MS Pride of Portsmouth
Encyclopedia
The SNAV Lazio is a Peter Pan-class cruiseferry
currently owned and operated by the Italian
shipping company SNAV
. She was launched
on 28 October 1989 by Schichau Seebeckwerft
in Bremerhaven
, West Germany
as the Olau Britannia for Olau Line
.
Following the closure of Olau Line in 1994, The Olau Britannia was chartered to P&O Ferries
and renamed Pride of Portsmouth. Since 2005 she has been operating as the SNAV Lazio between Civitavecchia
, Palermo
and Olbia
.
had been owned by the Germany
-based TT-Line
since 1979. Under TT-Line ownership, Olau Line had acquired two purpose-built ferries, Olau Hollandia and Olau Britannia for their Sheerness
—Vlissingen service. During the mid-80s TT-Line acquired and , enlarged versions of the Olau Hollandia and Olau Britannia design, for their Trelleborg
—Travemünde
service. During the latter half of the decade, TT-line decided to order two more ships of the Peter Pan-type from Schichau Seebeckwerft
in Bremerhaven
, West Germany
as replacements for the two Olau ships. The second of which was delivered in 1990 as the second Olau Britannia, replacing her older namesake.
in January 1993, but action from the German Seamen's Union forced the ships to be re-registered in Germany just a month later. In 1994 TT-Line made plans to move the ships under Bahamian
flag, but when the German Seamen's Union protested again, TT-Line
decided to close down Olau Line
in May 1994.
Following the closure of Olau Line
, TT-Line
chartered the two vessels to P&O European Ferries
and the Olau Britannia was consequently renamed Pride of Portsmouth to fit with P&O's branding policy at the time and re-registered to the United Kingdom
. Initially both the Pride of Portsmouth and the renamed Pride of Le Havre entered service on the Portsmouth
to Cherbourg route whilst new deeper berths were completed at Le Havre
. When these were completed, P&O transferred the two to the Portsmouth
to Le Havre
route on 22 June 1994. This service continued largely unchanged until 2005.
On 28 September 2004 P&O Ferries
announced plans to charter the Pride of Portsmouth and her sister Pride of Le Havre to Brittany Ferries
. The plans came under scrutiny of the relevant competition regulator
s, and as a result Brittany Ferries decided not to charter the ships. They remained in P&O Ferries
service until 30 September 2005, when they were withdrawn from service and subsequently laid up on the River Fal
as this proved to be more cost effective than continuing the service until the end of December.
In November 2005 TT-Line sold the Pride of Portsmouth and Pride of Le Havre to the Italy
-based SNAV
. On 30 December 2005 the Pride of Portsmouth was renamed SNAV Lazio, but she retained United Kingdom flag for the time being. On 5 January 2006 the SNAV Lazio left Falmouth
for Naples
. On 27 March 2006 she was re-registered in Italy, and in May of the same year she entered service on SNAV's routes from Civitavecchia
to Palermo
and Olbia
.
moored at the end of Fountain Lake Jetty during her turn into Fountain Lake. The collision was the result of a combination of factors, most notably the high wind speeds at the time. The Marine Accident Invesitgation Board determined that along with the high winds, an inappropriate helm order and the failure of a bow thruster prior to the incident had allowed the Pride of Portsmouth to pass close to the warship HMS Ocean
and then make a starboard turn, which was accelerated by the high winds and lee from HMS Ocean towards HMS St Albans.
The St Albans was at the time, yet to enter full operational service having been commissioned in June 2002. She was substantially damaged in the collision, including several parts of the deck and gun decks, sea boat supports and the port bridge wing. In comparison, the Pride of Portsmouth sustained only superficial damage including a small gash on her bow. She was consequently taken out of service for repairs to be made.
