Finnmaid in Helsinki, 25 June 2019

As promised, this week we return to last week's jaunt at Vuosaari and photos of Finnlines' Finnmaid.

Finnmaid

IMO 9319466
Built 2006, Fincantieri Ancona, Italy
Tonnage 45 923 GT
Length 218,80 m
Width 30,50 m
Draft 7,00 m
Ice class 1 A Super
500 passengers
500 berths
4 216 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 48 000 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 25 knots

The Finnmaid was delivered in August 2006 from Fincantieri's Ancona yard as the second ship of Finnlines' five-strong Star-class (the order for the class was split between Ancona and Castellammare di Stabia). The ship was placed on the Helsinki-Travemünde service alongside the older sister Finnstar (the two were later joined by the third sister Finnlady). Originally, the ship(s) sailed from the Sompasaari harbour close to the city center, but in 2008 switched to the new Vuosaari harbour, some 15 kilometres from central Helsinki, alongside all other cargo- and cargo-oriented vessels sailing from Helsinki.

A series of route changes were made for the Finnmaid and its running mates in 2009: first, in June, intermediate calls as Gdynia were added to some (but not all) departures; then, in October, an additional intermediate call at Rostock was added (as reaction to Tallink's cessation of the Helsinki-Rostock service for the winter season); and finally, in December, the service was split in two, with the Finnmaid and its running mates alternating between Helsinki-Travemünde and Helsinki-Gdynia-Rostock routes. In the long run, this arrangement failed to find the popularity Finnlines were hoping for, and in October 2012 the Helsinki-Gdynia-Rostock route was terminated.

Since then, the Finnmaid's life has been uneventful. In 2014, it was re-registered in Mariehamn (in place of the original Helsinki) and visited the Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk for scrubber installation, and in May 2017 it had the honour of hosting Finnlines' 70th anniversary celebrations, for which the ship visited Helsinki's Eteläsatama and Olympiaterminaali, the terminal normally used by the ships of Silja Line.

The photos below show the Finnmaid departing from Vuosaari in the evening of 25 June 2019 (approximately an hour delayed); and as you can see, the Finnlines cargo roro Finnhawk is also present in the first pic. Photographed from Särkkäniemi. As always, click on the images to see them in larger size.

Which funnel belongs to which ship again?

I admit to quite liking the looks of the Star-class.

Reappearing from behind Pikku Niinisaari. Now if one could get to that island, some beautiful photos would result!

Travemünde awaits!

Kships will return.

Finnmaid, 9 July 2008

Finnmaid

IMO 9319466
Built 2006, Fincantieri Ancona, Italy
Tonnage 45 923 GT
Length 218,80 m
Width 30,50 m
Draught 7,00 m
Ice class 1 A Super
500 passengers
500 berths
4 216 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 48 000 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 25 knots

Finnmaid was the second of the five Star-class ships delivered to Finnlines in 2006-2007. Along with her sisters Finnstar and Finnlady, the Finnmaid was placed in the service between Helsinki and Travemünde, replacing the older Hansa-class ships. (The latter two sisters were originally said to go to the Naantali-Kapellskär route, but instead entered on the Malmö-Travemünde service and were eventually transferred to the Helsinki-Travemünde route).

In 2009 an intermediate call at Gdansk was added to the route. Later on the service from Finland to Germany was split in two, Helsinki-Travemünde and Helsinki-Gdansk-Rostock. I've no idea if the Star-class ships rotate between the routes or if different ships are attached to different services.

The photographs below show the Finnmaid passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait on 9 July 2008. Click on the images to view full size.

A sight you can't see anymore, as the freight harbour in Sompasaari has been closed down and resultingly Finnlines' ships no longer travel through the Kustaanmiekka strait.

Italian design, I guess.

Not only is seeing the ship here historial, so is the fact the ramparts were freely accessible. Those were the good old days...