MS King of Scandinavia

MS Val De Loire in the Solent, April 2005
Career
Name:	1987-1993: Nils Holgersson 1993-2006: Val de Loire 2006-present: King of Scandinavia
Owner:	1987-1992: Wallenius Safe Felicia Ab 1992-1993: SweFerry Ab 1993-2006: Bretagne Angleterre Irlande SA 2006-present: DFDS Seaways
Operator:	1987-1992: TT Line 1993-2006: Brittany Ferries 2006-present: DFDS Seaways
Port of registry:	1987-1993: Trelleborg, Sweden 1993-2006: Morlaix, France 2006-present: Copenhagen, Denmark
Route:	Newcastle—IJmuiden (currently)
Builder:	Schichau Seebeckwerft AG, Bremerhaven, West Germany
Yard number:	1059
Launched:	16 August 1986
Acquired:	20 February 1987
In service:	26 June 1987
Identification:	IMO number: 8502406
Status:	In service
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Peter Pan class Cruiseferry
Tonnage:	31360 GRT
Displacement:	4,160 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length:	161.45 meters
Beam:	27.6 meters
Draught:	6.20 meters
Installed power:	4 × MaK 8M552 diesels combined 19570 kW
Speed:	21 knots
Capacity:	1800 passengers 1320 passenger berths 550 cars 1410 lanemeters
General characteristics (currently)
Tonnage:	31395 GRT
Displacement:	4110 DWT
Beam:	27.6
Capacity:	2280 passengers 1686 passenger berths 570 cars 1250 lanemeters

MS King of Scandinavia is a cruiseferry operated and owned by the Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways on a route connecting Newcastle, England to IJmuiden in the Netherlands. She was built in 1987 as MS Nils Holgersson by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, West Germany for TT-Line. Between 1993 and 2006 the ship was named MS Val de Loire, owned by Brittany Ferries and used on traffic across the English Channel.

History

MS Nils Holgersson 1987–1993

The MS Nils Holgersson (fourth ship to bear the name in TT-Line's fleet) was built as the younger sister of the MS Peter Pan. The sisters were notably larger than any ships to have sailed for TT-Line before. Originally the Nils Holgersson was ordered by Ab Swecarrier (owners of TT-Line), but during construction she was sold to Wallenius Rederiet. When she was delivered in February 1987 the ship was bareboat-chartered back to Swecarrier, and began service between Trelleborg (Sweden) and Travemünde (West Germany) in June of the same year. In February 1992 the ship was sold to SweFerry, but kept in the same traffic.

MS Val de Loire 1993–2006

In January 1993 the Nils Holgersson was sold to Brittany Ferries and renamed MS Val de Loire. Before entering service for her new owners, the ship was rebuilt at INMA, La Spezia, Italy with a new streamliner forward superstructure, a new bow door and refurbished interiors. Inside the theme used was "Maritime Tradition", with many artifacts and ship models on display in her public areas. The facilities on board Val de Loire were very similar in style to those found on board the Normandie and the Barfleur. The Val de Loire was the first Brittany Ferries vessel to include a swimming pool, though when the ship was transferred to the Portsmouth–St Malo route it was rarely open.^{[citation needed]}

After the rebuild was completed in June 1993, the ship entered service on Brittany Ferries' Plymouth–Santander route, as well as Plymouth–Roscoff and Cork–Roscoff. In 2004 the new MV Pont-Aven replaced the Val de Loire on her old routes, and she was transferred to serve on the Portsmouth–St Malo and Portsmouth–Cherbourg routes . In November 2005 the Val de Loire was sold to DFDS Seaways for delivery in 2006. Her final crossing with Brittany Ferries was between Portsmouth and Cherbourg on 20 February 2006.

MS King of Scandinavia 2006–present

In February 2006 the Val de Loire ended her service with Brittany Ferries and was renamed MS King of Scandinavia (she is the third ship of the same name to sail with DFDS Seaways). Between 2 and 11 March she was refitted for her new service in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, and on 11 March she began serving on DFDS Seaways' Newcastle - IJmuiden route, running parallel to MS Queen of Scandinavia. In May 2007 the MS Queen of Scandinavia swapped routes with MS Princess of Norway, a sister ship of the King of Scandinavia.

On 22 February 2008, the King of Scandinavia broke free from its moorings at North Shields during high winds, drifting across the River Tyne and colliding with an oil rig moored on the opposite bank. There were no passengers on board at the time of the incident. Sailings were suspended while repairs were carried out.

Sister ships

The Nils Holgersson was one of two ships built for TT-Line. The other was the Peter Pan (built 1986), later the first Spirit of Tasmania of TT-line (Tasmania), and subsequently the Princess of Norway of DFDS Seaways. Currently, the two sister ships are both in service on the Newcastle-IJmuiden route.

An additional two sisters were constructed for TT Line's sister company, Olau Line: MS Olau Hollandia (1989) and MS Olau Britannia (1990). These two vessels were subsequently operated by P&O Ferries and are currently in service with Italian operator SNAV.

The former Koningin Beatrix (built 1986), now MS Stena Baltica of Stena Line was built by Van der Gissen De Noord, to a similar design.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• DFDS Unveils the m.s King of Scandinavia
• Brittany Ferries Enthusiasts feature: Farewell to the Val de Loire
• (Swedish) M/S Nils Holgersson at Fakta om Fartyg