MS Birka Gotland

{{Short description|Cruise ship}} {{Use dmy dates|date = July 2018}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image = Birka Gotland, Stockholm - 20240320 - 06.jpg |image_caption = ''Birka Stockholm'' in Stockholm, March 2024. }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header = |country = Sweden |name = *2004–2013: ''Birka Paradise'' *2013–2024: ''Birka Stockholm'' *2024 onwards: ''Birka Gotland'' <ref name="dnv">{{csr|register=DNV|id=24651|shipname=Birka Stockholm|access-date=1 February 2014}}</ref> |flag = {{shipboxflag|Sweden}} |owner = *2004–2011: Birka Line Abp *2011–2023: Rederi Ab Eckerö *2023 onwards: Gotland Alandia Cruises<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.alandstidningen.ax/nyheter/nya-driftsbolaget-heter-gotland-alandia-cruises | title=Nya driftsbolaget heter Gotland Alandia Cruises | date=20 December 2023 }}</ref> |operator = |registry = *2004–2009: Mariehamn, {{flag|Åland}} (Finland)  *2009 onwards: Stockholm, {{flag|Sweden}}<ref name=FoF>{{cite web |url=https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/MS-Birka-Stockholm-750 |title=M/S BIRKA |access-date=10 July 2018 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=sv}}</ref> |route = Laid up. To enter service for new, unnamed company owned by Rederi AB Gotland and Viking Line in 2024. |ordered = 19 November 2002 |builder = Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland<ref name="dnv" /> |original_cost = |yard_number = 442<ref name="dnv" /> |way_number = |laid_down = 19 October 2003<ref name="dnv" /> |launched = 15 April 2004<ref name="dnv" /> |completed = 8 November 2004<ref name="dnv" /> |christened = 10 November 2004 <small>by Arja Saijonmaa</small><ref name=FoF /> |maiden_voyage = |in_service = 11 November 2004<ref name=FoF /> |out_of_service = |identification = *{{IMO Number|9273727}} *Call sign: SIJW *{{MMSI|266314000}}<ref name="equasis">{{csr|register=E|id=9273727|shipname=Birka|access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> |fate = |status = in service |notes = }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header = |header_caption = <ref name="dnv" /> |type = Cruise ship |tonnage = *{{GT|34,924}} *{{NetT|18,839}} *{{DWT|4,022}} |displacement = |length = {{convert|177|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |beam = {{convert|28|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |height = {{convert|43|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=Birka>{{cite web|url=http://www.birka.se/site.aspx?id=93 |title=''Birka Paradise'' |access-date=15 October 2008 |publisher=Birka Cruises |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030154057/http://www.birka.se/site.aspx?id=93 |archive-date=30 October 2007 }}</ref> |draught = {{convert|6.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |depth = {{convert|9.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |decks = 11 (10 passenger accessible)<ref name=Birka /> |deck_clearance = |ice_class = 1 A Super<ref name=Birka /> |power = *4{{nbsp}}×{{nbsp}}Wärtsilä 6L46 *23,400{{nbsp}}kW (combined)<ref name=FoF /> |propulsion = |speed = {{convert|21|kn}} service speed<ref name=Birka /> |capacity = 1,800 passengers<ref name=FoF /> |crew = |notes = }} }} '''MS ''Birka Gotland''''' is a cruise ship owned jointly by Rederi AB Gotland and Viking Line. She was built in 2004 by Aker Finnyards at Rauma, Finland for Birka Line, later owned by Rederi Ab Eckerö, and operated under their Birka Cruises brand. She sailed as '''''Birka Paradise''''' until 2013 and as '''''Birka Stockholm''''' until 2024.<ref name=FoF />

==Concept and construction== ''Birka Paradise'' was ordered by Birka Line from Aker Finnyards at Rauma, Finland, on 20 November 2002.<ref name=FoF /> She was the first new ship ordered by Birka Line since ''Birka Queen'', ordered in the late 1980s, but never delivered due to bankruptcy of the Wärtsilä Marine shipyard.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/royal_majesty_1992.htm |title=M/S ''Royal Majesty'' (1992) |access-date=15 October 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish}}</ref>

