MS Pascal Lota

Last updated
Plota-022020-1.jpg
Pascal Lota arriving at Nice in 2020.
History
Name
  • Superstar (2008–2017)
  • Pascal Lota (2017–Present)
Owner Corsica Ferries
Operator Medinvest SpA (Corsica Ferries)
Port of registry
Ordered5 August 2005 [1]
Builder Fincantieri Ancona, Italy [2]
Cost 120 million [3]
Yard number6140 [2]
Laid down18 January 2007 [4]
Launched5 October 2007 [5]
Christened5 October 2007 by Kaia Kanepi [5]
Acquired8 April 2008 [3]
In service21 April 2008 [6]
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeFast cruiseferry
Tonnage
Length175.10 m (574 ft 6 in) [3]
Beam27.60 m (90 ft 7 in)
Draught7.00 m (23 ft)
Ice class1 A Super [5]
Installed power
Speed27.5 knots (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph)
Capacity
  • 2,080 passengers [3]
  • 173 berths [3]
  • 665 cars
  • 1,930 lanemeters [3]
Tallink Shuttle ferry, MS Superstar, arriving at Helsinki, Finland from Tallinn, Estonia 2011-06-10 Tallink Shuttle ferry, SUPERSTAR - IMO 9365398.jpg
Tallink Shuttle ferry, MS Superstar, arriving at Helsinki, Finland from Tallinn, Estonia

The MS Pascal Lota (ex Superstar) is a fast ferry owned by the Corsica-based Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries. She was built in 2008 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy. [2]

Contents

Concept and construction

The design of the Superstar is based on Moby Lines' MS Moby Aki. [2] The original order included an option for a second ship of the same type, which Tallink decided not to exercise. [1]

The keel of the vessel was laid on January 18, 2007. [4] On October 5, 2007, the Superstar was christened by the Estonian tennis player Kaia Kanepi. [5] The ship was delivered on 8 April 2008 [3] and left Ancona for the Baltic Sea a day later.[ citation needed ]

Service history

Superstar entered service on Tallink's HelsinkiTallinn route on 21 April 2008. [2] On 30 April 2008 the ship suffered a hydraulics problem while leaving Tallinn, and one Tallinn–Helsinki roundtrip had to be cancelled. [7] On 27 February 2009, while en route from Tallinn to Helsinki with 400 passengers on board, the ship's main engines stopped due to problems with the cooling systems at 8:45 am. The ship was adrift for nearly two hours, with emergency generators providing electricity, until full power could be restored at 10:30 am. Superstar arrived in Helsinki at 11:30, two hours behind schedule. [8] [9]

Design

The green external livery of the ship is according to Tallink promotion material "meant to reflect the environmentally friendly aspects of the ship's design". [5]

The onboard facilities include a three-deck high showlounge, four restaurants, cafeteria, two bars, a casino, a business lounge and various shops. [5]

Sister ships

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References

  1. 1 2 (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: Tallink tilasi nopeakulkuisen lautan myös Fincantieriltä, retrieved 7 October 2007
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Superstar (2008)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Superstar was delivered to Tallink". Tallink press release. Tallink. 2008-04-08. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  4. 1 2 "Tallink's New Vessel's Keel to be Laid in Italy Today". Tallink press release. Tallink. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Tallink's New Vessel Named Superstar". Tallink press release. Tallink. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  6. "Laevad: Superstar" (in Estonian). Tallink. Archived from the original on 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  7. "Tallink Superstar jatkaa liikennöintiä tänä iltana". MTV3 / Kotimaa (in Finnish). MTV3. 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  8. "Konevika pysäytti Tallinkin Superstarin Suomenlahdelle". HS.fi (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  9. Filippov, Madis (2009-02-28). "Ulatuslik automaatikarike hoidis Superstari tunde Helsingi reidil" (in Estonian). Postimees. Retrieved 2009-02-28.