MS Galaxy

MS Galaxy in the Stockholm archipelago, September 2008.
Career
Name:	Galaxy
Owner:	Tallink Group[1]
Operator:	2006–2008: Tallink 2008 onwards: Silja Line[2]
Port of registry:	2006–2008: Tallinn,  Estonia 2008 onwards: Stockholm,  Sweden[2]
Route:	2006–2008: Helsinki–Tallinn 2008 onwards: Stockholm–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Turku[2]
Ordered:	2004-10-28[2]
Builder:	Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland
Yard number:	435
Laid down:	2005-04-21[2]
Launched:	2005-12-01[2]
Christened:	2005-12-01 by Johanna-lisebel Järvelill[2]
Acquired:	2006-04-18[2]
Maiden voyage:	2006-05-01[2]
In service:	2006-05-02[2]
Identification:	IMO number: 9333694[2]
Status:	In service
General characteristics [2]
Class and type:	Galaxy class cruiseferry
Tonnage:	48,915 GT (gross tonnage)
Displacement:	5,800 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length:	212.10 m (695 ft 10 in)
Beam:	29.00 m (95 ft 2 in)
Draught:	6.40 m (21 ft 0 in)
Depth:	15.40 m (50 ft 6 in)[3]
Decks:	11[3]
Ice class:	1 A Super[4]
Installed power:	4 × Wärtsilä 16V32 diesels combined 26,240 kW (35,190 hp)
Propulsion:	2 × controllable pitch propellers[3]
Speed:	22 kn (40.74 km/h; 25.32 mph)
Capacity:	2,800 passengers 2,500 passenger berths 420 cars 1,130 lanemeters

For other ships named "Galaxy", see Galaxy (disambiguation).

MS Galaxy is a cruiseferry built in 2006 by Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland and was at the time the largest ship delivered to ferry operator Tallink. Between 2006–2008 she held the distinction of being the largest ship ever to be registered in Estonia; a title now held by her replacement sister-ship MS Baltic Princess.

As of 2008, Galaxy operates on the Stockholm–Turku route under Tallink's Silja Line brand ^[5], opposite MS Silja Europa. The route connects Stockholm, Sweden to Turku in Finland via Åland and the vessel spends approximately twenty-two hours per day at sea.

History

The introduction of Tallink's first newbuilding, the cruiseferry MS Romantika, in 2002 on the cruise service between Tallinn and Helsinki was a success. One year after her entry into this service, Tallink's fiercest competitor Viking Line, announced that they would withdraw their flagship MS Cinderella from the same route, replacing her with the more freight-oriented MS Rosella.

This led Tallink to order a bigger ship to replace the Romantika on 2004-10-28. The Romatika in turn was needed to join her newly delivered sister ship, the MS Victoria I, on the Tallinn–Stockholm route.

Design & construction

Building of the new ship commenced in early 2005 and her keel was laid on 21 April. The shipyard was Aker Finnyards, Rauma. The Rauma shipyard had previously built the Romantika and the Victoria I. On 2005-12-01, the new ship was launched and christened as MS Galaxy.^[2]

Designed as a carefully enlarged replica of the Romantika, the Galaxy is longer and has additional cabins and public areas. Leaving behind the external livery scheme introduced on the Romantika and her sister, the Galaxy sports a white hull with a cloud decorated blue superstructure, along with a number of different animals painted on her sides. The design of the livery was made by the Estonian artist Navitrolla.

MS Galaxy arriving in Helsinki in Tallink colours, April 2007.

Helsinki–Tallinn service

After performing her trials, the Galaxy entered service on the Tallinn–Helsinki route on 2 May 2006. The ship performed one round trip daily between the two capitals but spent most of her time moored in port—on her original route Galaxy was at sea for less than seven hours per day.^[6] In April 2007, less than a year after her introduction, Tallink announced that the Galaxy was to be transferred to the Stockholm–Mariehamn/Långnäs–Turku route during 2008. ^[7] She was replaced by her sister ship MS Baltic Princess.

