MS Baltic Queen

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]

MS Baltic Queen in Tallinn on 29 October 2016.
History
Name: MS Baltic Queen[1]
Owner: Tallink[2]
Operator: Tallink
Port of registry: Tallinn,  Estonia[2]
Route: Tallinn–Stockholm
Ordered: 11 April 2007[2]
Builder: STX Europe, Rauma, Finland[3]
Cost: €180 million[3]
Yard number: 1365[2]
Laid down: 22 April 2008[4]
Launched: 5 December 2008[1]
Acquired: 16 April 2009[5]
In service: 24 April 2009 [5]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics [6]
Class and type: Galaxy class cruiseferry
Tonnage: 48,915 GT
Length: 212.10 m (695 ft 10 in)[2]
Beam: 29.00 m (95 ft)
Decks: 12
Ice class: 1 A Super
Installed power:
  • 4 × Wärtsilä 16V32 diesels[2]
  • combined 32,000 kW (43,000 hp)
Speed: 24.5 kn (45 km/h; 28 mph)
Capacity:
  • 2,800 passengers
  • 2,500 berths[2]
  • 1,130 lanemeters

Starting from 16 September, 2020 and ending on 5 January, 2021 MS Baltic Queen will serve the route Helsinki-Riga.

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 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 Stockholm 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. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Baltic Queen (2009)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  2. "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. "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. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  9. "Tallink sends Silja Europa to Australia". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 20 November 2016.

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