30 October 2014

Silja Symphony & Silja Serenade in Helsinki, 15 October 2014

Silja Symphony

IMO 8803769
Built 1991, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 377 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

Silja Serenade

IMO 8715259
Built 1990, Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 376 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

The Silja Symphony returned from a long drydocking at Naantali on 15 October. During the refit she was given a new livery, with the new-style smiling seal in the funnel, while her interiors were given a similar overhaul as the Silja Serenade, but more extensive, with a redecorated promenade, a sushi bar and a new, larger children's playroom, in addition to the new shops and restaurants already introduced onboard the older sister.

The ship's arrival in Helsinki also meant that it was possible - for the third time in history, to my knowledge - to photograph the two sisters in port at the same time. And the first time this was possible with the new livery, obviously. The overcast weather was far from ideal... although still better than the previous time they were together in Helsinki, when there was thick fog that made it impossible for both ships to be visible at the same time.

The seal sisters: smiley (right) and serious (left). Alas, treating this for publication was so much work I couldn't be arsed to retouch any of the other images showing both ships.
After the Serenade departed, the Symphony shifted to the normal quay at Olympiaterminaali.
Since I was out with my tripod, I hund around long enough to take some dusk lighting photos.
Next time: Highspeed 4.

23 October 2014

Adamantios Korais in Piraeus, 10 November 2013

Today, we are taking a trip back in time to November 2013 and the Eastern Mediterranean cruise I did with my lovely wife onboard HAL's Rotterdam. As the cruise begun and ended at Piraeus, Greece, there were loads and loads of interesting ships - mostly ferries - to photograph. So this is the first of them.

Adamantios Korais

IMO number 8613607
Name history: Visva, Kuyshu, Adamantios Korais
Built 1987, Naikai Shipbuilders Setoda, Japan
Tonnage 6 307 GT
Length 100,15 m
Width 17,21 m
Draught 4,50 m
1 100 passengers
180 cars
350 lane metres
2 Daihatsu diesels, combined 5 885 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thruster
Speed 18,6 knots

The Adamantios Korais - named after a Greek humanist and writer, who is credites as having laid the foundations for modern Greek literature and language - is a nifty little ferry serving on routes connecting Piraeus to various islands in the Aegean archipelago. Like many other Greek ferries, her roots are in Japan: she was built in 1987 for Higashi Nihon Ferry as the Visva, serving on the Aomori (Honshu)-Hakodate (Hokkaido) route. (From a Finnish point of view the original name was very unfortunate - Visva literally translates as "pus").

In 1999 the ship passed to Kyu-Shi Ferry as the Kyushu, serving on a route connecting Yawatahama (Shikoku)-Usuki (Kyushu). (I'm presuming everyone remembers the rough geography of Japan's four main islands). In August 2008 the ship was sold to Anonimos Naftiliaki Metaforiki Eteria Zakynthoy S.A. (ANMEZ), a Greek shipping company trading under tha name Zante Ferries. The Kyushu was renamed Adamantios Korais and sailed to Greece, where she was given and extensive refit that left her essentially unrecognisable from the earlier incarnation. Following the refit the Adamantios Korais was placed on the Pireus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini -route, where she remains to this day.

The photographs below show the Adamantios Korais in the harbour of Piraeus on the afternoon of 10 November 2013. Photographed from onboard the Rotterdam. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

To be honest, Athens did not make my list of favourite cities during the visit. Still, the ferries were rather interesting - and I like the combination of the high-rise building and the ferry here.
And I have to say that Zante Ferries' orange livery does speak to me on a personal level. Although I'm puzzled why the vlack window stripe doesn't continue all the way around the forward part.
Some hours after the previous photographs were taken, our departure allowed for somewhat different point of view.
Next time: Highspeed 4 or, if have time to work on them, Silja Serenade & Silja Symphony together in Helsinki.

