GTS Finnjet: Difference between revisions
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'''GTS ''Finnjet''''' is a [[cruiseferry]] built in [[1977]]. As of June [[2006]], it belonged to [[Sea Containers Ltd]]. At the time of its delivery Finnjet was the fastest and biggest car ferry in the world, and the only one powered by [[gas turbine]]s. This allowed the ship to travel at an operating speed of 30.5 knots. |
'''GTS ''Finnjet''''' is a [[cruiseferry]] built in [[1977]]. As of June [[2006]], it belonged to [[Sea Containers Ltd]]. At the time of its delivery Finnjet was the fastest and biggest car ferry in the world, and the only one powered by [[gas turbine]]s. This allowed the ship to travel at an operating speed of 30.5 knots. |
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==Overview== |
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| ⚫ | Finnjet was built at the [[Wärtsilä]] shipyard (now [[Aker Finnyards]]) (Build-No. 407) in Helsinki, Finland and delivered to [[Stora Enso|Enso-Gutzeit]] to serve in their subsidiary [[Finnlines]]. The ship was put on route between [[Helsinki]] in [[Finland]] and [[Travemünde]] in [[Germany]], taking only 22 hours for a one way trip. In [[1982]], 75% of Finnjet's shares were sold to [[Effoa]] (one of the owners of [[Silja Line]]), and [[Finnjet Line]] was established as a joint venture of Finnlines and Effoa to operate the Finnjet. In [[1986]] Finnlines sold their remaining shares to Effoa. The ship was painted in Silja Line's colors and incorporate in Silja's fleet in [[1987]]. |
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| ⚫ | Finnjet was built at the [[Wärtsilä]] shipyard (now [[Aker Finnyards]]) (Build-No. 407) in Helsinki, Finland and delivered to [[Stora Enso|Enso-Gutzeit]] to serve in their subsidiary [[Finnlines]]. The ship was put on route between [[Helsinki]] in [[Finland]] and [[Travemünde]] in [[Germany]], taking only 22 hours for a one way trip. In [[1982]], 75% of Finnjet's shares were sold to [[Effoa]] (one of the owners of [[Silja Line]]), and [[Finnjet Line]] was established as a joint venture of Finnlines and Effoa to operate the Finnjet. In [[1986]] Finnlines sold their remaining shares to Effoa. The ship was painted in Silja Line's colors and incorporate in Silja's fleet in [[1987]]. Her service in Silja Line's fleet ended in 2005 and she is currently laid up. |
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Due to her high fuel consumption, Finnjet was not a very profitable ship and after only a few years of service there were rumours that she would be sold. To increase her profitability, the ship was converted to a [[combined diesel-electric and gas]] propulsion with the addition of diesel-[[electric generator]]s in [[1981]] in [[Amsterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij]], [[Amsterdam]]. The change allowed to operate the ship on slower speeds with cheaper fuel during the winter months. On the way to the shipyard she became the largest ship to have passed through the [[Kiel Canal]] at that time. Starting from November [[1985]], Finnjet made 24-hour (later 22-hour) cruises to nowhere from Helsinki during the winter season. The final batch of these cruises in October-December [[1995]] included a short stop in [[Tallinn]]. In 1986 another major renovation was carried out at Wärtsilä Helsinki, with new Commodere-class cabins added in place of the old sundeck. |
Due to her high fuel consumption, Finnjet was not a very profitable ship and after only a few years of service there were rumours that she would be sold. To increase her profitability, the ship was converted to a [[combined diesel-electric and gas]] propulsion with the addition of diesel-[[electric generator]]s in [[1981]] in [[Amsterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij]], [[Amsterdam]]. The change allowed to operate the ship on slower speeds with cheaper fuel during the winter months. On the way to the shipyard she became the largest ship to have passed through the [[Kiel Canal]] at that time. Starting from November [[1985]], Finnjet made 24-hour (later 22-hour) cruises to nowhere from Helsinki during the winter season. The final batch of these cruises in October-December [[1995]] included a short stop in [[Tallinn]]. In 1986 another major renovation was carried out at Wärtsilä Helsinki, with new Commodere-class cabins added in place of the old sundeck. |
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Revision as of 09:33, 5 September 2006
GTS Finnjet is a cruiseferry built in 1977. As of June 2006, it belonged to Sea Containers Ltd. At the time of its delivery Finnjet was the fastest and biggest car ferry in the world, and the only one powered by gas turbines. This allowed the ship to travel at an operating speed of 30.5 knots.
