Hansa class ferry

The Hansa class is a class of four ro-pax ferries originally built by Stocznia Gdanska, Poland for Finncarriers-Poseidon service. Following a merger of Finncarriers and Poseidon to Finnlines, all ships of this class are owned by Finnlines and currently operated on Finnlines' routes connecting Finland to Germany and Sweden to Germany.

The Hansa class ships were built mainly as freight-carrying vessels, but they also provided a daily passenger-transporting service between Finland and Germany, in direct competition with GTS "Finnjet", a former Finnlines ferry then owned by Silja Line. Originally all Hansa class ships were used in traffic from Helsinki to Lübeck.

The first ship of the class, M/S "Finnhansa", was delivered on 3 August 1994, with M/S "Finnpartner" following on 12 February 1995, M/S "Transeuropa" on 31 May 1995 and M/S "Finntrader" on 26 October 1995. The three Finn-prefixed ships were owned by Finncarriers and registered in Helsinki while Transeuropa was owned by Poseidon and registered in Lübeck. Following a series of mergers between companies owned by Finnlines and brand simplification, in 2000 the ownership of all the ships passed to Finnlines. In 2001 the German terminus of the route was changed to Travemünde.

Following the delivery of new Star class ships for the Helsinki — Travemünde service in 2006 and 2007 M/S "Finntrader" and M/S "Finnpartner" were taken off the Finland — Germany service and rebuilt at Remontowa, Poland with bow gates and additional cabin spaces. After the refit, on 19 February 2007, the "Finntrader" began service on Finnlines' Malmö — Travemünde route. At the same time the ship's homeport was changed from Helsinki to Malmö and her original cream/green colour scheme was changed to Finnlines' while/blue. The "Finnpartner" was rebuilt with similar modifications and joined the "Finntrader" on the Malmö — Travemünde service in July 2007.

External links

* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/finnhansa_1994.htm M/S "Finnhansa" (1994)] at "Fakta om Fartyg"
* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/finnpartner_1995.htm M/S "Finnpartner" (1995)] at "Fakta om Fartyg"
* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/transeuropa_1995.htm M/S "Transeuropa" (1995)] at "Fakta om Fartyg"
* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/finntrader_1995.htm M/S "Finntrader" (1995)] at "Fakta om Fartyg"

de:M/S Transeuropa
fi:M/S Finnhansa