MS Svea (1966)

MV Ancona moored in Split, Croatia, July 2010
History
Name:	1966–69: Svea 1969–72: Hispania 1972–78: Saga 1978–98: Knossos 1998–2003: Captain Zaman II 2003 onwards: Ancona
Owner:	1966–69: Rederi AB Svea 1969–78: Swedish Lloyd 1978–98: Minoan Lines 1998–2003: Ferro Ferryboat & RoRo Transport 2003–10: Blue Line International
Operator:	1966–69: Rederi AB Svea 1969–78: Swedish Lloyd 1978–98: Minoan Lines 1998–2001: Diler Lines 2001–02: Comanav 2003–10: Blue Line International
Port of registry:	1966–69: Sweden, 1969–78: Sweden, Gothenburg 1978–98: Greece, Heraklion 1998–2000: Belize, Belize City 2000–03: Turkey, Istanbul 2003–10: Cyprus, Limassol
Route:	Ancona↔Spalato (as of 2009)
Builder:	Lindholmens varv, Gothenburg, Sweden
Yard number:	1096
Launched:	3 March 1966
Acquired:	27 October 1966
Maiden voyage:	30 October 1966
In service:	10 November 1966
Identification:	IMO number: 6608098
Status:	Retired 2010. Dead since 12 Jan 2011
General characteristics (as built, 1966)
Class and type:	Saga-class ferry
Tonnage:	7,883 GRT 2,510 DWT
Length:	141.20 m (463 ft 3 in)
Beam:	20.90 m (68 ft 7 in)
Draught:	5.34 m (17 ft 6 in)
Installed power:	4 × Pielstick-Lindholmen 6PC2-2L400 diesels, combined 7,415 kW
Propulsion:	2 propellers
Speed:	18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Capacity:	670 passengers 670 berths 100 cars
General characteristics (as Ancona, 2003)
Tonnage:	12,394 GT 1,910 t DWT
Capacity:	1,532 passengers 583 berths 285 cars
Notes:	Otherwise the same as built

MV Ancona is a car-passenger ferry owned by Blue Line International and operated on their service linking Ancona, Italy to Split, Croatia. She was built in 1966 by Lindholmens varv in Gothenburg, Sweden for Rederi AB Svea as MS Svea. As Svea she was used on the joint Sweden–United Kingdom service operated by Ellerman's Wilson Line, Swedish Lloyd and Rederi AB Svea. In 1969 Svea was sold to Swedish Lloyd and renamed MS Hispania. In 1972 she was renamed MS Saga. In 1978 she was sold to Minoan Lines following the closure of Swedish Lloyd's passenger services and renamed MS Knossos. In 1998 she passed to Diler Lines, becoming their MS Captain Zaman II. In 2003 she was sold to Blue Line and received her current name. She was sold for scrap in October 2010.

In the mid-1960s Rederi AB Svea, Swedish Lloyd and Ellerman's Wilson Line decided to establish a joint service between Sweden and the United Kingdom, appropriately named England–Sweden Line, abbreavited ELS. Each participant company had a new ship built for the service; Rederi AB Svea and Swedish Lloyd opted to order two identical sister ships (MS Saga and MS Svea) from Gothenburg's Lindholmens varv, while Ellerman's Wilson ordered a slightly smaller vessel (MS Spero) from Cammell Laird in Birkenhead. Swedish Lloyd also ordered a third ship of the Saga/Svea design (MS Patricia) for their UK–Spain service.

All three ships built for the UK–Sweden service were based on an essentially traditional concept with subdued and luxurious interior fittings and without full-height car decks, with a service speed of 18 knots (33.34 km/h; 20.71 mph). Rederi AB Svea's Svea was launched from drydock on 3 March 1966, and delivered to her owners on 27 October of the same year.