MV Moby Baby Two
ex Moby Lally, Prince, Peder Olsen, Wasa Prince, The Viking, Kalle III, Kattegat II
Nigel Thornton Collection
Steel twin screw motor vessel built by Schichau Unterweser AG, Bremerhaven in 1974 (Yard No 2255) for Jydsk farebeat A/S Juelsminde Denmark, as a passenger, car and commercial vehicle roll-on roll-off ferry
Technical Data
- Length: 118.58m (overall), 105.01m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 18.52m (extreme)
- Depth: 10.39m
- Draught: 5.08m (maximum),
- Tonnage: 4,655 gross, 8,570/2,273 net, 2,098, 2,350/1,489 deadweight, 990
- Engines: Two 12-cylinder MAN/Augsburg V6V 40/54 diesels
- Speed: 20 knots
- Capacity: 1200 passengers 330 cars or 25 commercial trailers
- Call Sign: OIQT, OVJQ, IBMU
- IMO Number: 7360681
- Registry: Mariehamn/Finland 🇫🇮, Ronne/Denmark 🇩🇰, Napoli/Italy 🇮🇹
History
June 15th 1974: Keel laid.
September 28th 1974: Launched as KATTEGAT II.
December 18th 1974: Delivered to Færgefart A/S, Juelsminde, Denmark as KALLE III.
Nigel Thornton Collection
December 1974: Introduced between Juelsminde – Kalundborg.
1981: Sold to K/S Difko XVI, Juelsminde, Denmark.
June 4th 1983: Final day operating between Juelsminde – Kalundborg.
June 1983: Chartered to Rederi Ab Sally, Mariehamn, Finland. Transferred to the Finnish ships register.
1983: Underwent a £3 million refit at her builders to make her suitable for Channel operations. These included the fitting of stabilisers, a large duty free shop, an unusual feature and an escalator to carry passengers from the car deck to the public lounge area.
July 1983: Renamed THE VIKING.
July 8th 1983: Intended introduction date delayed owing to “teething problems”.
July 17th 1983: Began operating for Sally Line between Ramsgate – Dunkerque.
1983: Operations were marketed under the “Sally ,Viking Line”, a small “Sally” monogram being added to the large white letters “Viking Line” on the vessels red hull
© Ken Larwood
© Tony Garner
October 1984: Overhauled at Thames Ship Repairers, Chatham.
© Ken Larwood (both)
1985 (early): The company dropped the words “the Viking” from its trading name. Previously marketed as “Sally the Viking Line” it became simply “Sally Line”.
© Ken Larwood
© Ted Ingham (all)
January 13th 1986: Off service for five days of overhaul and en-route to Dunkirk took part in an air/sea rescue exercise simulating the evacuation of a ferry at sea in an emergency situation. She lay in Margate Roads with an imaginary list and electronics failure.
January 1988: Overhaul at Southampton
December 20th 1988: Went to the assistance of SALLY STAR which had suffered an engine-room fire half an hour after leaving Ramsgate. Attempted to take the other vessel in tow, but was unsuccessful.
January 7th 1989: Charter to Sally Line was completed.
January 1989 – March 1989: Chartered to B&I Line, Dublin. For services between Holyhead – Dublin, but considered unsuitable, so laid up in Dublin.
© Robbie Cox (both, North wall, Dublin. Jan 1989)
March 1989: Arrived at Rickmers Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, Germany for rebuilding and refurbishment for her likely new role.
May 1989: Chartered to Oy Vasabåtarna, Vaasa, Finland. Renamed WASA PRINCE.
© Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic)
© Ken Larwood (all)
Nigel Thornton Collection (Chantry Classic postcard © Mike Louagie)
May 1989: Commenced service with Vasabåtarnas between Vasa – Umeå.
© Pieter Inpyn (June 1989 @ Vasa)
December 27th 1989 – April 1990: Chartered to Sally Line, operating between Ramsgate – Dunkerque.
April 27th 1990: Commenced service between Vasa – Umeå.
1991: Sold to EffJohn Group.
1991: Sold to Difko Leasing International A/S, Holstebro, Denmark.
May 1991: Chartered to Bornholmstrafikken, Rönne, Denmark. Renamed PEDER OLSEN.
Nigel Thornton Collection (Left) © Tony Garner (Right)
June 3rd 1991: Commenced service between Rönne – Ystad, Rönne – Copenhagen also Rönne – Mukran.
© Pieter Inpyn (Ystad, 01/06/1992)
🆕 © Andreas Wörteler (Rønne, 02/07/1997)
June 24th 1998 – September 2nd 1998: Operated between Rønne – Swinoujscie.
🆕 © Andreas Wörteler (Ystad, 07/08/1999)
October 29th 1999: Laid up in Rönne, only until she could be moved to Fredericia.
January 2000: Sold to Nav. Arcipelago Maddalenino Spa, Naples, Italy (NAVARMA – Moby Lines).
January 3rd 2000: Renamed MOBY LALLY.
January 14th 2000: Left Fredericia for Italy.
