View source for HSC Superexpress

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin|display title=HSC ''Express''}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               =[[File:Hsc express & manannan.jpg|frameless|300px]]
| Ship caption             =''HSC Express and her sister Incat 050 Manannan in [[Douglas Harbour]] for the 2015 Isle of Man TT''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship name                = *''Express'' 2004-present
*''Catalonia'' 2000-2004
*''Portsmouth Express'' 2000-2000
*''Catalonia L'' 1999-2000
*''Catalonia'' 1998-1999
| Ship owner = Nordic HSC 
| Ship operator = *[[Viking Line]] 2017-present
*[[Gotlandsbåten AB]] 2015-2017
*[[File:P&O-house flag.svg|border|20px]] [[P&O Ferries]] 2005-2015
*[[File:P&O-house flag.svg|border|20px]] [[P&O Irish Sea]] 2005-2010
*[[File:P&O-house flag.svg|border|20px]] [[P&O Portsmouth]] 2000-2005
*[[Buquebus]] 1998-2000
| Ship registry            =* {{SWE}}, [[Uppsala, Sweden|Uppsala]], 2016-present
*{{BAH}}, [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]], 2003-2016
*{{URU}}, [[Montevideo]], 2002-2003
*{{BAH}}, [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]], 2000-2002
*{{ESP}}, [[Las Palmas de Gran Canaria|Las Palmas]], 1998-2000
| Ship route               = [[Helsinki]]-[[Tallinn]] (From 10 April 2017)
|Ship builder=[[Incat]], [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]]
|Ship yard number=047
| Ship ordered             = 1996
| Ship original cost       = 
| Ship way number          = 
| Ship laid down           = 12 May 1997
| Ship launched            = 17 January 1998
| Ship completed           = 1 May 1998
| Ship christened          = 
| Ship acquired            = 
| Ship maiden voyage       = 
| Ship in service          = 1998
| Ship out of service      = 
| Ship identification       =*[[Call sign]]: C6FQ4
*[[Det Norske Veritas|DNV ID:]] 20078
*{{IMO Number|9176046}}
*[[Maritime Mobile Service Identity|MMSI no.:]] 311074000
| Ship status               = In Service
| Ship notes                = <ref name=dnv/>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship class               = [[Det Norske Veritas]] 1A1 HSLC R1 Car Ferry A E0
| Ship tonnage             = {{GT|5,902}}; {{NetT|2,441 }}; {{DWT|450}} 
| Ship displacement        = 
| Ship length              = {{convert|91|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam                = {{convert|26|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship height              = 
| Ship draught             = {{convert|3.7|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft               = 3.73 (approx in salt water)
| Ship depth               = 
| Ship decks               = 3
| Ship deck clearance      = 
| Ship ramps               = 1 Stern ramp
| Ship ice class           = 
| Ship sail plan           = 
| Ship power               = 4 x 7200kw [[Caterpillar]] 3618 [[Marine propulsion|marine diesel engine]] through 4 x Renk ASL60 Gearboxes
| Ship propulsion          = 4 x Lips LJ145D waterjet
| Ship speed               = {{convert|42|kn}}
| Ship capacity            =*900 passengers
*220 vehicles
| Ship crew                = 32
| Ship notes               = <ref name="dnv">{{cite ship register |register=DNV |id=20078 |shipname=Express |accessdate=4 June 2010 }}</ref>
}}
|}
'''HSC ''Express''''' is a {{convert|91|m|sing=on}} [[wave piercing]] [[catamaran]] built by [[Incat]], owned by [[Nordic HSC]] and chartered to [[Viking Line]], from 10 April 2017 she is due to sail between [[Helsinki]] and [[Tallinn]]. During her delivery voyage on 9 June 1998, as '''''Catalonia''''', she set the record for the fastest [[Blue Riband|Atlantic Eastbound Record]], previously held by another Incat craft ''[[Hoverspeed Great Britain]]''. She made the {{convert|3125|mi|abbr=on}} run from [[Manhattan]] to [[Tarifa, Spain]] in 3 days 7 hours 54 minutes, traveling at an average speed of {{convert|38.877|kn}}.

During that same voyage, the ship became the first passenger ship to cover {{convert|1000|mi|abbr=on}} or more in one 24-hour period. In covering {{convert|1018|nmi|km}} in one day, beating the {{convert|868|mi|abbr=on}}. record set by [[SS United States|SS ''United States'']] in 1952.  Six weeks later, sister craft [[HSC Fjord Cat|HSC ''Fjord Cat'']] took the record.

As of January 2016 P&O announced that they would end the Larne-Troon service provided by HSC Express, this has ended 25 years of fastcraft service between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

==Mediterranean service==
Following her record breaking [[Atlantic Ocean]] crossing the vessel changed name to '''''Catalonia L''''' and entered service with [[Buquebus]] between [[Barcelona]] and [[Palma, Majorca]] and later between [[Ceuta]], [[Málaga]] and [[Algeciras]].

