MS Superspeed 1

MS "Superspeed 1" is a fast ro-pax ferry owned and operated by Color Line. She was built by Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland in 2008, and entered service on the Kristiansand—Hirtshals route on 13 March 2008.

Concept and construction

Since its establishment in 1991, Color Line had operated various conventional ferries between Norway and Denmark. From 1996 onwards ast ferries were used to append the service during the northern hemisphere summer season. [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/hoverspeed_belgium_1991.htm |title=HSC Hoverspeed Belgium (1991) |accessdate=2008-02-29 |format= |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/hoverspeed_france_1991.htm |title=HSC Hoverspeed France (1991) |accessdate=2008-02-29 |format= |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/silvia_ana_l_1996.htm |title=HSC Silvia Ana L (1996) |accessdate=2008-02-29 |format= |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language= Swedish ] After an evaluation period of several years, the company begun the planning process for two new large and fast in spring 2004, with the concept name Color Line Superspeed. The new ships were planned witha high enough service speed to eliminate the need for overnight crossings entirely—as a result they only include cabins for truck drivers. On 15 December 2005 the construction of the ships was awarded to Aker Finnyards' Rauma shipyard.cite web |url=http://www.colorline.com/servlets/page?section=4015&item=21323 |title=A new era in the traditional traffic between Norway and Denmark |accessdate=2008-02-29 |date=2005-12-15 |format= |publisher=Color Line press release ] Aker Finnyards had previously built what was at the time the world's largest cruiseferry MS|Color Fantasy for Color, and was at the time in the process of building MS|Color Magic, a slightly enlargened version of the "Color Fantasy". [cite news |title=Rauma saamassa kaksi risteilijätilausta |url=http://www.hs.fi/teksti/tuoreet/artikkeli/1101981494427 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |publisher=HS-STT |date=2005-11-02 |accessdate=2008-02-29 |language=Finnish ] The delivery times for the Color Line Superspeed vessels were originally planned for December 2007 for the first ship and April 2008 for the second. Due delays in construction, including technical problems with one of the auxiliary engines, the first ship, MS "Superspeed 1", was not delivered to Color Line until 27 February 2008.

Design

The entire design process of the "Superspeed 1" was handled by the Oslo-based Falkum-Hansen Design, including both the exterior and interior designs as well as the layouts, with the aim of creating a distinctive, modern and comfortable identity for the vessel.

Exterior design

The hull shape of the "Superspeed 1" has been designed for optimized speed performance and good sea-keeping characteristics. The ship has a fairly high, short bow, a rounded supecstructure raising straight up to the bridge. The rear of the ship relatively long, with a large emtry space between the rear of the superstructure and the actual rear of the ship. The hull has been painted in the traditional dark blue of Color Line, with a red decorative stripe on top of the blue area. The blue hull paint raises upwards in an arch from the front of the ship, following the shape of the bow, and then arches all the way down to the waterline at the rear. A wide back stripe has been painted along the windows on deck 8, and the window frames of the bridge and the rears windows on deck 7 and 8 are also painted back, as is the radar mast. The funnel, located very close to amidship, is of a similar design to the funnels of MS|Color Festival and MS|Color Magic.

Interior design

Most passenger spaces on the "Superspeed 1" are located on decks 7 and 8, above the multi-deck car deck complex and storage rooms. A two-deck high atrium is located by the entrance amidship. The forward part of deck 7 houses a large tax free shop, with smaller shops located around the atrium. An arcade connects the atrium to a two-deck high bar/lounge complex located at the rear of decks 7 and 8. A business lounge is located next to the bar/lounge complex on deck 8, while another arcade connects them to the three restaurants that occupy the rest of deck 8. An additional sitting lounge is located on deck 9.

References

fi:M/S Superspeed 1