MS Pascal Lota

MS Pascal Lota (ex Superstar) is a fast ferry owned by the Corsica-based Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries. She was built in 2008 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy.[2]

Pascal Lota arriving in Ajaccio
History
Name:
  • Superstar (2008–2017)
  • Pascal Lota
Owner: Corsica Ferries
Operator: Medinvest SpA (Corsica Ferries)
Port of registry:
Ordered: 5 August 2005[1]
Builder: Fincantieri Ancona, Italy[2]
Cost: €120 million[3]
Yard number: 6140[2]
Laid down: 18 January 2007[4]
Launched: 5 October 2007[5]
Christened: 5 October 2007 by Kaia Kanepi[5]
Acquired: 8 April 2008[3]
In service: 21 April 2008[6]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: Fast cruiseferry
Tonnage:
Length: 175.10 m (574 ft 6 in)[3]
Beam: 27.60 m (90 ft 7 in)
Draught: 7.00 m (23 ft)
Ice class: 1 A[5]
Installed power:
Speed: 27.5 knots (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph)
Capacity:
  • 2,080 passengers[3]
  • 173 berths[3]
  • 665 cars
  • 1,930 lanemeters[3]
Tallink Shuttle ferry, MS Superstar, arriving at Helsinki, Finland from Tallinn, Estonia.

Concept and construction

The design of the Superstar is based on Moby Lines' Moby Wonder.[2] The original order included an option for a second ship of the same type, which Tallink decided not to exercise.[1]

The keel of the vessel was laid on January 18, 2007.[4] On October 5, 2007, the Superstar was christened by the Estonian tennis player Kaia Kanepi.[5] The ship was delivered on 8 April 2008[3] and left Ancona for the Baltic Sea a day later.

Service history

Superstar entered service on Tallink's Helsinki–Tallinn route on 21 April 2008.[2] On 30 April 2008 the ship suffered a hydraulics problem while leaving Tallinn, and one Tallinn–Helsinki roundtrip had to be cancelled.[7] On 27 February 2009, while en route from Tallinn to Helsinki with 400 passengers on board, the ship's main engines stopped due to problems with the cooling systems at 8:45 am. The ship was adrift for nearly two hours, with emergency generators providing electricity, until full power could be restored at 10:30 am. Superstar arrived in Helsinki at 11:30, two hours behind schedule.[8][9]

Design

The green external livery of the ship is according to Tallink promotion material "meant to reflect the environmentally friendly aspects of the ship's design".[5]

The onboard facilities include a three-deck high showlounge, four restaurants, cafeteria, two bars, a casino, a business lounge and various shops.[5]

Sister ship

References
  1. (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: Tallink tilasi nopeakulkuisen lautan myös Fincantieriltä, retrieved 7 October 2007
  2. Asklander, Micke. "M/S Superstar (2008)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  3. "Superstar was delivered to Tallink". Tallink press release. Tallink. 2008-04-08. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  4. "Tallink's New Vessel's Keel to be Laid in Italy Today". Tallink press release. Tallink. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  5. "Tallink's New Vessel Named Superstar". Tallink press release. Tallink. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  6. "Laevad: Superstar" (in Estonian). Tallink. Archived from the original on 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  7. "Tallink Superstar jatkaa liikennöintiä tänä iltana". MTV3 / Kotimaa (in Finnish). MTV3. 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  8. "Konevika pysäytti Tallinkin Superstarin Suomenlahdelle". HS.fi (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  9. Filippov, Madis (2009-02-28). "Ulatuslik automaatikarike hoidis Superstari tunde Helsingi reidil" (in Estonian). Postimees. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
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