{{Short description|1978 ferry}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = Albania-Rigel-III.jpg | image_caption = ''Rigel III'' at Durrës in 2017. }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | name = *1979–1988: ''Turella'' *1988–1996: ''Stena Nordica'' *1996–1998: ''Lion King'' *1998–2008: ''Fantaasia'' *2008–2010: ''Kongshavn'' *2010-2017: ''Regina della Pace'' *2017–Present: ''Rigel III'' | owner = *1979–1988: SF Line *1988–1996: Stena Line *1996–1997: Lion Ferry *1997–2008: Tallink *2008–2010: Kystlink *2010–2017: Blue Line International *2017–Present: Ventouris Ferries | operator = *1979–1988: SF Line (in Viking Line traffic) *1988–1996: Stena Line *1996–1997: Lion Ferry *1997–2005: Tallink *2005: Algérie Ferries *2006: Tallink *2006–2007: Comanav *2007: Algérie Ferries *2007–2008: Kystlink *2010-2017: Blue Line International *2017–Present: Ventouris Ferries | registry = *1979–1988:{{Flag|Finland}}, Mariehamn *1988–1996:{{Flag|Sweden}}, Gothenburg *1996–1998:{{Flag|Sweden}}, Halmstad *1998–2008:{{Flag|Estonia}}, Tallinn *2008–2010:{{Flag|Norway}}, Langesund *2010–2010:{{Flag|Malta|civil}}, Valletta *2010–2014:{{Flag|Panama}}, Panama City *2014–Present:{{Flag|Cyprus}}, Limassol *<ref name=Asklander>{{cite web |last=Asklander |first=Micke |title=M/S ''Turella'' (1979) |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/turella_1979.htm |work=Fakta om Fartyg |accessdate=26 May 2010}}</ref> | ordered = 17 March 1978 | builder = Wärtsilä Turku shipyard, Finland | yard_number = 1242 | laid_down = | launched = 21 November 1978 | completed = 1979 | christened = 21 November 1978 | sponsor = Margareta Lundqvist<ref name="Sjöström">{{cite book |title=Tie meren yli - Uranuurtajasta markkinajohtajaksi |last1=Sjöström |first1=Pär-Henrik |last2=Brzoza |first2=Krzysztof |year=2009 |publisher=Breakater Publishing |location=Gothenburg |isbn=978-91-977697-9-2 |pages=131–140 |language=Finnish, English}}</ref> | acquired = 4 June 1979 | in_service = 4 June 1979 | out_of_service = | identification = {{IMO Number|7807744}} | fate = | status = In service | notes = }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = (as built)<ref name=Asklander /> | type = Cruiseferry | tonnage = *{{GRT|10,604}} *{{DWT|3700|metric|disp=long}} | displacement = | length = {{convert|136.11|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | beam = {{convert|24.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | height = | draught = {{convert|5.40|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | decks = | deck_clearance = | ramps = | ice_class = 1 A<ref name=KystlinkFakta>{{cite web|url=http://www.kystlink.com/fakta_om_skipet.html |title=Kystlink M/S ''Kongshavn'' |accessdate=4 July 2008 |publisher=Kystlink |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714102711/http://www.kystlink.com/fakta_om_skipet.html |archivedate=14 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | power = *4 × Wärtsilä-Pielstick 12PC2-2V diesels *{{convert|17650|kW|abbr=on}} | propulsion = | speed = {{convert|21.5|kn|km/h|2|abbr=on}} | capacity = *1700 passengers *740 passenger beds *554 cars | crew = | notes = }}
|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = (Stena Nordica and after)<ref name=KystlinkFakta /> | class = | tonnage = {{GT|16,405}} | displacement = | length = | beam = | height = | draught = | decks = 10 | deck_clearance = | ramps = | ice_class = | power = | propulsion = | speed = {{convert|19|kn|km/h|2|abbr=on}} | capacity = *1,550 passengers *1,440 lanemeters | crew = | notes = Otherwise the same as built }} }} '''MS ''Rigel III''''' is a cruiseferry owned by the Greek-based company Ventouris Ferries. She was built in 1979 as '''MS ''Turella''''' by Wärtsilä Turku shipyard, Finland for SF Line for use in Viking Line traffic. In 1988 she was sold to Stena Line, becoming '''MS ''Stena Nordica'''''. In 1996, she was transferred to Lion Ferry and was renamed '''MS ''Lion King'''''. In 1998, she was sold to Tallink and renamed '''MS ''Fantaasia'''''. As ''Fantaasia'' she also sailed under charter to Algérie Ferries, Comanav and Kystlink during the years 2005–2008. Following the end of her charter to Kystlink in 2008 the latter company bought her, renaming her '''MS ''Kongshavn'''''. After Kystlink was declared bankrupt in late 2008 the ship was laid up until sold to the Croatia-based ferry operator Blue Line International,<ref name="Slobodna Dalmacija">{{cite web |url=http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/84946/Default.aspx |title=Buljubašić kupio trajekt za Anconu vrijedan 6 milijuna eura |last=Zubčić |first=Gordan |date=23 December 2009 |publisher=Slobodna Dalmacija |accessdate=30 December 2009 |language=Croatian}}</ref> and operated on their service between Split and Ancona as '''MS ''Regina della Pace'''''. In 2017 the ship was sold to the Greek-based company Ventouris Ferries and is currently operating on the route Bari–Durrës.