==English Channel service==
In 2000 she was chartered to [[P&O Portsmouth]] for service between [[Portsmouth]] and [[Cherbourg]] replacing the smaller ''[[Superstar Express]]'' and adopted the trading name '''''Portsmouth Express''''' though her official name remained ''Catalonia''.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cowsill |first=Miles |title=Western Channel & Channel Islands |journal=European Ferry Scene |volume=46 |date=Summer 2000 |page=16}}</ref> Her first season as ''Portsmouth Express'' was marred by a series of serious technical problems which at one point resulted in the ''Superstar Express'' returning to the route from [[P&O Irish Sea]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cowsill |first=Miles |title=Western Channel & Channel Islands |journal=European Ferry Scene |volume=47 |date=Autumn 2000 |page=17}}</ref> The ship operated with P&O Portsmouth during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 summer seasons and returned to Buquebus for the rest of the year, in each summer season on the Cherbourg route the ship experienced a number of technical problems which often resulted in the ship running on three or less of its four engines.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cowsill |first=Miles |title=Western Channel & Channel Islands |journal=European Ferry Scene |volume=54 |date=Autumn 2002 |page=13}}</ref> In 2002 the ships marketing name became '''''Express''''' after P&O Portsmouth became part of [[P&O Ferries]]. In 2004 the ship was officially renamed ''Express'' but her marketing name became '''''Cherbourg Express''''' to differentiate the service from ''[[Caen Express]]'' which P&O started that year. In September 2004 the ship completed her final Portsmouth-Cherbourg sailing and the ship was laid up at A&P [[Birkenhead]].

==Irish Sea service==
In 2005 her charter was transferred to [[P&O Irish Sea]] and the ship once again replaced ''Superstar Express''.<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=HSC ''Catalonia'' (1998) | url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/catalonia_1998.htm | work=Fakta om Fartyg (Facts about Ships) | publisher=Klubb Maritim | language=Swedish | date=20 April 2010 | accessdate=11 June 2010}}</ref> Prior to her entering service with P&O Irish Sea the Club Lounge was removed and standard seating installed with the Club Bar rebranded to P&O's Harbour Coffee Company.  The large shop was divided into a smaller retail outlet, gaming area, quiet lounge and 'Poets' bar.  ''Express'' sailed with P&O Irish Sea on the routes between [[Troon]]/[[Cairnryan]],  [[Scotland]] and [[Larne]], [[Northern Ireland]]. In 2010 she began operating sailings from Larne to [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]] on behalf of the [[Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]] during the [[Isle of Man TT]] season. Leaving Larne at 23:59 - arrive Douglas 2:44, Leave Douglas - 03:00 - Arrive Larne - 05:45. By doing this they have fitted it in around the normal timetable on the Larne - Cairnryan and Larne - Troon Routes.<ref>[http://www.poirishsea.com/passenger/poexpress.htm P&O Irish Sea - P&O ''Express'']</ref><ref>[http://www.poirishsea.com/information/poexpress.htm nP&O ''Irish Sea'' - ''Express'' Information]</ref>

In 2013 ''Express'' received a £500,000 interior refurbishment <ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Blu Marine wins £500,000 P&O contract | url=http://www.ulsterbusiness.com/articles/2013/03/11/blu-marine-wins-500000-po-contract | publisher=Ulster Business | date=11 March 2013 | accessdate=14 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Blu Marine P&O Express | url=http://www.blumarine.co.uk/page30.html | publisher=Blu Marine Ltd | date=29 May 2013 | accessdate=14 August 2013 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028051730/http://www.blumarine.co.uk/page30.html | archivedate=28 October 2013 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> which included reinstatement of the Club Lounge which was removed when the ship moved to the Irish Sea.  From 2013 ''Express''  no longer makes a roundtrip between Larne and Cairnryan instead operating two roundtrips between [[Larne Harbour railway station|Larne Harbour]] and [[Troon railway station|Troon]]. The Express charter was not renewed after the summer season ending September 2015 and is believed to be heading to run on a Scandinavian route next year. She is currently laid up in Helsingborg (Feb 2016) her P&O livery has already been painted over. P&O announced on 13 January 2016 that the Troon-Larne service was to close with immediate effect.<ref>{{Cite web|title = P&O Ferries: Larne to Troon route to close with immediate effect|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35301329|website = BBC News|access-date = 2016-02-01}}</ref>

==Sister ships==
''Express'' is one of four 91-metre wave piercing catamarans built by [[Incat]] but differs from the other three because of her addition lounge and large scenic window over the stern. The bridge of the ''Express'' and other Incat 91 metre craft is very similar to the Incat 81 metre craft Hull 038-Rapide, Hull 040-Stena Lynx 3, Hull 041-Diamant

; Sister ships
* {{HSC|Incat 046}}
* {{HSC|Max Mols}}
* {{HSC|Fjord Cat}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.poirishsea.com/ P&O Irish Sea Ferries official website]
* [http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Express-9176046.html  ''Express'' current position] at ''VesselTracker''

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hoverspeed Great Britain]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Blue Riband|Atlantic Eastbound Record]] |years= 1998}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Cat-Link V]]}}
{{end}}

{{Incat catamarans}}
{{FerriesIrishSea}}
{{P&O ships|stena=no|north=no|euro=no|pandoro=no}}

[[Category:1998 ships]]
[[Category:Blue Riband holders]]
[[Category:Ferries of Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Ferries of Scotland]]
[[Category:Ferries of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Incat high-speed craft]]
[[Category:Ships built by Incat]]