Freewinds
The Freewinds berthed at Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
|
| Owner: |
|
| Operator: |
|
| Port of registry: |
|
| Builder: | Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard, Turku, Finland |
| Yard number: | 1161 |
| Launched: | 12 February 1968 |
| Acquired: | 12 November 1968 |
| Maiden voyage: | November 1968 |
| In service: | 7 December 1968 |
| Identification: |
|
| Status: | As of June 2009 its DNV listing states that the ship is "in operation". |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type: | Finnhansa class passenger ship |
| Tonnage: | |
| Length: | 134.16 m (440 ft 2 in) |
| Beam: | 21.04 m (69 ft 0 in) |
| Draught: | 5.50 m (18 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: | Two propellers |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Capacity: | 540 passengers |
| General characteristics (as Freewinds) | |
| Tonnage: | 9,780 GT |
| Length: | 134.32 m (440 ft 8 in) |
| Beam: | 21.04 m (69 ft 0 in) |
| Draught: | 5.748 m (18 ft 10.3 in) |
| Depth: | 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) |
| Ice class: | 1A |
| Capacity: | 360 passengers |
MV Freewinds is a cruise ship operated by International Shipping Partners and owned by San Donato Properties, which is a company affiliated with the Church of Scientology. It was built in 1968 by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland for Wallenius Lines as MS Bohème for service with Commodore Cruise Line. It was the first cruise ship built in Finland. Its ownership passed to a Church of Scientology-controlled company in 1985.
The ship that eventually became known as the Freewinds was originally ordered by the Sweden-based Lion Ferry as the second in a pair of two car/passenger ferries for use on their new Bremerhaven (West Germany)–Harwich (United Kingdom) service, with provisions made for cruise service during the northern hemisphere winter season. The ships shared the same design as Finnhansa and Finnpartner, that were under construction for Finnlines at Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard at the time. The ships ordered by Lion Ferry were built at Wärtsilä's Turku Shipyard, and the first of them, Prins Hamlet, was delivered to her owners on 14 May 1966. However, the passenger demand on the Bremerhaven–Harwich route proved to be insufficient for two ships, and Lion Ferry cancelled the order for a second ship, which was to be named "Prins Albert".
...
Wikipedia