MS Peter Pan (1986) was the first of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
, Germany
for TT-Line
. She was sold in 1990 to TT-line (Tasmania)
and in 1993 renamed as the first Spirit of Tasmania
. She was sold in 2002 to Nordsjøferger and charted in 2003 to Fjord Line
as MS Fjord Norway. In 2006 she was sold to DFDS Seaways
to serve the IJmuiden (Netherlands
)–Newcastle
(Britain
) route as MS Princess of Norway. In 2011 she was renamed MS Princess Seaways.
was the second of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
, Germany
for TT-Line
. She was sold to Brittany Ferries
in 1993 and renamed MS Val de Loire
. In late 2005 she was sold to DFDS Seaways
to serve the IJmuiden (Netherlands
)–Newcastle
(Britain
) route as MS King of Scandinavia
, subsequently renamed in 2011 as MS King Seaways.
was the third of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
, Germany
for TT-Line
's sister company Olau Line
. With her Olau sister MS Olau Britannia she was charted in 1994 to P&O Ferries
and renamed MS Pride of Le Havre. In 2005 she stopped operating for P&O and was subsequently sold to SNAV
in Italy and renamed MS SNAV Sardegna
.
The former MS Koningin Beatrix
(1986), sold in 1989 to Stena Line
and renamed in 2002 as , was built by the Dutch shipyard Van der Giessen de Noord
for SMZ
to a similar design as the four sisters.
Cruiseferry
A cruiseferry is a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship with a Ro-Pax ferry. Many passengers travel with the ships for the cruise experience, staying only a few hours at the destination port or not leaving the ship at all, while others use the ships as means of...
currently owned and operated by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
shipping company SNAV
SNAV
SNAV is an Italian company that operates ferry services from Italy to Sardinia, Croatia and Sicily.- Routes :SNAV operates a large network of routes across the Mediterranean and Adriatic....
. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 28 October 1989 by Schichau Seebeckwerft
Schichau Seebeckwerft
Schichau Seebeckwerft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Bremerhaven. The name comes from the 1988 merger of Schichau with Seebeckwerft.-History:...
in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as the Olau Britannia for Olau Line
Olau Line
Olau Line was a shipping company that existed between the years 1956 and 1994. It operated a ferry service from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands from 1974 until 1994. Originally based in Denmark, the company passed under ownership of the German TT-Line in 1980.-History:Olau Line was founded in...
.
Following the closure of Olau Line in 1994, The Olau Britannia was chartered to P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
and renamed Pride of Portsmouth. Since 2005 she has been operating as the SNAV Lazio between Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
, Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and Olbia
Olbia
Olbia is a town and comune of 56,231 inhabitants in northeastern Sardinia , in the Gallura sub-region. Called Olbia in the Roman age, Civita in the Middle Ages and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s, Olbia was again the official name of the town after the period of Fascism.-Geography:It is the...
.
Concept and construction
Olau LineOlau Line
Olau Line was a shipping company that existed between the years 1956 and 1994. It operated a ferry service from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands from 1974 until 1994. Originally based in Denmark, the company passed under ownership of the German TT-Line in 1980.-History:Olau Line was founded in...
had been owned by the Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-based TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
since 1979. Under TT-Line ownership, Olau Line had acquired two purpose-built ferries, Olau Hollandia and Olau Britannia for their Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
—Vlissingen service. During the mid-80s TT-Line acquired and , enlarged versions of the Olau Hollandia and Olau Britannia design, for their Trelleborg
Trelleborg
Trelleborg is a locality and the seat of Trelleborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 25,643 inhabitants in 2005. It is the southernmost town in Sweden.-History:...
—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...
service. During the latter half of the decade, TT-line decided to order two more ships of the Peter Pan-type from Schichau Seebeckwerft
Schichau Seebeckwerft
Schichau Seebeckwerft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Bremerhaven. The name comes from the 1988 merger of Schichau with Seebeckwerft.-History:...
in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as replacements for the two Olau ships. The second of which was delivered in 1990 as the second Olau Britannia, replacing her older namesake.
History
The new Olau Hollandia and Olau Britannia were more than twice the size of the old ships with the same names, and they soon proved to be too large for the route they were built for. Due to high operating costs the ships were taken out of the German ship registry and registered in LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
in January 1993, but action from the German Seamen's Union forced the ships to be re-registered in Germany just a month later. In 1994 TT-Line made plans to move the ships under Bahamian
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
flag, but when the German Seamen's Union protested again, TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
decided to close down Olau Line
Olau Line
Olau Line was a shipping company that existed between the years 1956 and 1994. It operated a ferry service from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands from 1974 until 1994. Originally based in Denmark, the company passed under ownership of the German TT-Line in 1980.-History:Olau Line was founded in...
in May 1994.