The interior and exterior of ''Birka Paradise'' were jointly designed by Birka Line, Aker Finnyards and Deltamarin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deltamarin.com/references/passenger-ships/passenger-cruise-ship-birka-paradise/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213213310/http://www.deltamarin.com/references/passenger-ships/passenger-cruise-ship-birka-paradise/ |archive-date=13 February 2008 |title=Passenger Cruise Ship ''Birka Paradise'' |access-date=15 October 2008 |publisher=Deltamarin}}</ref> Unlike most of Birka's previous vessels, the ship was designed from the beginning as a genuine cruise ship, without a car-deck. Following a naming competition that drew 3500 proposals, the ship was named ''Birka Paradise'' to reflect its design, reminiscent of a Caribbean cruise ship. The ship was designed with various environmentally friendly innovations; in addition to exhaust and closed sewage treatment systems already used on the company's ''Birka Princess'', ''Birka Paradise'' was built to fulfill Det Norske Veritas' Clean Design rule relating to environmentally friendly structural solutions. Her hull form was optimised for smallest possible impact on the sensitive archipelago routes on which she sails.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinelink.com/Story/Birka%C2%B4s+New+Cruise+Vessel+will+be+Birka+Paradise-12906.html |title=Birka's New Cruise Vessel will be ''Birka Paradise'' |access-date=15 October 2008 |date=27 October 2003 |publisher=Marine Link |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925205550/http://www.marinelink.com/Story/Birka%C2%B4s%2BNew%2BCruise%2BVessel%2Bwill%2Bbe%2BBirka%2BParadise-12906.html |archive-date=25 September 2008 }}</ref>

The keel of ''Birka Paradise'' was laid on 19 October 2003 and she was launched on 15 April 2004.<ref name="dnv" /> Following her sea trials on 19 August and 14 October, the ship was delivered to Birka Line on 8 November 2004. The ship then sailed via her port of registry Mariehamn to Stockholm, where she was officially named on 10 November 2004 by Arja Saijonmaa.<ref name=FoF />

==Service history==

''Birka Paradise'' entered service on 11 November 2004 on a 22-hour cruise from Stockholm to Mariehamn, which has been her main route in Birka service. During Christmas 2004 she made a longer cruise from Stockholm, calling at Tallinn, Helsinki and Mariehamn. From 2006 onwards she has made various longer cruises from Stockholm around the Baltic Sea during the Northern Hemisphere summer season.<ref name=FoF />

In January 2009 Rederi Ab Eckerö, owner of Birka Cruises since 2007, made public their plans to re-register ''Birka Paradise'' to Sweden "as soon as possible" in order to allow the sale of snuff on board. According to European Union (EU) legislation snuff may not be sold within the EU except in Sweden and on board ships registered in Sweden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alandstidningen.ax/article.con?id=14772&iPage=1 |title=''Birka Paradise'' flaggas ut |access-date=26 January 2009 |last=Lindvall |first=Liz |date=24 January 2009 |publisher=Ålandstidningen |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706131325/http://www.alandstidningen.ax/article.con?id=14772&iPage=1 |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyan.ax/nyheter/?news_id=39933&news_instance=2 |title=''Birka Paradise'' kan flaggas ut redan i juni |access-date=26 January 2009 |last=Kullman |first=Annika |date=24 January 2009 |publisher=Nya Åland |language=Swedish }}</ref> Until November 2007 the province of Åland in Finland allowed the sale of snuff on board ships registered in the province, but was forced to discontinue the practice when threatened by legal action by the EU. The outlawing of snuff sales caused the loss of approximately 1 million € per year for Birka Cruises,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.turunsanomat.fi/kotimaa/?ts=1,3:1002:0:0,4:2:0:1:2007-11-07,104:2:497002,1:0:0:0:0:0: |title=Oolannissa syttyy nyt nuuskasota |access-date=26 January 2009 |last=Nieminen |first=Jamie |date=7 November 2007 |publisher=Turun Sanomat |language=Finnish}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> finally resulting in the decision to re-flag ''Birka Paradise''. The reflagging took place on 3 June 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyan.ax/nyheter/index.pbs?news_id=41584 |title=Svensk flagg för Paradise 3 juni |access-date=23 March 2009 |last=Erlandsson |first=Karin |date=23 March 2009 |publisher=Nya Åland |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706131326/http://www.nyan.ax/nyheter/index.pbs?news_id=41584 |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref> Registered ownership of ''Birka Stockholm'' was transferred to Rederi Ab Eckerö in 2011.<ref name="FoF" />