==Concept and construction== SF Line begun planning for a new larger ferry for the Viking Line traffic between South-West Finland and Sweden in the mid-1970s. The main person in charge of the design of the new ship was SF Line's founder and CEO Gunnar Eklund, with his son Nils-Erik Eklund and the company's technical inspector Kaj Jansson participating in the design process. Experiences from SF Line's previous new buildings — particularly {{MS|Aurella}} of 1973 — heavily influenced the design of the new vessel, which was drawn with large car-decks. However, the new vessel was planned to be twice as large in terms of gross register tonnage as ''Aurella'', and she was to have twice as many cabins.<ref name="Sjöström" />
In 1976, SF Line asked for tenders from various shipyards around the world for construction of a 1,700-passenger, 540-car ferry. The cheapest bid, 80 million Finnish markka (20 million United States dollar by exchange rates of the time), was made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan who outbid the Finnish Wärtsilä shipyard by 36 million markka. On 13 September 1977, SF Line signed a contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for construction of a ferry. However, the funding of the project was subject to approval by the Bank of Finland and as at the time the employment level in Finland's shipyards was low, the Bank of Finland decided not to grant its approval to the project's funding with hopes of forcing the company to order a ship from a Finnish shipyard. After prolonged negotiations between both SF Line and the Bank of Finland as well as SF Line and Wärtsilä, SF Line placed an order with Wärtsilä on 17 March 1978. In the end the cost of the ship from Wärtsilä was approximately 15% more expensive than it would have been if built by Mitsubishi,<ref name="Sjöström" /> despite a subvention of 17 million markka from the Bank of Finland.<ref name=Asklander />
As with most previous new buildings of Viking Line, the details of the ship's interior design were entrusted to Robert Tillberg of Tillberg Design. Due to the ship's larger size, her onboard services could be greatly upgraded from the previous generation ships, with accommodation and public spaces close to the standards of the time's cruise ships. For the first time on a Viking Line ship trafficking between continental Finland and Sweden, the ship included an à la carte restaurant in addition to the traditional buffet (Rederi AB Slite's cruise ship {{SS|Apollo III}} had an à la carte restaurant since 1976, but she only trafficked between the Åland islands and Sweden).<ref name="Sjöström" /><ref>Sjöström, Brzoza (2009). p. 122.</ref> SF Line's new ship was also given large conference facilities by the day's standards, capable of hosting 80 people.<ref name="Sjöström" />
The basic design of the new building was apparently successful, as even before she was completed SF Line's fellow Viking Line members Rederi AB Slite and Rederi Ab Sally asked access to the ship's plans so that they could order additional ships of the same design. However, in the end Slite opted to order a slightly larger vessel from Meyer Werft in Germany, while SF Line refused to give Sally access to the new ship's plans and as a result Sally too placed an order with Meyer Werft.<ref name="Sjöström" />
The keel of SF Line's new building was laid on 10 August 1978.<ref name="Brzoza">Sjöström, Brzoza (2009). p. 258.</ref> She was launched from drydock on 24 November 1978 and christened MS ''Turella'' by Margareta Lundqvist, the widow of the major SF Line shareholder Fraenk Lundqvist. On 18 January 1979, SF Line ordered a sister ship for the ''Turella'' from Wärtsilä, which eventually entered service in 1980 as {{MS|Rosella}}.<ref name="Sjöström" /> The construction of the ''Turella'' was completed on 4 June 1980 and she was delivered to SF Line on the same date,<ref name="Brzoza" /> 11 days earlier than agreed.<ref name=Asklander />
== History == ===1979–1987: Viking Line service=== Immediately following delivery ''Turella'' entered service on Viking Line's Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm route, sailing parallel with Rederi AB Slite's slightly larger newbuilding {{MS|Diana II}} that entered service on 14 June 1979. ''Turella'' remained on the Turku–Stockholm service until 2 June 1980, when she was transferred to the shorter and more freight-intensive Naantali–Mariehamn–Kapellskär route following the delivery of Rederi Ab Sally's new {{MS|Viking Sally}}—that was even larger than ''Turella'' or ''Diana II''—for the Turku service. On the Naantali–Kapellskär service ''Turella'' replaced the ageing {{MS|Marella}} and initially sailed parallel to her brand-new sistership {{MS|Rosella}}. For the summer season of 1981 ''Rosella'' and ''Diana II'' switched routes, and from that year onwards ''Turella'' again had ''Diana II'' as her routemate.<ref name="Sjöström" />
