MV Moby Aki

Moby Aki © John Wilson (25/09/2010)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 2005 by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani, Ancona, Italy (Yard No 6116) as a Passenger and Vehicle Ferry

Technical Data

• Length: 174.99 m (overall) 162.85 m (between perpendiculars)
• Breadth: 27.60 m
• Depth: 9.80 m
• Draught: 7.0 m
• Tonnage: 36284 gross/16500 net/5400 deadweight
• Engines: 4 x Wartsila 12V46C diesels
• Power: 50400 kW/HP
• Speed: 29.5 knots (max)
• Capacity: 2080 passengers/710 cars
• Call Sign: IBVV
• MMSI Number: 247132400
• IMO Number: 9299393
• Official Number:
• Port of Registry: Napoli/Italy
• Sister-Ships: Moby Freedom, Moby Wonder, Superstar

Current AIS Location

History

March 2nd 2003: Ordered.

April 7th 2004: Keel struck.

November 20th 2004: Launched.

May 12th 2005: Completed.

May 16th 2005: Delivered to Moby Spa, Naples, Italy.

May 18th 2005: Left Ancona for Livorno.

May 2005: Services between Livorno – Olbia.

© Carsten Dettmer

© Eerik Laine (Olbia, 26/09/2019).

September 6th 2019: An announcement was made stating that the MOBY AKI had been sold, with her sister vessel the MOBY WONDER, to DFDS for North Sea service from Newcastle to Amsterdam to replace the KING SEAWAYS and the PRINCESS SEAWAYS.

“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.”

“The ferries will fly the Danish flag, and I am also pleased to reveal that we will name the ferries AMSTERDAM SEAWAYS and NEWCASTLE SEAWAYS in respect of the two cities they will be linking”. (DFDS News)

Artists Impression © DFDS

October 5th 2019: Arrived at shipyards in Genoa.

October 29th 2019: The agreement signed between DFDS A/S and Moby Spa for the acquisition of the MOBY WONDER and MOBY AKI for the Newcastle-Amsterdam service was cancelled.

AGREEMENT ON NEW AMSTERDAM – NEWCASTLE FERRIES CANCELLED

On 6 September 2019, DFDS entered into an agreement with the Italian ferry company Moby to acquire two ferries, Moby Wonder and Moby Aki, for deployment on the Amsterdam-Newcastle route. Moby would in turn acquire the two passenger ferries currently operating on Amsterdam-Newcastle, King Seaways and Princess Seaways.

The agreement was expected to be completed in the second half of October 2019 but Moby has unfortunately not been able to meet the delivery terms of the agreement. The agreement has therefore been cancelled.

DFDS will continue to explore solutions for a renewal of the ferries on the Amsterdam-Newcastle route in line with the fourth pillar of the WIN23 strategy: Creating more value for passengers.

Revised outlook 2019

The full-year outlook for Special items is decreased to DKK -30m from previously DKK 70m as the latter included an expected accounting profit of around DKK 100m from the sale of two ferries.

The investment outlook for 2019 is reduced to around DKK 2.8bn from previously DKK 3.4bn as the investment in the renewal, net of proceeds from the sale of two ferries, was expected to amount to around DKK 1.0bn of which DKK 650m was expected to be paid in 2019. The remaining DKK 350m was expected to be paid in 2020.

Source: DFDS A/S

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: DFDS, Carsten Dettmer, Eerik Laine, Wil Weijsters, John Wilson and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)