In January 2013 the ship was renamed ''Birka Stockholm'' and given new livery. The stripes on the hull were changed from blue, yellow and red to just blue and yellow, and the new "Birka Cruises" logo was placed on the funnel. According to the CEO, the company wanted to make a "change of profile" to a more Northern European theme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alandstidningen.ax/article.con?iPage=1&id=33175|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130407131042/http://www.alandstidningen.ax/article.con?iPage=1&id=33175|archive-date=7 April 2013|title=Ålandstidningen|website=Ålandstidningen|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref> However, the company refers to the ship only as ''Birka'', dropping "Stockholm" which is part of the official name, as well as being the port of registry.<ref name="dnv" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.birka.se/about-our-company/ |title=About our company |publisher=Birka Cruises |access-date=1 February 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140105002635/https://en.birka.se/about-our-company/ |archive-date=5 January 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic Rederi Ab Eckerö, ceased operations and the ship was put up for sale.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ålandstidningen: Birka Stockholm till salu för 85 miljoner|url=https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/alandstidningen-birka-stockholm-till-salu-for-85-miljoner/|access-date=2021-05-14|website=www.hbl.fi|date=29 July 2020 |language=sv}}</ref>

== New ownership == On 23 March 2023, Rederi AB Gotland announced that it bought the ''Birka Stockholm'' for approximately 38 million euro to be used for traffic between Stockholm, Mariehamn and Visby. The service was to have begun in the spring of 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://corporate.gotlandsbolaget.se/sv/gotlandsbolaget-koper-m-s-birka-stockholm-och-startar-kryssningar-till-aland-och-gotland/ | title=Gotlandsbolaget köper M/S Birka Stockholm och startar kryssningar till Åland och Gotland | date=27 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>Another reprieve and a new career ''Ships Monthly'' May 2023 page 13</ref>

On 9 August 2023, Viking Line announced it had acquired a 50% shareholding in of the ship for 19 million Euro with the intention to form a company with shared ownership with Rederi AB Gotland, for the intended traffic previously outlined. When entering the service for the new company in April 2024{{Update after|2024|05|01}}, the ship will be renamed ''Birka Gotland''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/hon-blir-birka-gotland/ | title=Sjöfartstidningen - Hon blir Birka Gotland | date=5 December 2023 }}</ref>

==References==

==External links== {{commons category|IMO 9273727}} * [https://www.birka.se/ Birka Cruises website in Swedish] * [http://www.rederiabeckero.ax/standard.con?iPage=4&m=85&iLan=2 Rederi Ab Eckerö] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125172252/http://www.rederiabeckero.ax/standard.con?iPage=4&m=85&iLan=2 |date=25 January 2016 }} * [https://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/266314000 ''Birka Stockholm'' at marinetraffic.com] * [http://galutschek.at/ships/birka_stockholm/ MS ''Birka'' Video Clips] * [https://www.birkagotland.se/ Birka Gotland Website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birka Stockholm}} Category:Cruise ships Category:Ships built in Rauma, Finland Category:2004 ships