14 October 2014

Star in Helsinki, 12 October 2013

Star

IMO 9364722
Built 2007, Aker Finnyards Helsinki, Finland
Tonnage 36 250 GT
Length 186,00 m
Width 27,70 m
Draugth 6,50 m
Ice class 1A
1 900 passengers
520 berths
450 cars
1 981 lanemeters
4 MaK diesels, combined 48 000 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 27,7 knots

Still not much to say about the Star. The photos below show her departing from Helsinki West Harbour in the afternoon of 12 October 2013. Photographed from Vattuniemi. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

I especially like the way the yellow leaves stand out from the other trees on Pihlajasaari in the background.
The composition works particularly well here, methinks.
Sisä-Hattu, seen from a somewhat different point of view than the usual.
Next time: Adamantios Korais

09 October 2014

Silja Europa in Helsinki, 12 October 2013

Silja Europa

IMO 8919805
Name history: Europa, Silja Europa
Built 1993, Meyer Werft, Germany
Tonnage 59 912 GT
Length 201,78 m
Width 32,60 m
Draught 6,80 m
Ice class 1 A Super
3 123 passengers
3 696 berths
350 cars
932 lane metres
4 MAN diesels, combined 31 800 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 22 knots

Ah, the Silja Europa. It's been a while since the ship was featured in this blog. And during that time, she has been chartered out to Bridgemans Services as an accommodation vessel. So in addition to the new (old) photos, it's time to update the ship's history.

Silja Europa was originally ordered by Rederi AB Slite, one of the owners of Viking Line, in 1989. The Europa, as she was to be known (in keeping with Slite's tradition of taking their names from Greek and Roman mythologies), was to be the jewel in the company's crown, outdoing both SF Line's (the other Viking Line partner) Cinderella and Silja Line's still-under-construction Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony. In terms of basic design the Europa is an enlarged version of the Athena and Kalypso, built in 1989 and 1990 respectively (they in turn were based on the Mariella of 1985 and her sister Olympia of 1986).

While the Europa was under construction at Meyer Werft, a disaster stroke the Finnish shipyard Wärtsilä that was building both Slite's Kalypso and Silja's Serenade and Symphony. Wärtsilä's shipbuilding division went bankrupt and in the ensuing reorganisation the prices of the still under construction newbuildings rose radically, leaving both Slite and Silja Line in heavy debt.

Fast forward to January 1993. During the month the Swedish krona was devaluated by 25%, leaving Slite 200 million SEK short of the price of the Europa just two months before the ship was to be delivered. The situation was further compicated by the fact that the main funder of Slite, Nordbanken, was also the main funder of Silja Line. While Slite was better off financially of the two, the bank stood to lose more if Silja failed (as it was perhaps likely to do at the time). Regardless of what the actual reasons were, Nordbanken refused to grant Slite an additional loan to secure the Europa. During the same month Silja Line signed an agreement with the shipyard to charter the Europa on completion of the ship. Slite's assests meanwhile were evaluated by Nordbanken as being much less valuable than they were. The result was that Slite was forced to declare bankruptcy and their remaining assets (Olympia, Athena and Kalypso) were sold for trading outside the Baltic. The money from selling the ships easily covered the debts of RAB Slite. With large parts of Viking Line's fleet missing, Silja Line established itself as the dominant shipping company on the North Baltic and managed to somewhat improve it's financial position.

Returning to the Europa, she has been christened Silja Europa on 5 March 1993 and entered service on Silja Line's Helsinki-Stockholm route on 14 March 1993. She had been planned for that exact route, and placing her on the service allowed Silja to cash in on the large-scale marketing Viking Line had already carried out for the ship. In 1994 the Silja Europa was the second ship to arrive on the scene of the Estonia disaster and the ship was appointed head of the rescue operation.

In practice Silja Line found the Silja Europa to be ill-suited as a running mate to the Silja Symphony. More importantly the Silja Serenade—which the Silja Europa had replaced on the Helsinki-Stockholm service—was found to be highly ill-suited for the Turku-Stockholm service she had been transferred to. Resultingly from January 1995 the Silja Europa moved to the Turku-Stockholm service, with the Silja Serenade returning to the Helsinki-Stockholm route.

Originally the Silja Europa had a partially white funnel, with the seal painted on on blue. This was for a time the distinctive feature of the company's ships sailing from Helsinki (the ships sailing from other ports has blue funnels with the seal painted on white). During a docking in 2000 the Silja Europa's funnel was painted blue with a white seal. In 2002 there the Swedish Stena Line were reportedly interested in chartering the Silja Europa to replace their Stena Saga (reportedly the staff of the Stena Saga even visited the Silja Europa to get to know her). Resultingly Silja Line's then-owner Sea Containers purchased 42% of the ship from Meyer Werft, which together with the previously Silja-owned 17% gave them a majority ownership and blocked the transfer to Stena. In 2004 Sea Containers purchased the remaining shares of the ship. In 2006, prior to Silja Line being sold to Tallink, the ownership of the ship was passed to Silja Line.

