MS A. Nepita
{{update|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
MS A Nepita is a fast ropax ferry operating for Corsica Linea. Before November 2014 she operated between Dover and Calais for DFDS Seaways France and between 2008 and 2012 for SeaFrance.
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = A Nepita Marseille 03072023 1.jpg | Ship caption = A Nepita in Marseille }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *2002–07: Superfast X
| Ship owner = *2002–07: Superfast Ferries
| Ship operator = *2002–07: Superfast Ferries
| Ship registry = *2002–07: Piraeus, {{flag|Greece|civil}}
| Ship route = *Dover–Calais (Until November 2014)
| Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel, Germany | Ship original cost = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 25 August 2001 | Ship completed = | Ship christened = 26 February 2002 by Patricia Lederer | Ship acquired = 26 February 2002 | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = 27 February 2002 | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9211511}}
| Ship fate = | Ship status = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as Superfast X) | Ship class = Superfast VII class fast ropax ferry | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|30,285}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|203.30|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|25.00|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|6.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = 1 A Super{{cite ship register |register=DNV |id=27604 |shipname=SeaFrance Moliere |accessdate=29 August 2008 }} | Ship power = *4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer NSD ZA V40S diesels
| Ship propulsion = 2 propellers{{cite web |url=http://www.seafrance.com/cs/Satellite/compagnie-ferries/a-propos/flotte-ferries/ferry-moliere?packedargs=site%3DSF_Pax_Co|title=New Ship 2008 |access-date=10 April 2008 |work=SeaFrance |publisher=SeaFrance }} | Ship speed = {{convert|30.4|kn|2|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/tab2/ships/superfast/technicalInformation/ |title=Tallink Superfast » Technical information |access-date=10 April 2008 |publisher=Tallink official website |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330233021/http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/tab2/ships/superfast/technicalInformation/ |archive-date=30 March 2008 }} | Ship capacity = *626 passengers (728 after 2004 refit)
| Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as SeaFrance Molière) | Ship class = | Ship tonnage = {{GT|30,285}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = | Ship beam = | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = | Ship decks = 10 | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{convert|28.4|kn|2|abbr=on}} | Ship capacity = *1,200 passengers
| Ship crew = | Ship notes = Otherwise the same as above }} |
Concept and construction
A Nepita was the last ship in a series of four identical ice classed fast ferries built by HDW for Superfast Ferries' new Baltic Sea services. She was launched on 18 November 2000, on the same date as her sisters Superfast VII{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_VII_2001.htm |title=M/S Superfast VII (2001) |access-date=10 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv }} and Superfast IX{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_IX_2002.htm |title=M/S Superfast IX (2002) |access-date=10 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv }} Stena Superfast X was delivered to her owners on 26 February 2002 and christened on the same date by Patricia Lederer, wife of the HDW project director for the Superfast ships.{{cite web|url=http://www.superfast.com/site/content.asp?artid=923&pressYear=2002&loc=2|title=Newly-delivered SUPERFAST X to join SUPERFAST IX on Germany-Sweden route|access-date=26 November 2012|date=26 February 2002|publisher=Superfast Ferries|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203080349/http://www.superfast.com/site/content.asp?artid=923&pressYear=2002&loc=2|archive-date=3 February 2013}}
Service history
Superfast X entered service for Superfast Ferries on 27 February 2002 on the Hanko–Rostock route. She remained on that route until 19 April 2002, when she was laid up in Kiel at HDW. On 17 May 2002, she re-entered service, on the Rosyth–Zeebrugge route. In January and February 2004, Superfast X was rebuilt at Fosen Mekaniske Verksted, Fosen, Norway with additional passenger berths. On 7 August 2006, Superfast Ferries announced it had sold Superfast X to Veolia Transport for €112 million.{{cite web |url=http://64.239.60.141/Adriatic/English/press/NewsDetailed.aspx?IDPrint=72 |title=Announcement—Sale of Superfast X |access-date=10 April 2008 |date=7 August 2006 |work=Superfast Ferries press release |publisher=Superfast Ferries }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The ship was delivered to her new owners on 12 February 2007 and renamed Jean Nicoli.
In March 2007, Jean Nicoli made crossings from Le Havre to Marseille,{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} carrying cars on board. During April the same year, she was chartered to COTUNAV for traffic from Italy and France to Tunisia. At the end of April she was laid up, initially at La Seyne, later at Marseille. From 8 September until 2 October 2007 she was chartered to ANEK Lines for service on its Patras–Corfu–Igoumenitsa–Venice route. On 27 December 2007, the ship was sold to SeaFrance.
