MS Baltic Queen

MS Baltic Queen in Tallinn on 11 July 2021
History
Estonia
NameBaltic Queen[1]
OwnerTallink[2]
OperatorTallink
Port of registryTallinn,  Estonia[2]
RouteTallinn–Mariehamn–Stockholm
Ordered11 April 2007[2]
BuilderSTX Europe, Rauma, Finland[3]
Cost€180 million[3]
Yard number1365[2]
Laid down22 April 2008[4]
Launched5 December 2008[1]
Acquired16 April 2009[5]
In service24 April 2009 [5]
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics [6]
Class and typeGalaxy class cruiseferry
Tonnage48,915 GT
Length212.10 m (695 ft 10 in)[2]
Beam29.00 m (95 ft)
Decks12
Ice class1 A Super
Installed power
  • 4 × Wärtsilä 16V32 diesels[2]
  • combined 32,000 kW (43,000 hp)
Speed24.5 kn (45 km/h; 28 mph)
Capacity
  • 2,800 passengers
  • 2,500 berths[2]
  • 1,130 lanemeters

MS Baltic Queen is a cruiseferry owned by the Estonia-based ferry operator Tallink.[5] The ship was built by the STX Europe shipyard in Rauma, Finland.[2]

Concept and construction

Initially known under the project name Cruise 5, Baltic Queen was ordered from (what was then) Aker Yards shipyard in Rauma, Finland in April 2007. She is a sister ship to MS Galaxy, MS Romantika and MS Baltic Princess and Tallink's fifth newbuilt cruiseferry.[3] The ship's planned route was a mystery to the general public for a long time, until on 11 November 2008 Tallink revealed that she would be placed on the Tallinn–Stockholm service on completion.[7] The ship was launched from drydock and officially named Baltic Queen on 5 December 2008. By this time the shipyard had been renamed STX Europe.[1] Tallink took delivery of the ship on 16 April 2009.[5]

Service history

MS Baltic Queen in Tallinn on 23 April 2009

Baltic Queen entered service on the Tallinn–Mariehamn–Stockholm route on 24 April 2009, replacing Tallink's first newbuilt ship MS Romantika, which was moved to the Riga–Stockholm service.[5] Baltic Queen's Tallink Silja fleetmate MS Silja Europa encountered problems with her steering on 22 November 2009,[8] and she had to be taken out of service for repairs. As a result, the Baltic Queen was moved to the Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm service as a temporary replacement from 26 November until 11 December 2009.[9] From 7 August 2014 the ship started sailing from Tallinn to Helsinki, because MS Silja Europa was chartered to an Australian company due to its high fuel costs. MS Baltic Queen was then replaced with MS Romantika on the Tallinn-Mariehamn-Stockholm line.[10] At the end of 2018 once again it is on the Tallinn–Mariehamn–Stockholm route.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Asklander, Micke. "M/S Baltic Queen (2009)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "New cruiseferry order". Tallink. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  3. ^ "Tallink's new cruise ferry keel will be laid today". Tallink. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Delivery of M/S Baltic Queen". Tallink. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
  5. ^ "Cruise Ferry for Tallink" (PDF). Aker Yards. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  6. ^ "Tallink-Silja sijoittaa uuteen laivaan". Sisuradio (in Finnish). Sveriges Radio. 5 November 2008. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2008.
  7. ^ Asklander, Micke. "M/S Silja Europa (1993)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Baltic Queen korvaa Silja Europan" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 24 November 2009. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  9. ^ "Tallink sends Silja Europa to Australia". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 20 November 2016.

Media related to IMO 9443255 at Wikimedia Commons