The Silja Europa had for a long time suffered from engine problems, which are particularly problematic on the intensive Turku-Stockholm route. Compounded with the arrival of Viking Line's new Viking Grace on the Turku-Stockholm line in January 2013, Tallink swapped the Silja Europa with the Helsinki-Tallinn 22-hour cruise ship Baltic Princess in January-February 2013. The Silja Europa was transferred under the Estonian flag and marketed as a Tallink ship (although retaining her Silja-prefixed name). She entered service on the Helsinki-Tallinn route on 23 January 2013.

The ship remained in Tallink service without incident until July 2014, when her owners took the shipping world by surprise when they made public the agreement to charter the Silja Europa to Bridgemans Services as an accommodation vessel to Australia for 14 months (with a possible extension to 48 months), starting from August. Thus, the Silja Europa sailed to Naantali for conversion to an accommodation ship. At the same time the ship was repainted with Bridgemans logos on the hull. After the refit the ship left the Baltic Sea on a lengthy transition to northern Australia. She is currently in transit, having last been spotted at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The photographs below show the Silja Europa in more traditional surroundings, arriving in Helsinki West Harbour on the afternoon of 12 October 2013, photographed from Vattuniemi. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Sisä-Hattu, my usual haunt for West Harbour photography, in the foreground. It was a bit too cold to wade there this time around.
Rocks and Europa.
This is an excellent image, even if I may say so myself.
It's not just the trees that change colour in the autumn.
This one would (once again) make for a pretty magazine cover. Anyone got need for one?
Brich trees, always photogenic.
Next time: Star (probably).

05 October 2014

Silja Symphony in Helsinki, 11 October 2013

Silja Symphony

IMO 8803769
Built 1991, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 377 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

Since were in autumn, it's a good time to look though the autumnal photos from last year, that for some reason or another were not put up here at the time. Even though the Silja Symphony was recently featured here, here's some more. The photos below show the ship passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait shortly after departing Helsinki on the afternoon of 11 October 2013. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Quite heavy editing was involved in order to bring out the vibrant autumn shades of the foliage... but I think the end result speaks for itself.
Alas, I should have been out a few days earlier for these, to get the ship photographed without the shadows on the hull.
This shot really looks like the way crisp autumn air feels.

02 October 2014

Silja Symphony in Helsinki, 7 October 2013

Silja Symphony

IMO 8803769
Built 1991, Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 377 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draught 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

At the time of writing the Silja Symphony is in the Turku Ship Repair Yard in Naantali, Finland, undergoing a refit where her interiors will be given a similar refit to what the Silja Serenade recieved in the spring (it seems I haven't bothered putting up images of her refit interiors here. Err... oops). The Silja Symphony will also recieve the new-style Silja Line hull and funnel logos - but with a twist. Originally, the new Silja Line logo featured a heavily simplified seal, that according to the general concensus appeared rather serious (whereas the older design was percieved as "smiling"). The good folks at Tallink Grupp turned this to victory when a smiling variant of the new-style seal was produced for marketing coinciding with the refit of the Silja Serenade. Now, the smiling seal has become the official version, and the Silja Symphony is the first ship to be painted with that version.

The photos below, meanwhile, still show the Silja Symphony with the original (and, I have to say as my own opinion, still the best-looking) Silja Line funnel symbol and hull markings. On this particular occasion, the Silja Symphony skipped one Helsinki-Stockholm return trip for a repair day in Helsinki. This would have meant a chance to photograph both of the sisters in Helsinki simultanuously - had the actual day when they were here together not been so incredibly foggy. But, I was also out the previous evening, lured by the chance of taking night-time photos of the ship in an unusual location.

So, the photograph below shows the Silja Symphony in Helsinki on the evening of 7 October 2013, unusually berthed at Katajanokka. Click on the image to see it in larger size.

I really don't know what to say about this one. A fine photo, even if I may say so myself.