Stockholm–Turku service

Following the Baltic Princess replacing Galaxy on the Tallinn–Helsinki route^[8], Galaxy replaced MS Silja Festival on the Stockholm–Turku route on 23 July 2008. Coinciding with the route change, Galaxy was re-registered to Sweden.^[9] The ships external livery, as well as her name, was left unchanged, despite an earlier statement made by Tallink that she would be re-painted in Silja livery.^[10] A "Silja Line" hull text did replace the "Tallink Cruise" text on her sides, but her Tallink funnel logo was left unaltered. Before beginning service, Galaxy was docked at Naantali for three days.^[11]

Decks

1. Engine room
2. Sauna, swimming pool
3. Car deck
4. Car platform, can be lowered hydraulically to divide the car deck in two giving space for two layers of passenger cars
5. Conference rooms, A- and B-class cabins
6. Moonlight dance bar, cafeteria, information desk, shops, Starlight Palace show lounge (lower level)
7. Buffet Galaxy, Grill House, Russian à la Carte Aleksander and Happy Lobster restaurants, cigar club, piano bar, whisky bar, Joe's place, games arcade, Starlight Palace show lounge (upper level)
8. Suites, de luxe-, A- and B-class cabins
9. Suites, de luxe-, A- and B-class cabins
10. Bridge, disco Zenith, crew accommodations, sundeck^[12][13]

See also

• Largest ferries of Europe

References

1. ^ Koefoed-Hansen, Michael. "M/F Galaxy". The Ferry Site. http://www.ferry-site.dk/ferry.php?id=9333694&lang=en. Retrieved 2008-07-24. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m} Asklander, Micke. "M/S Galaxy (2006)" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/galaxy_2006.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-24. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Galaxy". vesseltracker.com. http://www.xvas.it/SPECIAL/VTship.php?imo=9333694&mode=CK. Retrieved 2008-07-24. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ Mäkelä, Mia-Madeleine. "M/S Silja Galaxy (2006)" (in Finnish). Miianlaivasivut. http://www.miianlaivasivut.putteri.fi/?cat=149&print=1. Retrieved 2008-07-24. 
5. ^ Tallink corporate structure, retrieved 2008-09-08
6. ^ (Swedish)Tallink timetable, retrieved 2007-02-15
7. ^ (Swedish) Turku-Mariehamn/Långnäs-Stockholm timetable 2 and footnote.
8. ^ (Swedish)Tallinks Galaxy till Åbo-rutten Nya Ålands tidning, retrieved 2007-12-15
9. ^ (Finnish) Turun Sanomat 16. 10. 2007: Enn Pant uskoo Galaxyn nostavan matkustajien määrää Turun-reitillä, retrieved 2007-10-16
10. ^ "Galaxy Turun reitille Siljan laivana" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. 2007-06-07. http://www.turunsanomat.fi/talous/?ts=1,3:1004:0:0,4:4:0:1:2007-06-07,104:4:464264,1:0:0:0:0:0:. Retrieved 2008-04-04. ^{[dead link]}
11. ^ Kirsi Turkki (2008-07-17). "Baltic Princessin viivästys vienyt Tallinkilta matkustajia" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. http://www.turunsanomat.fi/talous/?ts=1,3:1004:0:0,4:4:0:1:2008-07-17,104:4:553315,1:0:0:0:0:0:. Retrieved 2008-07-17. ^{[dead link]}
12. ^ (Finnish) Galaxy cruise program 12 August – 30 September 2007, retrieved 2007-08-30
13. ^ (Finnish) Tallink Silja official website for M/S Galaxy, retrieved 2007-08-30

External links

• (Finnish) Tallink Silja official website for M/S Galaxy
• (Swedish) M/S Galaxy at Fakta om Fartyg