January 22nd 2000: Arrived in Livorno.
June 1st 2000 – September 11th 2000: Operated between Genoa – Bastia.
Nigel Thornton Collection
September 2000: Commenced services between Piombino – Portoferraio.
2004: Services between Livorno – Bastia.
© Benoit Donne
© Carsten Dettmer (Piombino, 27/072013)
2013: In service between Piombino – Portoferraio
© Craig Nelson
January 2016: Remains in service with Moby operating between Piombino and Portoferraio.
January 20th 2017: Renamed MOBY BABY TWO.
© Alessandro Di Napoli
January 18th 2018: “Collided the quay in Portoferraio. Initially, after the departure at 9.15 a.m. the ship was stopped for about half an hour off the coast of Portoferraio. The ferry then continued the voyage without giving any explanation to the passengers. At 12.45 p.m. the ferry slammed into the pier with the bow during the next docking manoeuvre in Portoferraio. No damage was reported to cars and passengers, but the ferry was taken out of service at the dock for technical checks. She was replaced by the “MOBY KISS” for the time being.”.
February 6th 2018: Left Portoferraio and resumed service.
© Malcolm Cranfield (Portoferraio, 18/08/2018)
© Carsten Dettmer (Piombino, 13/10/2021)
October 2021: Laid up in Portoferraio.
December 2nd 2021: Arrived Biserta (Tunisia) for refit at Menzel Bourguiba shipyard.
April 2022: Returned to service.
May 19th 2022: Laid up in Menzel Bourguiba (Tunisia).
June 4th 2022: Left Biserta for Piombino (eta 07/06/2022).
June 7th 2022: Arrived Piombino Anchorage, then to Piombino Port.
September 2024: Still in service Piombino – Portoferraio.
November 2024: Sold to Turkish ship breakers.
December 3rd 2024: Left Portoferraio for Aliaga, Turkey.
December 6th 2024: Arrived Aliaga Anchorage.
December 12th 2024: Beached.
All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Robbie Cox, Malcolm Cranfield Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic), Carsten Dettmer, Benoit Donne, Tony Garner, Ted Ingham, Pieter Inpyjn, Alessandro Di Napoli, Craig Nelson, Ken Larwood, Simonwp and Andreas Wörteler their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
I WORKED on BOARD : THE VIKING (MOBY BABY TWO) and WASA PRINCE from RAMSGATE to DUNKERQUE in 1985 / 1986 / 1987 / 1988 and I WORKED on BOARD : WASA PRINCE in 1989 / 1990 , IWORKED in the CAFETERIA in 1985 and RESTAURANT and DUTY FREE SHOP and INFORMATION EXCHANGE in 1986 / 1987 / 1988 / 1989 / 1990 : Message from Mr JOEL ALBIN
RAMSGATE is ALSO FAMOUS for the HOVERCRAFT services from RAMSGATE to CALAIS by HOVERLLOYD , HOVERLLOYD from RAMSGATE during the 1960’s and 1970’s and early 1980’s the HOVERLLOYD HOSTESSE’S were from RAMSGATE in the 1960’s and 1970’s and early 1980’s , HOVERLLOYD – HOVERLLOYD is ALSO PART of RAMSGATE MARITIME HISTORY : Message from Mr JOEL ALBIN : FORMER SALLY LINE STAFF from 1985 to 1997 and HOVERSPEED STAFF in 1983 and TOWNSEND THORESEN STAFF in 1983 and 1984
I WORKED on BOARD : THE VIKING of SALLY LINE in the 1980’s in the CAFETERIA , RESTAURANT , DUTY FREE SHOP , CASHIER , INFORMATION and EXCHAGE BUREAU as CASHIER in the 1980’s from RAMSGATE to DUNKERQUE on BOARD ; THE VIKING of SALLY LINE , I also WORKED on HOVERSPEED in 1983 from DOVER to CALAIS : RAMSGATE was ALSO FAMOUS for HOVERCARFT SERVICES from RAMSGATE to CALAIS with HOVERLLOYD from 1966 to 1982 from RAMSGATE . Message from Mr JOEL ALBIN : FORMER : SALLY LINE and HOVERSPEED and TOWNSEND THORESEN STAFF in the 1980’s and 1990’s
I WORKED on BOARD : THE VIKING for SALLY LINE from RAMSGATE to DUNKERQUE and WASA PRINCE during the 1980’s and 1990’s in the CAFETERIA and RESTAURANT and DUTY FREE SHOP as CASHIER and INFORMATION / EXCHANGE DESK on BOARD : THE VIKING with Mrs CAROLE NICOLAS and Mrs ANNE FOURNIER and Mrs FRANCOISE LEBRETON on BOARD : THE VIKING for SALLY LINE from RAMSGATE to DUNKERQUE during the 1980’s and 1990’s : Message from Mr JOEL ALBIN : FORMER SALLY LINE STAFF from 1985 to 1997 and FORMER HOVERSPEED STAFF in 1983 and FORMER TOWNSEND THORESEN STAFF in 1983 and 1984.