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MS Mariella

Mariella in Helsinki
MS Mariella in Helsinki in 2014
History
Name: MS Mariella
Owner:
Operator:
  • 1985–1995: SF Line (in Viking Line traffic)
  • 1995 onwards: Viking Line
Port of registry: Mariehamn,  Finland
Route: Helsinki–Mariehamn– (as of 2009)
Builder: Wärtsilä Perno Shipyard, Turku, Finland
Yard number: 1286
Launched: 28 September 1984
Acquired: 17 May 1985
In service: 18 May 1985
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Type: Cruiseferry
Tonnage:
Length: 175.70 m (576 ft 5 in)
Beam: 28.40 m (93 ft 2 in)
Draught: 6.52 m (21 ft 5 in)
Depth: 14.65 m (48 ft 1 in)
Decks: 11
Ice class: 1 A Super
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 propellers
Speed: 20.5 knots (37.97 km/h; 23.59 mph)
Capacity:

As built:

2,447 passengers
2,447 berths
600 cars
62 trailers

As of 2009:

2,500 passengers
2,500 berths
430 cars
980 lanemeters

As built:

As of 2009:

MS Mariella is a cruiseferry delivered in 1985 to SF Line and has since operated as a part of Viking Line. She was built by the Wärtsilä Perno Shipyard in Turku, Finland. Her sister ship is the Olympia (now MS SPL Princess Anastasia). Mariella was the world's largest cruiseferry from 1985 until 1989, when the accolade passed on to her Viking Line fleetmate MS Athena.

When the Mariella was delivered in 1985, she was the first ship on Viking Line's Helsinki– service which was not owned by Rederi Ab Sally. She has remained on the same route ever since, except for a few brief times when she has been moved temporarily on to other Viking Line routes. This makes her the record holder for the longest continual service on the Helsinki–Stockholm route. At the time of her delivery, the Mariella was the largest ferry in the world in terms of gross tonnage, number of passengers and passenger berths.

In 1989, ahead of the delivery of the new MS Cinderella, SF Line considered moving Mariella on to a proposed express Helsinki–Norrköping service aimed at passengers travelling with their cars. The plan never materialised, and Mariella continued to serve on the same route even after the Cinderella was delivered and placed as the third ship on the route. Following the bankruptcy of Rederi AB Slite in 1993, SF Line was left as the sole operator of the Viking Line name, but this had no effect on Mariella's traffic.

Mariella was the first ship to arrive at the scene of perished MS Estonia in September 1994. 15 survivors were picked up from the sea and another eleven were brought onboard by helicopters, as Mariella was used as the main helicopter platform.


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Wikipedia

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