Hansa class ferry
Encyclopedia
The Hansa class is a class of four ro-pax ferries originally built by Stocznia Gdanska, Poland
for Finncarriers-Poseidon service. Following a merger of Finncarriers and Poseidon to Finnlines
, all ships of this class came to be owned by Finnlines. As of 2009, three ships (Transeuropa, Finnpartner and Finntrader) are operated on Finnlines' routes connecting Finland and Sweden to Germany, while one ship (Euroferry Sicilia) sails with Grimaldi Ferries on their Genoa
-Catania
-Malta
service.
, a former Finnlines ferry then owned by Silja Line
. Originally all Hansa class ships were used in traffic from Helsinki
to Lübeck
.
The first ship of the class, MS Finnhansa, was delivered on 3 August 1994, with MS Finnpartner following on 12 February 1995, MS Transeuropa on 31 May 1995 and MS Finntrader on 26 October 1995. The three Finn-prefixed ships were owned by Finncarriers and registered in Helsinki while Transeuropa was owned by Poseidon and registered in Lübeck. Following a series of mergers between companies owned by Finnlines and brand simplification, in 2000 the ownership of all the ships passed to Finnlines. In 2001 the German terminus of the route was changed to Travemünde
.
Following the delivery of new Star class
ships for the Helsinki — Travemünde service in 2006 and 2007 MS Finntrader and MS Finnpartner were taken off the Finland — Germany service and rebuilt at Remontowa
, Poland with bow gates and additional cabin spaces. After the refit, on 19 February 2007, the Finntrader began service on Finnlines' Malmö
— Travemünde route. At the same time the ship's homeport was changed from Helsinki to Malmö and her original cream/green colour scheme was changed to Finnlines' while/blue. The Finnpartner was rebuilt with similar modifications and joined the Finntrader on the Malmö — Travemünde service in July 2007.
In April 2009 Finnhansa was sold to Grimaldi Ferries (who have the same parent company as Finnlines), and entered service on their Genoa
-Catania
-Malta
service under the name Euroferry Sicilia. Despite this change of ownership the ship at least initially retained its cream/green Finnlines livery with Finnlines company markings.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
for Finncarriers-Poseidon service. Following a merger of Finncarriers and Poseidon to Finnlines
Finnlines
Finnlines Plc is a Finnish shipping company that operates freight throughout Northern Europe as well as passenger services in the Baltic Sea. In the past, Finnlines has operated ships under the brands Finncarriers, Finnflow Systems, Finnjet Lines, and FG Shipping Oy Ab...
, all ships of this class came to be owned by Finnlines. As of 2009, three ships (Transeuropa, Finnpartner and Finntrader) are operated on Finnlines' routes connecting Finland and Sweden to Germany, while one ship (Euroferry Sicilia) sails with Grimaldi Ferries on their Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
-Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
-Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
service.
History
The Hansa class ships were built mainly as freight-carrying vessels, but they also provided a daily passenger-transporting service between Finland and Germany, in direct competition with GTS FinnjetGTS Finnjet
GTS Finnjet was a cruiseferry, built in 1977 by Wärtsilä Helsinki, Finland for Finnlines traffic between Finland and Germany. At the time of her delivery, Finnjet was the fastest, longest and largest car ferry in the world, and the only one powered by gas turbines...
, a former Finnlines ferry then owned by Silja Line
Silja Line
Silja Line is a Finnish cruiseferry brand operated by the Estonian ferry company AS Tallink Grupp, for car and passenger traffic between Finland and Sweden. The former company Silja Oy – today Tallink Silja Oy – is a subsidiary of Tallink Grupp, handling marketing and sales for Tallink and Silja...
. Originally all Hansa class ships were used in traffic from Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
to Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
.
The first ship of the class, MS Finnhansa, was delivered on 3 August 1994, with MS Finnpartner following on 12 February 1995, MS Transeuropa on 31 May 1995 and MS Finntrader on 26 October 1995. The three Finn-prefixed ships were owned by Finncarriers and registered in Helsinki while Transeuropa was owned by Poseidon and registered in Lübeck. Following a series of mergers between companies owned by Finnlines and brand simplification, in 2000 the ownership of all the ships passed to Finnlines. In 2001 the German terminus of the route was changed to Travemünde
Travemünde
Travemünde is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in...
.
Following the delivery of new Star class
Star Class ferries
The Star Class is a class of five Ro-pax ferries built by Fincantieri, Italy at their Castellammare di Stabia and Ancona shipyards for Finnlines. They are used on Finnlines' routes connecting Finland to Germany and Sweden to Germany...
ships for the Helsinki — Travemünde service in 2006 and 2007 MS Finntrader and MS Finnpartner were taken off the Finland — Germany service and rebuilt at Remontowa
Remontowa
Remontowa is a shipyard in the Polish city of Gdańsk. The yard specialises in ship repair and conversions. Remontowa S.A...
, Poland with bow gates and additional cabin spaces. After the refit, on 19 February 2007, the Finntrader began service on Finnlines' Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
— Travemünde route. At the same time the ship's homeport was changed from Helsinki to Malmö and her original cream/green colour scheme was changed to Finnlines' while/blue. The Finnpartner was rebuilt with similar modifications and joined the Finntrader on the Malmö — Travemünde service in July 2007.
In April 2009 Finnhansa was sold to Grimaldi Ferries (who have the same parent company as Finnlines), and entered service on their Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
-Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
-Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
service under the name Euroferry Sicilia. Despite this change of ownership the ship at least initially retained its cream/green Finnlines livery with Finnlines company markings.