinki and Tallinn.
June 12th 1993 – August 23rd 1993: Service between Grisslehamn and Eckerö (Berghamn).
August 26th 1993: Arrived in Tallinn. The proposed charter to Inreko failed and the ship sailed a few days later to Mariehamn.
January 16th 1994: Registered to Rederi AB Eckerö, Mariehamn.
February 1st 1994: Port of registry: Eckerö.
February 18th 1994: Entered service between Grisslehamn and Eckerö (Berghamn).
May 24th 1994: 6652 GT, 1000 dwt
Roslagen – © Marko Stampehl
March 1st 2001 – April 22nd 2001: Rebuilt in Alandia yard, Mariehamn in order to meet the SOLAS requirements. 6748 GT, 1320 passengers, 210 cars.
May 2001 – June 2001: Rebuilt at Klintkajen, Mariehamn, with “ducktail” sponsons.
Roslagen – © Andreas Wörteler (both)
Roslagen – © Carsten Dettmer (Eckerö, August 2005) (both)
Roslagen – © Andreas Wörteler
February 15th 2006: Laid up in reserve.
October 17th 2006: Chartered to the Swedish Navy and sailed from Grisslehamn to Naantali.
October 24th 2006 – October 25th 2006: Journey from Naantali to Grisslehamn and charter completed.
May 24th 2007: Sold to Anonimi Naftiliaki Metaforiki Eteria, Zakynthos with delivery in September.
August 19th 2007: Last day of service.
August 20th 2007: Laid up in Berghamn.
September 27th 2007: Sale fell through.
October 5th 2007: Sold to Agoudimos, Piraeus.
November 13th 2007: Renamed IONIAN SPIRIT and registered for Bluray Maritime Inc. (Agoudimos), Majuro. Port of registry: Kingstown.
November 19th 2007 – December 2nd 2007: Sailed from Berghamn, via Kiel Canal, to Keratsini. Rebuilt with 50 extra cabins.
Ionian Spirit – © Dirk Jankowsky (Kiel Canal 21/11/2007)
Ionian Spirit – © Aleksi Lindström
June 27th 2008: Sailed from Piraeus to Igoumenitsa.
July 2nd 2008 – July 6th 2008: In Igoumenitsa due to safety issues concerning anchor chain.
July 10th 2008 – August 31st 2008: Igoumenitsa, Corfu (Paxos) – Brindisi.
2008: Brindisi – Vlore.
December 2008: Laid up in Perama with engine problems.
Ionian Spirit – © Frank Lose
February 27th 2011: Arrived in Valletta, with 1,024 evacuees from Misurata.
March 4th 2011 – March 5th 2011: Service from Valletta to Sirte.
March 7th 2011: Arrived in Souda (Crete).
March 16th 2011: Left Souda for Brindisi.
April 2011: Chartered to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
April 10th 2011: Left Brindisi for Benghazi, and then on to Crete.
April 12th 2011 – April 13th 2011: Benghazi to Misurata.
April 15th 2011 – April 16th 2011: Misurata – Benghazi with 1,172 passengers on board.
April 16th 2011 – April 18th 2011: Benghazi to Misurata.
April 18th 2011: Misurata – Benghazi with 971 passengers.
April 25th 2011: Arrived in Vlore.
Ionian Spirit – © Frank Heine (Bari, 30/07/2011)
March 26th 2012: Arrested in Brindisi.
March 2016: Sold at auction to Seamed for 1,175,000 €.
Ionian Spirit – © Frank Heine (Brindisi, 09/08/2016)
October 12th 2016: Registered Owner/Manager; Seamed Trading Shipping Srl, Brindisi, Italy and renamed ST. DAMIAN.
November 19th 2016: Left Brindisi for Piraeus.
November 21st 2016: Arrived Eleusis.
St Damian – © Frank Heine (Brindisi, 31/07/2017)(Left) (Brindisi, 31/07/2017)(Right)
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: Carsten Dettmer, Frank Heine, Dirk Jankowsky, Ken Larwood, Aleksi Lindström, Frank Lose, Marko Stampehl, Jurgen Stein and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
