MS Mega Express Four
{{Short description|Fast roll-on/roll-off ferry}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:02 Corsica Ferries Mega Express Four.jpg | Ship caption = Mega Express Four at Ajaccio }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *1995–2003: Superfast II
| Ship owner = *1995–2003: Superfast Ferries
| Ship operator = *1995–2003: Superfast Ferries | Ship registry = *1995–2003: Patras, {{flag|Greece|civil}}
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Schichau Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven, Germany | Ship original cost = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 14 January 1995 | Ship christened = 25 March 1995 | Ship completed = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9086590}}
| Ship fate = | Ship status = In service | Ship notes = }}{{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as Superfast II) | Ship class = Superfast I class fast roll-on/roll-off ferry | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|23,663}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|173.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|24.00|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|6.41|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = *4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer 12ZAV40S diesels
| Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{convert|27.9|kn}} maximum speed | Ship capacity = *1400 passengers
| Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as Mega Express Four) | Ship class = | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|24,186}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = | Ship beam = | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{convert|26|kn|km/h|2|abbr=on}} service speed | Ship capacity = *1965 passengers
| Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} |
Mega Express Four is a fast roll-on/roll-off ferry owned by Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries and operated on their routes from Nice and Toulon to Ile Rousse. She was built in 1995 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany for Superfast Ferries as Superfast II. Between 2003 and 2006 she sailed for Spirit of Tasmania as Spirit of Tasmania III.{{cite web |url=http://www.theyellowlines.com/Fleet/Presentships/MegaExpressFour/history.html |title=Mega Express Four history |accessdate=10 April 2008 |work=The Yellow Lines |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717044125/http://www.theyellowlines.com/Fleet/Presentships/MegaExpressFour/history.html |archivedate=17 July 2011 }}
Concept and construction
Superfast II was the second ship built for Superfast Ferries for its Adriatic Sea services from Patras to Ancona.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_ferries.htm |title=Superfast Ferries |accessdate=10 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }} Its construction was identical to that of MS Superfast I.
Service history
=1995–2003: ''Superfast II''=
Superfast II entered service on 11 June 1995 on Superfast Ferries' Patras to Ancona route. In April 1998, following the delivery of the new {{MS|Superfast IV}},{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_IV_1998.htm |title=M/S Superfast IV (1998) |accessdate=10 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }} Superfast II was transferred to the Patras—Igoumenitsa—Bari route. From October 1999 until January 2000 she returned to the Patras—Ancona route as a replacement for {{MS|Superfast III}} that was undergoing repairs after an onboard fire. In July 2003 Superfast II was sold to Spirit of Tasmania, with a delivery date set in September of the same year. TT-Line had already purchased Superfast III and Superfast IV the previous year, renaming them Spirit of Tasmania II and Spirit of Tasmania I, respectively.{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/TT-Line-Tasmania.html |title=TT-Line-Tasmania |accessdate=10 April 2008 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }}
=2003–2006: ''Spirit of Tasmania III''=
File:Spirit of Tasmania III on Mersey River, Devonport, Tasmania.jpg, Devonport.]]
TT-Line took over the ship on 30 September 2003 and renamed her Spirit of Tasmania III. It subsequently sailed to Hobart, Tasmania, where it was refitted for its new service. On 15 January 2004, the ferry entered service on Spirit of Tasmania's new Sydney to Devonport route. Passenger demand for the new service proved smaller than had been expected, and the low passenger numbers combined with rising fuel costs led to the Government of Tasmania's decision to terminate the service in August 2006. As a result, Spirit of Tasmania III was put up for sale.{{Cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Tasmania-axes-Sydney-to-Devonport-ferry/2006/06/05/1149359658704.html |title=Tassie scraps Sydney to Devonport ferry |work=The Age |date=5 May 2006 |accessdate=14 January 2007}}
On 17 July 2006 Spirit of Tasmania III was sold to Mediterranean operator Corsica Sardinia Ferries for €65 million (A$111 million). The ship left on her final voyage for TT-Line on 27 August 2006.{{Cite news |url=http://www.directferries.co.uk/news/2006july.htm#L7 |title=Corsica snaps up Spirit of Tasmania III |work=Direct Ferries |date=17 July 2006 |accessdate=14 January 2007}}
=2006 onwards: ''Mega Express Four''=
Corsica Sardinia Ferries took over Spirit of Tasmania III on 5 September 2006 and renamed it Mega Express Four. The ferry entered service for its new owners in November of the same year. Between January and April 2007, it was rebuilt at the Megatechnica shipyard in Perama, Greece with an expanded aft superstructure.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/mega_express_four_1995_omb_1.htm |title=M/S Mega Express Four (1995): Ombyggnadsbilder |accessdate=10 April 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410214525/http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/mega_express_four_1995_omb_1.htm |archivedate=10 April 2008 }} She returned to service on 4 May 2007.
From February to 3 April 2021, she was chartered to Irish Ferries for general relief during their ferries annual overhauls, mostly covering the Dublin to Holyhead route.{{Cite web |last=Tarbox |first=Steven |date=2021-02-16 |title=Irish Ferries begins 2021 dry-dockings |url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-begins-2021-dry-dockings/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=niferry.co.uk - News and Information Ferry Site |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Tarbox |first=Steven |date=2021-04-06 |title=[Updated] Irish Ferries’ New Ship Arrives in Rosslare |url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-new-ship-arrives-in-rosslare/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=niferry.co.uk - News and Information Ferry Site |language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |url= https://ferriesoftasmania.com/spirit-of-tasmania-iii/ |title=Spirit of Tasmania III |work=Ferries of Tasmania }}
- {{Commons category-inline|IMO 9086590}}
{{Superfast I class}}
{{Australianferries}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mega Express Four}}