Attica GroupFerriesPast and PresentStena LineStena RoRoSuperfast FerriesTallink

MV Stena Superfast VII – Past and Present

IMO Number: 9198941

MV Stena Superfast VII

ex Superfast VII

© Scott Mackey

© Scott Mackey (Belfast)

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 2001 by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) AG, Kiel (Yard No. 357) as a Ro/Ro (Passenger) Ferry for Superfast Ferries, Athens, Greece

Technical Data

  • Length: 203.40 m (overall) 185.6 m (between perpendiculars
  • Breadth of Hull: 25.43 m (extreme)
  • Depth: 9.1 m
  • Draught: 6.715 m (design)
  • Tonnage: 30,285 gross/10,769 net/5525 deadweight
  • Engines: Four 16-cylinder Wärtsilä-Sulzer 12ZAV40S diesels
  • Power: 46,000kW
  • Speed: 28.6 knots (max) 22 knots (service)
  • Capacity: 626 passengers, 661 cars/110 trucks
  • Call Sign: SWFC, ESIH, 3EZR3
  • MMSI Number: 235089435
  • IMO Number: 9198941
  • Official Number: 5226875
  • Registry: Piraeus/Greece 🇬🇷, Tallinn/Estonia 🇪🇪, Paldiski/Estonia 🇪🇪, Belfast/UK 🇬🇧
  • Sister Ships: Superfast VIII (358), 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 first 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 29th 1999: Keel laid.

November 18th 2000: Launched.

© Simonwp

© Simonwp

© Tim Becker (Rostock, 01/05/2001)

May 8th 2001: Delivered to Superfast Ferries, Piraeus, Greece as the first vessel of the four ship “Superfast VII” series completed by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG in Kiel, Germany.

May 9th 2001: Left builders yard in Kiel for Rosyth, Scotland.

May 11th 2001: Displayed in Rosyth.

May 13th 2001: Arrived in Rostock and the left for Helsinki and further display.

May 17th 2001: Commenced services between Rostock – Hanko.

© Carsten Dettmer © Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer (Rostock, 25/05/2001)

November 12th 2004: Entering Hanko harbour in heavy wind with the help of two tugs when she was grounded near the Hanko breakwater. The grounding resulted in no major damage and the ship was able to continue to the harbour soon afterwards. 140 passengers were on board at the time of the incident.

November 14th 2004: Sailed to Turku Repair Yard in Naantali, Finland.

November 26th 2004: Left Naantali for Hanko.

November 27th 2004: Returned to service.

March 31st 2006: Sold to Baltic SF VII Ltd (AS Tallink Group), Paldiski, Estonia.

April 10th 2006: Taken over by her new owners.

April 17th 2006: Services between Rostock – Paldiski – Hanko.

June 2006: Services Hanko – Rostock.

December 2006 – December 21st 2006: Services between Hanko – Rostock/ Hanko – Paldiski.

January 1st 2007: Services Helsinki – Rostock.

© Aleksi Lindström (Helsinki, 02/01/2007)

January 8th 2007 – January 14th 2007: Refit.

January 14th 2007: Services Tallinn – Helsinki – Rostock.

September 1st 2008: Services Helsinki – Rostock.

October 31st 2008: At the quayside in Helsinki, in severe weather, collided with BALTIC PRINCESS. Minor damage to both vessels.

January 3rd 2010: Taken out of service and laid up in Kopli (Tallinn).

April 26th 2010 – December 23rd 2010: Services Helsinki – Rostock.

March 7th 2011: Agreement on chartering out the vessel to Stena Line (3 + 1 years, with buying option).

April 1st 2011 – August 12th 2011: Services Helsinki – Rostock.

August 15th 2011: Arrived Tallinn.

August 22nd 2011: Arrived at Remontowa, Gdansk for refit/rebuild.

© Jakub Bogucki

© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 09/09/2011)

© Jakub Bogucki  © Jakub Bogucki

© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 30/09/2011)

© Jakub Bogucki  © Jakub Bogucki

© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 22/11/2011)

© Jakub Bogucki  © Jakub Bogucki

© Jakub Bogucki (Gdansk, 30/10/2011)

August 2011: Renamed STENA SUPERFAST VII.

November 9th 2011: Left Gdansk for Cairnryan.

