Translandia and Nordlandia in Tallinn, 16 May 2012

Just a little something I stumbled on while looking though old photos. For some reason, I had never published this. Now seems as good a time as any to do so.

Translandia

IMO 7429229
Name history: Transgermania, Rosebay, Eurostar, Eurocruiser, Rosebay, Transparaden, Translandia
Built 1976, J.J. Sietas Werft Hamburg, West Germany
Tonnage 13 700 GT
Length 135,49 m
Width 21,71 m
Draugth 6,46 m
100 passengers
63 berths
1624 lane metres
2 MAN diesels, combined 9312 kW
2 propellers
Speed 19 knots

Nordlandia

IMO 7928811
Name history: Olau Hollandia, Nord Gotlandia, Nordlandia, Isabella I
Built 1981, AG Weser Seebeckswerft, Bremerhaven, West Germany
Tonnage 21 473 GT
Length 153,40 m
Width 24,70 m
Draugth 8,80 m
Ice class 1A
2 048 passengers
938 berths
450 cars or 42 trucks
4 Pielstick diesels, combined 15 300 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 20 knots

Nordlandia and Translandia, the two Eckerö Line Helsinki-Tallinn ferries that were replaced by the arrival of the Finlandia at the end of 2012. For a brief history of the Translandia, see here. An even frisfer history of the Nordlandia can be found here. Today the Translandia is owned by the Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company of United Arab Emirates, retaining her Eckerö-era name. The former Nordlandia, meanwhile, was supposed to begin sailing in the Black Sea under the name Isabella I for Paradise Cruise & Ferry. However, the current situation between Russia and Ukraine seems to have put a spanner in the works and the ship remains laid up at Perama, Greece.

The photo below show the pair still in their Eckerö Line incarnations on the Bay of Tallinn, with the Nordlandia departing for Helsinki while the Translandia arrives. Photographed from Linnahall. Click on the image to see it in larger size.

Notice that despite the fact the ships sailed for the same company, they carried quite different liveries.

Next time: Artania

Translandia in Tallinn, 27 March 2011

A short PSA before we get into today's subject: by the looks of it I will be very busy for the rest of the month with studies and travel. Because of this Kships will probably be updated less frequently for the next month or so than has been the norm until now (you may have noticed, I've been trying to update every four days or so). But now, onwards to today's subject:

Translandia

IMO 7429229
Former names: Transgermania, Rosebay, Eurostar, Eurocruiser, Rosebay, Transparaden
Built 1976, J.J. Sietas Werft Hamburg, West Germany
Tonnage 13 700 GT
Length 135,49 m
Width 21,71 m
Draugth 6,46 m
100 passengers
63 berths
1624 lane metres
2 MAN diesels, combined 9312 kW
2 propellers
Speed 19 knots

Another neglected image from last year, this one from a short cruise I made with various friends to Tallinn in spring 2011 on Viking Line's Rosella when she briefly returned to the route in place of the Viking XPRS which was being drydocked. I didn't get much in the way of acceptable-queality photographs from the Rosella, apart from this wintery image of the Translandia in Tallinn harbour. For a brief history of the Translandia, see this previous entry on her.

With regards to the future of the Translandia, Eckerö Line last week entered an agreement to purchase the Moby Freedom (a sister ship of Tallink's Superstar), with delivery set in March 2012. The ship will be rebuilt and will enter service on the Helsinki-Tallinn route later this year (if Eckerö's naming scheme holds true the ship will be renamed Freelandia, though personally I'm hoping for Finlandia). The new ship will replace the Nordlandia (the future of which after this is uncertain), but what will happen to the Translandia when the new ship is delivered is uncertain. According to previous reports from Eckerö Line there is currently cargo overcapacity on the route and and at least theoretically the faster new ship could replace both the Nordlandia and the Translandia.

Translandia in Tallinn's Reisisadam, 27 March 2011. Notice the new livery in comparison to the previous entry on the ship (quite notably resembling Stena Line's previous-from-current livery); interestingly all Eckerö Line ships at the moment have liveries unique to that ship, while all maintaining a similar theme to each other. It will be interesting to see what kind of a livery the upcoming ex-Moby ship will recieve.

Translandia, 22 August 2008

Translandia

IMO 7429229
Built 1976, J.J. Sietas Werft Hamburg, West Germany
Tonnage 13 700 GT
Length 135,49 m
Width 21,71 m
Draugth 6,46 m
100 passengers
63 berths
1624 lane metres
2 MAN diesels, combined 9312 kW
2 propellers
Speed 19 knots

I'm not normally too keen on photographing freighters nor putting up photos of them, but these photos from 2008 looked rather nice, and I've already posted pics of other Eckerö Line ships, so I thought, why not?

Translandia is Eckerö Line's freight-carrying ship sailing between Helsinki and Tallinn. She started life in 1976 as Transgermania for West Germany's Poseidon Schiffahrt, serving between Finland and West Germany. Poseidon later formed a joint service with Finncarriers and the Transgermania came to be marketed under the joint Finncarriers-Poseidon brand.

In 1990 the Transgermania was supplanted by the newer Translubeca and spent the entire decade under charter to various other shipping companies, most notably Stena Line. In 1993 she was renamed Rosebay and during a charter to Sally Line in 1995-1998 first Eurostar which was later amended to Eurocruiser. After the end of the charter in 1998 she reverted to Rosebay.

Following the end of her last Stena charter in 2001 the Rosebay was sold to the Finnish Rederi Ab Engship who chartered her to Botnia Link, a new company established to offer service across the Gulf of Bothnia. Renamed Transparaden, the ship sailed on a route linking Vaasa to Härnösand and Umeå. This was not a success and already in 2002 Botnia Link went bankrupt. The Transparaden again spent the next two years under various charters (again), until she was sold to Eckerö Line in 2004. Her name was amended to Translandia (presumably to match the name of her route-mate Nordlandia) and she was placed in service between Helsinki and Tallinn where she remains to this day.

The photographs below show the Translandia arriving in Helsinki West Harbour on 22 August 2008, photographed from Vattuniemi. Click on the images to view full size.

A very Finnish view passing Pihlajasaari, with birch tress and all. The ship's livery has since been altered to a slightly-different "Eckerö Line Cargo" livery.

About to turn and back into the quay at West Harbour. As a freighter, the Translandia also moved to the new Vuosaari harbour when it was opened in late 2008.