MS Delft Seaways

Delft Seaways is a ro-pax ferry owned and operated by DFDS Seaways. She is the one of three sister ships designed for the cross-Channel route from Dover to Dunkerque, capable of making the crossing in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Delft Seaways is a Scandinavian designed ship built at the Samsung shipyards in South Korea in 2005.[1] She sails under the flag of the United Kingdom and her port of registry is Dover.

Delft Seaways
History
Name:
  • 2006-2010: Maersk Delft
  • 2010 onwards: Delft Seaways
Operator:
Port of registry: Dover,  United Kingdom
Builder: Samsung Heavy Industries, South Korea
Yard number: 1524
Laid down: 12 March 2003
Completed: 2005
Maiden voyage: 27 February 2006
Identification:
Status: in service
General characteristics
Class and type: LR - Roll on Roll off Cargo Passenger Ship
Tonnage: 35,293 GT
Length: 186.65 m (612.4 ft)
Beam: 28.40 m (93.2 ft)
Draught: 6.75 m (22.1 ft)
Decks: 9
Propulsion: 4 x MAN B&W 8L48/60B Diesel
Speed: 25 kn (46.3 km/h)

History
Maersk Delft

The ship was delivered in 2006 and made her maiden voyage on 27 February 2006, replacing Northern Merchant which previously operated the route. She had an encounter with armed speedboats in the Gulf of Aden during the delivery voyage from Korea.[2]

Maersk Delft suffered a loss of power whilst returning to Dover following a refit at Scheldeport Dockyard, Vlissingen on 29 January 2007. The fault was blamed on a computer error, but the vessel had to be towed into Dover harbour from outside the eastern entrance where she had anchored.[2]

In July 2010 Norfolkline was acquired by DFDS. The Norfolkline ships and routes were re-branded as DFDS Seaways. In 2016 the ships went into drydock at Damen shipyard in Dunkirk. They were rebranded into the new DFDS livery which dropped the Seaways branding from the side of the vessel. Delft Seaways kept the Seaways name, the same as with the other D-Class vessels.

Features
Deck plan onboard Maersk Delft

Maersk Delft, like her sister ships, has been designed with separate roll-on roll-off decks for freight and cars, which greatly reduces the loading and unloading times. Passenger facilities are spread out over two decks and include three restaurants, a bar, shop, children's play area, games arcade and a Bureau de Change. There are seven lifts for carrying passengers, crew and stores from the lower car and freight decks up to the passenger and crew decks. The crew accommodation is located on a separate deck and includes cabins, a dayroom, offices, laundry, stores and crew mess.

A prominent feature on board are the large panoramic windows at the front and the side with their uninterrupted sea views.

Delft Seaways has a top speed of 25 knots and has the capacity to carry 200 cars and 780 passengers.

The ship has 132 paintings and prints made by artist Anne Vilsbøll. The paintings show movements in water, on water and by water.[3]

Sister ships

Delft Seaways has two sister ships operating on the same service: Dunkerque Seaways and Dover Seaways.

References
  1. "Norfolkline freight ferry fleet - Maersk Delft". Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  2. "Mv Maersk Delft". "February 8th 2006: Had an incident when, off Oman, when approached by a number of small fast which were believed to be pirates. These vessel dispersed when the ferry proceeded to increase speed to 28knots. ". Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  3. "Maersk Delft Commission 2005 - 2006". Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
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