November 21st 2011: Services Belfast – Cairnryan.

© Micke Asklander  © Micke Asklander

© Micke Asklander (Loch Ryan, 21/11/2011)

November 26th 2011: Suffered bow-thruster problems. Missed several sailings.

February 19th 2013 – March 5th 2013: Refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

March 6th 2013: Services Belfast – Cairnryan.

February 14th 2016 – February 16th 2016: Visited Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

July 12th 2017: Sold to Stena Ropax Ltd, Gothenburg for delivery in December

December 14th 2017: Taken over by Stena North Sea Ltd, Belfast, UK..

© Pieter Inpijn  © Pieter Inpijn

© Pieter Inpyn (Belfast, 14/04/2018)

January 30th 2018: Sold to FPG Shipholding Bermuda 1 Co, (Care of Stena Line), Holyhead.

October 28th 2018: En-route from Belfast to Cairnryan, with 189 people on board, suffered a water coolant leak in the main engine. After repairs were completed, the vessel sailed back to Belfast.

November 6th 2018:

“Officer of the watch took urgent action to avoid a submerged submarine after its periscope had been spotted close ahead of the ferry. Post-event analysis showed that, prior to the ferry’s course alteration, there had been a serious risk of collision. This near miss happened because the submarine’s control room team had underestimated the ferry’s speed and overestimated its range, resulting in an unsafe situation developing. However, the submarine’s control room electronic tactical display presented a picture of a safer situation than reality; this meant that safety-critical decisions made on board the submarine may have appeared rational at the time”.

Source: Marine Accident Branch (MAIB) Report

Internet Source

July 2022: Continues service Belfast – Cairnryan.

September 25th 2022: 

“A small fire broke out in the exhaust system of the Superfast VII.

A spokesperson said it was brought under control quickly by the crew, but emergency services were called as a precaution.

They added that no passengers were on board and the crew were safe and well.

The 07:30 sailing from Belfast to Cairnryan and the 11:30 sailing in the opposite direction have been cancelled as a result.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said 61 fire fighters and 13 fire engines attended the scene.

It said it was investigating the cause of the blaze.”.

September 25th 2022: Taken out of service and towed to Harland and Wolff for repairs.

September 26th 2022: Resumed service Belfast – Cairnryan.

April 9th 2023: Came off service and sailed to Cammell Laird, Birkenhead for refit.

© Luke Wilson

© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 09/04/2023)

April 9th 2023: Arrived Cammell Laird.

© Robert Foy © Robert Foy

© Robert Foy (Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 09/04/2023)

May 5th 2023: Arrived back from Cammell Laird and took up the 11:30 sailing to Belfast from Loch Ryan Port.

© Luke Wilson

© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 27/05/2023)

July 19th 2023: “Whilst in Belfast a small fire broke out in an emergency generator room onboard. The fire was quickly extinguished by Stena Line crew, emergency services were alerted as a precaution. “There were no passengers onboard the ship at the time and there were no injuries”. Vessel taken out of service and towed to Ship Repair Yard, Belfast.

© Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson

© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 20/07/2023)

© Trevor Kidd © Trevor Kidd

© Trevor Kidd (Belfast, 20/07/2023)

July 27th 2023: To resume service Belfast – Loch Ryan Port.

September 5th 2023: Came off service at Loch Ryan and moved to lay-by berth for repairs.

© Luke Wilson

© Luke Wilson (Loch Ryan, 09/09/2023)

September 10th 2023: Resumed service Loch Ryan – Belfast.

October 9th 2023: Came off service and sailed to ship repair quay for MES training, then resumed.

© Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson

© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 09/10/2023)

February 22nd 2024: Came off service at Belfast and moved to Harland and Wolff for dry-docking.

© Stephen Brown

© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 23/02/2024)

February 25th 2024: Left dry-dock for trials.


 

© Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson © Luke Wilson

🆕 © Luke Wilson (Belfast, 25/02/2024)

February 25th 2024: Resumed service Belfast – Loch Ryan Port.


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: Micke Asklander, Tim Becker, Jakub Bogucki, Stephen Brown, Carsten Dettmer, Robert Foy, Pieter Inpyn, Aleksi Lindström, Scott Mackey, Simonwp, Luke Wilson and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

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

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