In the beginning of April 2008, Jean Nicoli was delivered to SeaFrance and renamed SeaFrance Molière. On 3 April 2008, she left Marseille for Arno Dunkerque for rebuilding into a short distance ferry.{{cite web |url=http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1127512.php?mpnlog=1 |title=SeaFrance acquires third modern ferry |access-date=10 April 2008 |date=28 March 2008 |last=Davies |first=Phil |publisher=TravelMole }} After transfer to the leasing company Sarl Poquelin Bail, she entered service with SeaFrance in freight only operation on 19 August 2008 and began passenger service on 1 September 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.seafrance.com/|title=SeaFrance Molière presentation|access-date=28 September 2008 |work=SeaFrance |publisher=SeaFrance }}
Due to the commercial court ordering that Seafrance be liquidated, from 16 November 2011 the ship was laid up, initially at Dunkerque and then, following its sale to Scapino Shipping Ltd, at Tilbury in England.
In October 2012, DFDS chartered the ship to be used on its Dover–Dunkerque crossing.{{cite web |url=http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/about-us/press/dover-dunkirk-press/press-releases/dfds-strengthens-channel-service/|title=DFDS Seaways strengthens Channel Service
|access-date=18 November 2012 |date=24 October 2012 |publisher=DFDS Seaways}} During a short refit by Arno at Dunkerque she was renamed Dieppe Seaways and returned to the French registry. She re-entered service on 7 November though, following a change of plan, on the Dover-Calais route.{{cite web |url=http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/about-us/press/dover-dunkirk-press/dieppe-seaways-calais/ |title=DFDS Seaways Confirms DIEPPE SEAWAYS is to Start on Calais Route |access-date=18 November 2012 |date=2 November 2012 |publisher=DFDS Seaways |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529121303/http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/about-us/press/dover-dunkirk-press/dieppe-seaways-calais/ |archive-date=29 May 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
On 1 May 2014, Dieppe Seaways suffered a fire from an overheated boiler in the engine room as she approached Dover from Calais. All 316 passengers disembarked safely on arrival. However, in responding to the fire, seven crew members and three firefighters were injured with flash burns.{{cite news|last=Chessum|first=Victoria|title=Ten people hurt in a blaze on DFDS Dieppe Seaways at Dover Eastern Docks|url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/boiler-room-blaze-on-dfds-16658/|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=KM Kent Online|date=1 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=Hayes|first=Phil|title=Fire breaks out on DFDS ferry at Port of Dover|url=http://www.dover-express.co.uk/breaks-engine-room-DFDS-ferry-Port-Dover/story-21043099-detail/story.html|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=Dover Express|date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502052717/http://www.dover-express.co.uk/breaks-engine-room-DFDS-ferry-Port-Dover/story-21043099-detail/story.html|archive-date=2 May 2014|url-status=dead}}
File:Stena Superfast X (2017).jpg
At the end of her charter to DFDS Seaways in November 2014, Stena Line took possession of the vessel returning her to her original name, albeit with a Stena prefix, and sending her for an extensive refit to return the cargo arrangements to their original configuration and refurbish the interiors similar to sisterships Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII operating on the Cairnryan (Loch Ryan) to Belfast route. After refit the ship replaced MS Stena Nordica (which itself is being chartered to DFDS Seaways to take up the timetable Stena Superfast X previous operated) on the Holyhead–Dublin Port route on 9 March 2015.{{cite web| url = http://www.stenaline.co.uk/routes/holyhead-dublin| title = Holyhead To Dublin by Ferry {{!}} Stena Line}} Stena Superfast X substantially increased the freight and passenger capacity on the route and coincided with the withdrawal of the Stena HSS service to Dún Laoghaire.{{cite web| url = http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/stena-line-fast-ferry-service-8578256| title = Stena Line fast ferry service from Holyhead to Ireland scrapped after rising fuel prices - Wales Online| date = 4 February 2015}} In January 2020 Stena line announced that Stena Superfast X chartered to Corsica Linea and will be renamed A Nepita to her new owners which will be delivered in March 2020. It will be serviced for new ownership in Piraeus, Greece, and will have maintenance for new service in Greece (+100 cabins and maybe scrubbers).
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft}}
{{SeaFrance}}
{{Superfast VII class}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:A. Nepita}}