Following the closure of Olau Line
Olau Line
Olau Line was a shipping company that existed between the years 1956 and 1994. It operated a ferry service from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands from 1974 until 1994. Originally based in Denmark, the company passed under ownership of the German TT-Line in 1980.-History:Olau Line was founded in...
, TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
chartered the two vessels to P&O European Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
and the Olau Britannia was consequently renamed Pride of Portsmouth to fit with P&O's branding policy at the time and re-registered to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Initially both the Pride of Portsmouth and the renamed Pride of Le Havre entered service on the Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Cherbourg route whilst new deeper berths were completed at Le Havre
Port of Le Havre
The Port of Le Havre, Port Autonome du Havre, is the Port and port authority of the Normandy city of Le Havre, France.The port of Le Havre consists of a series of canal-like docks, the Canal de Tancarville and the Grand Canal du Havre, that connect Le Havre to the Seine, close to the Pont de...
. When these were completed, P&O transferred the two to the Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
route on 22 June 1994. This service continued largely unchanged until 2005.
On 28 September 2004 P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
announced plans to charter the Pride of Portsmouth and her sister Pride of Le Havre to Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
. The plans came under scrutiny of the relevant competition regulator
Competition regulator
A competition regulator is a government agency, typically a statutory authority, sometimes called an economic regulator, which regulates and enforces competition laws, and may sometimes also enforce consumer protection laws...
s, and as a result Brittany Ferries decided not to charter the ships. They remained in P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
service until 30 September 2005, when they were withdrawn from service and subsequently laid up on the River Fal
River Fal
The River Fal flows through Cornwall, United Kingdom, rising on the Goss Moor and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and St Mawes as well as Trelissick Garden. The River Fal separates the Roseland peninsula from the rest of...
as this proved to be more cost effective than continuing the service until the end of December.
In November 2005 TT-Line sold the Pride of Portsmouth and Pride of Le Havre to the Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-based SNAV
SNAV
SNAV is an Italian company that operates ferry services from Italy to Sardinia, Croatia and Sicily.- Routes :SNAV operates a large network of routes across the Mediterranean and Adriatic....
. On 30 December 2005 the Pride of Portsmouth was renamed SNAV Lazio, but she retained United Kingdom flag for the time being. On 5 January 2006 the SNAV Lazio left Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
for Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. On 27 March 2006 she was re-registered in Italy, and in May of the same year she entered service on SNAV's routes from Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
to Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and Olbia
Olbia
Olbia is a town and comune of 56,231 inhabitants in northeastern Sardinia , in the Gallura sub-region. Called Olbia in the Roman age, Civita in the Middle Ages and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s, Olbia was again the official name of the town after the period of Fascism.-Geography:It is the...
.
Collision with HMS St Albans
In the early hours of 27 October 2002, during high winds of between 35 to 40 knots and gusts reaching 70 knots within Portsmouth Harbour, the Pride of Portsmouth collided with the warship, HMS St AlbansHMS St Albans (F83)
HMS St Albans is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the sixth ship to bear the name and is the sixteenth and final ship in the 'Duke' class of frigates. She is based in Portsmouth.- Operational history :...
moored at the end of Fountain Lake Jetty during her turn into Fountain Lake. The collision was the result of a combination of factors, most notably the high wind speeds at the time. The Marine Accident Invesitgation Board determined that along with the high winds, an inappropriate helm order and the failure of a bow thruster prior to the incident had allowed the Pride of Portsmouth to pass close to the warship HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (L12)
HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force...
and then make a starboard turn, which was accelerated by the high winds and lee from HMS Ocean towards HMS St Albans.
The St Albans was at the time, yet to enter full operational service having been commissioned in June 2002. She was substantially damaged in the collision, including several parts of the deck and gun decks, sea boat supports and the port bridge wing. In comparison, the Pride of Portsmouth sustained only superficial damage including a small gash on her bow. She was consequently taken out of service for repairs to be made.