Overview
Finnjet was built at the Wärtsilä shipyard (now Aker Finnyards) (Build-No. 407) in Helsinki, Finland and delivered to Enso-Gutzeit to serve in their subsidiary Finnlines. The ship was put on route between Helsinki in Finland and Travemünde in Germany, taking only 22 hours for a one way trip. In 1982, 75% of Finnjet's shares were sold to Effoa (one of the owners of Silja Line), and Finnjet Line was established as a joint venture of Finnlines and Effoa to operate the Finnjet. In 1986 Finnlines sold their remaining shares to Effoa. The ship was painted in Silja Line's colors and incorporate in Silja's fleet in 1987. Her service in Silja Line's fleet ended in 2005 and she is currently laid up.
Service History
Due to her high fuel consumption, Finnjet was not a very profitable ship and after only a few years of service there were rumours that she would be sold. To increase her profitability, the ship was converted to a combined diesel-electric and gas propulsion with the addition of diesel-electric generators in 1981 in Amsterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij, Amsterdam. The change allowed to operate the ship on slower speeds with cheaper fuel during the winter months. On the way to the shipyard she became the largest ship to have passed through the Kiel Canal at that time. Starting from November 1985, Finnjet made 24-hour (later 22-hour) cruises to nowhere from Helsinki during the winter season. The final batch of these cruises in October-December 1995 included a short stop in Tallinn. In 1986 another major renovation was carried out at Wärtsilä Helsinki, with new Commodere-class cabins added in place of the old sundeck.
After the ship had become a part of the Silja Line fleet, further renovations at HDW, Kiel in 1987, 1988 and 1989 saw almost all of the ship's public spaces rebuilt. A new transmission system installed in 1994 (again at HDW Kiel) raised the top speed to 33 knots and allowed for a mixed operation of turbines and diesel engines. In 1997 the ship was docked at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg and rebuilt with a larger tax-free shop in preparation for her new itenaries where she served on the Helsinki-Travemünde route only during the summer months, the rest of the year she sailed on the Helsinki-Tallinn route.
In 1999 the summer-route was altered to Helsinki-Tallinn-Rostock. In April 2004 Finnjet called in Helsinki for the last time, after which she left for another refit at Aker Finnyards, Rauma in preparation for her new St. Petersburg–Tallinn–Rostock -route. During the refit her interiors were entirely rebuilt, new rudders were installed and bridge wings covered. The new route was believed to be profitable all year round, but this proved not to be the case. After the first summer season Finnjet was laid up for the winter 2004-2005, and the route was eventually terminated after the 2005 summer season, and the ship was put up for sale.
During the winter of 2005—2006, Finnjet was chartered to the faculty of medicine of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans to provide housing to students, faculty, and staff displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It was docked on the west bank of the Mississippi River across from Baton Rouge, at the base of the Horace Wilkinson Bridge.
On June 6, 2006, at the end of her charter Finnjet left Baton Rouge for Freeport, Bahamas. At the same time her ownership passed from Silja Line to their (then-)parent company Sea Containers. The ship has had all Silja Line markings painted over and has been reflagged from Finnish to Bahamian registry. Seemingly there are no plans to have the ship again in the Baltic Sea, rumours suggest she is to be sold to a Florida-based company as a casino-ship.
On July 29, 2006, she was seen still docked in Freeport, Bahamas.
See also
External links
- SILJAweb.com
- FINNJETweb.com
- Finnjet at Fakta om Fartyg (Swedish)
- Finnjet Temporary Housing from LSU Health Sciences Center