Mv Wawel

ex Scandinavia, Tzarevetz, Fiesta, Fantasia, Stena Fantasia, P&OSL Canterbury, PO Canterbury, Alkmini A

 
  
 Nigel Thornton Collection

Steel twin screw motor vessel, originally built in 1979 by Kockhums Varv (shipyard) AB, Malmo, Sweden (Yard No. 569), as SCANDINAVIA for Rederi AB Nordo, Sweden, a passenger and roll-on roll-off and commercial vehicle ferry. Launched December 1st 1979.

 
 
 
 

Technical Data

 
    
 

Length

163.51 m

 
 

Breadth of Hull

27.63m

 
 

Draught

6.5 m

 
 

Tonnage

25,318 gross, 12,889 net, 3501 deadweight

 
 

Engines

Two Sulzer 7RLA56 diesels

 
 

Power

13,020 kW

 
 

Speed

21.5 knots

 
 

Capacity

1000 Passengers, 430 Cars, 66 Trailers

 
 

Call Sign

C6TY9

 
 

MMSI Number

311852000

 
 

IMO Number

7814462

 
 

Registry

Bahamas 

 
   

 

History

 
   

 

December 1st 1979: Launched as SCANDINAVIA

March 17th 1980: Delivered to Rederi Ab Nordö, Malmö.

April 1980: Commenced service between Koper, Yugoslavia - Tartous, Syria.

1981: Sold to Navigation Maritime Bulgare, Varna, Bulgaria.

April 1982: Sold to So Mejdunaroden Automobile Transport (S.M.A.T), Bourgas, Bulgaria. Renamed TZAREVETZ.


Nigel Thornton Collection


April 1982: Operated under trade banner of MedLink.

1984: Commenced service between Livorno - Iran - Iraq.

1986: Chartered to Rederi Callitzis, Greece. Commenced service between Greece - Italy.

1987: Chartered to Rederi Ab Nordö-Link, Malmö. Commenced service between Malmö - Travemünde September 1988 - October 1988: Chartered to DFDS, A/S, Esbjerg, Denmark. Commenced service between Esbjerg - Harwich.

November 1988: Sold to Sealink U.K. Ltd, Ashford (registered in the Bahamas, home port Nassau). Renamed FIESTA.

November 1988: Chartered to OT-Africa Line.

June 29th 1989: Arrived at Lloyds Werft GmbH, Bremerhaven, Germany. Rebuilt as a passenger ferry. The existing superstructure was modified and extended to the stern. To make room for new passenger areas, the upper vehicle deck was cut free and lowered, taking advantage of redundant headroom for double-stacked containers. The vehicle decks were converted from stern-loading to drive-through, and large sponsors were added on both sides


Nigel Thornton Collection


February 1990: Renamed FANTASIA.


  

Under conversion at the yard of Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven © M Fournet


March 1st 1990: Re-delivered from builders yard.

March 8th 1990: Arrived at Dover.


     

© Fotoflite, Nigel Thornton Collection (left), © Ted Ingham (middle) © Gary Davies Maritime Photographic (right)


March 8th 1990: Commenced service as a freight only ferry between Dover - Calais.

March 17th 1990: Introduced as a car and passenger ferry between Dover - Calais.


  

© Brian Fisher


May 31st 1990: Registered under Stena Equipment Ltd, London, England. Operating for Sealink Stena Line Ltd, Ashford.


© Andreas Wörteler


June 3rd 1990 - June 12th 1990: Returned to Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven for improvements to bow-thrusters.

December 1990: Renamed STENA FANTASIA.

1991: Stena full takeover of Sealink UK Ltd for a sum believed to be in the region of £259 million. The fleets livery was changed to reflect the fact.


© Andreas Wörteler


January 8th 1991: Collided with a loading ramp in Calais and damaged her stern.

January 10th 1991: Arrived at Wilton Feyenoord, Rotterdam for repairs.

February 1991: Resumed service.


 Terry Conybeare Collection


January 6th 1992 - February 7th 1992: Rebuilt at City Yards, Göteborg.


  

© Fotoflite, Nigel Thornton Collection (left) and © Andreas Wörteler (right)


December 31st 1995: (midnight): Stena Sealink Line ceased as a company name and all ships in the fleet adopted the trading name of Stena Line. The fleet was painted in the Scandinavian livery.


  

© Andreas Wörteler


March 3rd 2008: P&O European Ferries and Stena Line merge there operations on the short sea. The new company was called P&O Stena Line. Registered as a British private sector company, 60% owned by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) and 40% owned by Stena Line AB of Sweden. The new company took over the Dover and Newhaven services of P&O European Ferries and Stena Line.


© Stéphane Poulain


March 10th 1998: Commenced service for P&O Stena Line between Dover - Calais.

1998: Registered to P&O Stena Line Ltd. UK, London.


© Andreas Wörteler


December 1998: Renamed P&OSL CANTERBURY.


© Andreas Wörteler


April 2002: P&O announced its intention to buy out the 40% stake in P&O Stena Line owned by Stena AB.

August 2002: P&O Stena alliance ended with P&O purchasing Stena's 40% share in the business. The Dover-Calais fleet adopted the appropriate P&O “Pride of ….” names, losing there P&OSL prefixes. All vessels had their Stena house flag removed from their funnels, along with the deletion of the name Stena from their hulls. In future the company would trade as P&O Ferries.

October 15th 2002: Commenced service for P&O Ferries, London. Renamed PO CANTERBURY. Continued between Dover - Calais.


  

© Andreas Wörteler


May 14th 2003: Final day in operational service at Dover. Came off service, ex Calais, at 08.30 hrs. De-stored at No 1 berth Dover and sailed across the harbour to “salute” Channel House (P&O HQ). Departed for Dunkerque at 18.30 hrs.


     

 Time to say `goodbye' © Terry Conybeare


May 14th 2003: Laid up in Dunkerque.

October 22nd 2003: Sold to GA Ferries, Piraeus, Greece.

March 2004: Renamed ALKMINI A.

March 26th 2004: Left Dunkerque for Antwerp to collect a consignment of cars.

March 31st 2004: Left Antwerp for Tartous, Syria.

April 2004: Left Tartous for Greece, arriving at Drapetsona for conversion to her new role.

June 2004: Introduced between Igoumenitsa and Brindisi.


  

© Matt Murtland (HHV Ferry)


September 2004: Laid up in Perama.

September 2004: Sold to Polferries.

September 27th 2004: Handed over to her new owners.

October 2004: Renamed WAWEL.

October 13th 2004: Left Perama for Poland.

October 18th 2004: Bunkered in Algeciras.

October 25th 2004: Arrived at Remontowa, Gdansk, Poland for rebuilding.


  

© Andreas Wörteler


February 15th 2005: Introduced between Swinoujscie - Ystad.

2007: Remains in service between Swinoujscie - Ystad for Polferries.

November 2008: Chartered to DFDS for service between Swinoujscie - Ystad (a co-operation between DFDS A/S and Polferries.

23rd January 2009: Dry Docking.

8th February 2009: Re-enters service.

 

 

  
 
 
 

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions found. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Micke Asklander (Faktaomfartyg), Brian Fisher, Andreas Wörteler, Stéphane Poulain, Ted Ingham, M Fournet, Terry Conybeare and Matt Murtland (HHV Ferry) for their assistance in compiling this feature.

 
 
 

  © Ray Goodfellow & Nigel Thornton 2003-2012