Sister ships
The Olau Britannia was the fourth of four sisters in the Peter Pan class, the others being:MS Peter Pan (1986) was the first of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
. She was sold in 1990 to TT-line (Tasmania)
TT-Line (Australia)
TT-Line Company Pty. Ltd. is a company operating ferries from Tasmania to the mainland of Australia since 1985. The company was separated from the department of Transport Tasmania in 1993, becoming a government business enterprise wholly owned by the Government of Tasmania.- 1985-1992 :TT-Line was...
and in 1993 renamed as the first Spirit of Tasmania
Spirit of Tasmania (first ship)
MS Princess Seaways is a cruiseferry operated and owned by the Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways on a route connecting Newcastle, England to IJmuiden in the Netherlands. She was built in 1986 as MS Peter Pan by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, Germany for TT-Line...
. She was sold in 2002 to Nordsjøferger and charted in 2003 to Fjord Line
Fjord Line
Fjord Line is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark. In addition to passenger transport, Fjord line operates cargo transport through its cargo division in Norway and Denmark.-History:Fjord Line was founded in 1993...
as MS Fjord Norway. In 2006 she was sold to DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways is a large Danish shipping company operating passenger and freight services across Northern Europe. Following the acquisition of Norfolkline in 2010, DFDS restructured its other shipping divisions into the previously passenger only operation of DFDS Seaways.-History:The company has...
to serve the IJmuiden (Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
)–Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
(Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) route as MS Princess of Norway. In 2011 she was renamed MS Princess Seaways.
was the second of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
. She was sold to Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
in 1993 and renamed MS Val de Loire
MS King of Scandinavia
MS King Seaways is a cruiseferry operated and owned by the Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways on a route connecting Newcastle, England to IJmuiden in the Netherlands. She was built in 1987 as MS Nils Holgersson by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, West Germany for TT-Line...
. In late 2005 she was sold to DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways is a large Danish shipping company operating passenger and freight services across Northern Europe. Following the acquisition of Norfolkline in 2010, DFDS restructured its other shipping divisions into the previously passenger only operation of DFDS Seaways.-History:The company has...
to serve the IJmuiden (Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
)–Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
(Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) route as MS King of Scandinavia
MS King of Scandinavia
MS King Seaways is a cruiseferry operated and owned by the Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways on a route connecting Newcastle, England to IJmuiden in the Netherlands. She was built in 1987 as MS Nils Holgersson by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, West Germany for TT-Line...
, subsequently renamed in 2011 as MS King Seaways.
was the third of the sisters build by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for TT-Line
TT-Line
TT-Line is a shipping company based in Lübeck, Germany, which has been providing a ferry service between Travemünde in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Trelleborg in southern Sweden since 1962. From 1992 on, Rostock is also offered as starting harbor to Trelleborg...
's sister company Olau Line
Olau Line
Olau Line was a shipping company that existed between the years 1956 and 1994. It operated a ferry service from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands from 1974 until 1994. Originally based in Denmark, the company passed under ownership of the German TT-Line in 1980.-History:Olau Line was founded in...
. With her Olau sister MS Olau Britannia she was charted in 1994 to P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
and renamed MS Pride of Le Havre. In 2005 she stopped operating for P&O and was subsequently sold to SNAV
SNAV
SNAV is an Italian company that operates ferry services from Italy to Sardinia, Croatia and Sicily.- Routes :SNAV operates a large network of routes across the Mediterranean and Adriatic....
in Italy and renamed MS SNAV Sardegna
MS SNAV Sardegna
MS SNAV Sardegna is a cruiseferry owned by the Italy-based SNAV and operated on their Olbia—Civitavecchia and Palermo—Civitavecchia services. She was built in 1989 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, West Germany as MS Olau Hollandia for Olau Line...
.
The former MS Koningin Beatrix
MS Stena Baltica
MS Stena Baltica is a ro-ro ferry owned by Stena Line and operated on their Karlskrona - Gdynia service. She was built in 1986 by Van der Giessen de Noord as MS Koningin Beatrix for SMZ...
(1986), sold in 1989 to Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
and renamed in 2002 as , was built by the Dutch shipyard Van der Giessen de Noord
Van der Giessen de Noord
Van der Giessen de Noord was a shipyard that mainly built ferries, located in Krimpen aan den IJssel, a town in the western Netherlands. The yard was especially suited to the construction of large vessels due to its developed undercover facilities....
for SMZ
Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland
Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland was a Dutch ferry operator that ran services from Hook of Holland to Harwich between 1875 and 1989.-History:The Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland was founded in 1875....
to a similar design as the four sisters.