M/S Ålandsfärjan

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M/S Ålandsfärjan at Åland Sea, 8 October 2006.

M/S Ålandsfärjan is a ferry operated by the Finnish ferry company Viking Line on a route connecting Mariehamn, Finland to Kappelskär, Sweden. She was built in 1972 by Helsingör Skibs & Maskinbygg, Helsingör, Denmark as M/S Kattegat for Jydsk Færgefart A/S.

1 History
2 Decks
3 Specifications
4 External links

[edit] History

The Kattegat was delivered in 1972 and placed on the intra-Denmark Grenå - Hundested service of Jydsk Færgefart A/S. She stopped serving on that route in December 1977. In March 1978 she was sold to the London-based Midland Montague Leasing Ltd who leased the ship to P&O Normandy Ferries Ltd, also based in London. After rebuilding at Caillard S.A., Le Havre, France the ship was renamed M/S nf Tiger placed on Dover - Boulogne service. In 1985 P&O Normandy Ferries was bought by Townsend Thoresen. The ship's name was shortened to M/S Tiger, but she remained on the same service. In July 1986 the ship was laid up, and in November of the same year she was sold to SF Line, one of the owners of the Viking Line consortium. After being rebuilt the ship was renamed M/S Ålandsfärjan and placed in Mariehamn - Kapellskär service in May 1987. In 1993 after bankrupcy of the other Viking Line partner, Rederi AB Slite, Ålandsfärjan's route was altered into Naantali - Mariehamn - Kappelskär (freight only on the Mariehamn - Naantali part of the route), but this solution was found impractical and soon the ship returned to the earlier route, on which she has remained to this date.

In 2002 the ship was rebuilt at Baltic Ship Repairers, Tallinn, Estonia, where sidesponsons were added for increased stability. In recent years the ship has suffered from numerous engine problems, and in January 2007 Viking Line ordered a replacement for her, codenamed Viking ADCC, to be delivered in March 2009.