MS Svea Regina

MS Tallink in Tallinn, 1994
History
Name:	1972–78: Svea Regina 1978–79: Regina 1979–82: Mediterranean Sun 1982–85: Odysseas Eleytis 1985–89: Scandinavian Sky 1989–98: Tallink 1998–2001: El Tor 2001: Monte Carlo 2001–05: El Safa
Owner:	1972–78: Rederi AB Svea 1978–79: Effoa 1979–82: Karageorgis Lines 1982–85: Maritime Company of Lesvos 1985–89: SeaEscape 1989–92: Palkkiyhtymä Oy 1992–98: Tallink 1998–2005: Sayed Nasr Navigation Lines
Operator:	1972–76: Rederi AB Svea (Silja Line traffic) 1976–77: laid up 1977: CNAN 1977–78: laid up 1978: Rederi AB Svea (Silja Line traffic) 1978: Effoa (Silja Line traffic) 1978–79: Polferries 1979: Effoa (Silja Line traffic) 1979: Brittany Ferries 1979: Effoa (Silja Line traffic) 1979–81: Karageorgis Lines 1981–82: laid up 1982–85: NEL Lines 1985–89: SeaEscape 1989–92: Finnlines (Tallink traffic) 1992–96: Tallink 1996–98: laid up 1998–2005: Sayed Nasr Navigation Lines
Port of registry:	1972–78: ,  Sweden 1978–79: Helsinki,  Finland 1979–80: Piraeus,  Greece 1980–82: Limassol,  Cyprus 1982–85: Mytilene,  Greece 1985–89: Nassau,  Bahamas 1989–92: Helsinki,  Finland 1992–98: Tallinn,  Estonia 1998–2001: Belize City,  Belize 2001–05: Panama City,  Panama
Ordered:	2 January 1970
Builder:	Dubigeon Normandie, Nantes, France
Yard number:	127
Laid down:	6 February 1971
Launched:	3 December 1971
Christened:	25 May 1972 by Mrs Ingegerd Hägglöf
Acquired:	25 May 1972
Maiden voyage:	5 June 1972
In service:	5 June 1972
Out of service:	3 April 2005
Identification:	IMO 7126322
Fate:	Scrapped in Alang, India, 2005
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Aallotar class ferry
Tonnage:	8,020 GRT 1,230 t DWT
Length:	126.74 m (415 ft 10 in)
Beam:	19.54 m (64 ft 1 in)
Draught:	5.17 m (17 ft)
Ice class:	1 A
Installed power:	2 × SEMT Pielstick 16PC2V-400 diesels combined 11,769 kW / 16,000 BHP
Propulsion:	Two controllable pitch propellers One bow thruster
Speed:	18.5 kn (34.26 km/h)
Capacity:	1,000 passengers 450 berths 180 cars 315 lane metres
General characteristics (as rebuilt, 1985)
Tonnage:	10,341 GT 1,250 t DWT
Decks:	8 (6 passenger accessible)
Capacity:	1,090 passengers 410 berths 150 cars

MS Svea Regina was a car and passenger ferry, built in 1972 by the Dubigeon Normandie shipyard in Nantes, France for Rederi AB Svea for use in Silja Line traffic. She subsequently sailed under the names Regina, Mediterranean Sun, Odysseas Eleytis, Scandinavia Sky, Tallink, El Tor, Monte Carlo and El Safa, until scrapped in Alang, India in 2005.

As Svea Regina she was, together with her sister MS Aallotar, the first ship to start year-round daily traffic between Helsinki and , the capitals of Finland and Sweden, respectively.

In the late 1960s, ships operated in the Helsinki– service were small liners owned by Finland Steamship Company (FÅA), Rederi AB Svea and Steamship Company Bore. The ships used in the service were not built for navigating through thick sea ice, and as a result service had to be suspended during the winter months.Siljavarustamo, a joint subsidiary of the three companies mentioned before, had begun operating purpose-built car/passenger ferries from western Finland to and other nearby ports in 1961, and by the end of the decade Siljavarustamo begun planning for ferries for the Helsinki–Stockholm service as well. Plans were to construct two ferries for a daily service, with high enough ice classification to allow year-round traffic on the route, and high enough speed to allow them to depart in the evening, with an arrival in the following morning (instead of the daytime departures of the ships used in the service at the time).

The main responsibility for designing the ships was given to Carl-Bertel Engström, following objectives set by marketing executives Gösta Ryning and Kalevi Etelä. On 3 January 1971 Siljavarustamo placed an order for the new ships with the Dubigeon Normandie shipyard in Nantes, France. At the same time as the ships were ordered, the owners of Siljavarustamo were drawing up plans to reorganise their opeations. The decision was made to turn Siljavarustamo into a joint marketing company for FÅA, Svea and Bore under the new name Silja Line, while the ships owned by Siljavatustamo would be transferred to the fleets of Siljavarustamo's owners. Just five days after the new ships were ordered, and attendum was signed, allowing for the building contract to be transferred to FÅA, Svea or Bore. In February 1970 the contract of the first ship was transferred to FÅA, eventually becoming their MS Aallotar, while the contract of the second ship was transferred to Svea on 9 November 1970.