===1988–1996: Stena Line and Lion Ferry service=== left|thumb|''Stena Nordica'' In September 1988, SF Line took delivery of the new MS ''Amorella'', which replaced ''Rosella'' on the Turku–Stockholm route. Originally SF Line had agreed to sell the ''Rosella'' to Stena Line upon delivery of the new ship. However, due to the ''Amorella'' being delivered seven months behind schedule the ''Rosella'' could not be delivered to Stena when originally agreed. In the end the ''Turella'' was sold instead of ''Rosella'', as it was generally in a better condition and easier to convert for the traffic Stena planned for her.<ref>{{in lang|fi}} [http://www.fcbsweb.com/forum/index.php?topic=9391.msg42169#msg42169 FCBS Forum: Sliten konkurssin syyt ja seuraukset + muuta 1980-90-l. taitteen Vikingistä], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref> After rebuilding at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg, the Turella re-emerged as MS ''Stena Nordica'' (a name carried by many Stena Line ships over the years). ''Stena Nordica'' was placed a route connecting Gothenburg to Fredrikshavn in Denmark and Moss in Norway. She also occasionally served on the Gothenburg–Kiel route when the ships normally sailing that route were docked. In 1996, ''Stena Nordica'' was rebuilt at Öresundsvarvet, Landskrona, Sweden, transferred to the fleet of Stena's subsidiary Lion Ferry and renamed MS ''Lion King''. During the next 1½ years she sailed on routes Halmstad (Sweden) – Grenå (Denmark) and Karlskrona (Sweden) – Gdynia (Poland).<ref name="Asklander" />
===1996–2005: Tallink service=== [[File:S Fantaasia.jpg|left|thumb|215x215px|''Fantaasia'' at Saint Petersburg.]] At the end of 1997, ''Lion King'' was sold to Tallink, who renamed her MS ''Fantaasia'' and placed her on the Helsinki–Tallinn route (where she served alongside her old Viking Line fleetmate MS ''Meloodia'').<ref name=Asklander /> In 2002, after the delivery of the new MS ''Romantika'', the ''Fantaasia'' was moved to the Tallinn–Stockholm route, where she sailed alongside another old fleetmate from the Viking Line days, MS ''Regina Baltica''.<ref name=Asklander /><ref>{{in lang|sv}} [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/romantika_2002.htm Fakta om Fartyg: M/S ''Romantika'' (2002)], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref><ref name="VS">{{in lang|sv}} [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/viking_song_1980.htm Fakta om Fartyg: M/S ''Viking Song'' (1980)], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref> In 2004, the new MS ''Victoria I'' replaced Fantaasia on the Tallinn–Stockholm route,<ref>{{in lang|sv}} [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/victoria_2004.htm Fakta om Fartyg: M/S ''Victoria'' (2004)], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref> and from the start of April of the same year ''Fantaasia'' opened a new Helsinki–Tallinn–St. Petersburg route for Tallink.<ref name=Asklander /> Due to a rise in port fees issued by the Russian government and due to visa regulations not being prognosed to get any better between Russia and the European Union as it had been presumed when the line was started, the line was terminated by Tallink on 2 January 2005.<ref>{{in lang|fi}} [http://www.fcbsweb.com/forum/index.php?topic=7257.msg44359#msg44359 Tallink press release reprinted at the FCBS Forum], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref>
===2005–2009: charters and Kystlink service=== Following the collapse of the St. Petersburg traffic, the ''Fantaasia'' was swiftly chartered to Algérie Ferries for a duration of nine months, during which she sailed between France and Algeria. After the end of the charter she spent five months laid up in Tallinn until she was placed on Tallink's new Riga–Stockholm route in April 2006.<ref name=Asklander /> However, after little over a month of traffic she was replaced by the larger ''Regina Baltica'',<ref name=Asklander /><ref name="VS" /> and subsequently chartered to Comanav until April 2007. Following the end of charter to Comanav, she was again chartered to Algérie Ferries until October 2007.<ref name=Asklander /> thumb|left|''Fantaasia'' at Strömstad during her charter to Kystlink Following the second Algérie Ferries charter, the ''Fantaasia'' was chartered to the Norway-based Kystlink<ref>{{in lang|no}} [https://archive.today/20120915065203/http://www.varden.no/article/20071010/NYHET/710100012/1088/_ Varden: Kystlink hyrer finsk ferje], retrieved 10 October 2007</ref> for three months (with an option for three additional months) from October 2007 onwards<ref name=Asklander /><ref>[http://www.baltic.omxgroup.com/market/?pg=details&instrument=EE3100004466&list=2&tab=news&news_id=218639 OMX Group: CORRECTION: Chartering Fantaasia], retrieved 19 October 2007</ref> to replace their MS ''Pride of Telemark'' that was out of service following an accident when the ship rammed the breakwater at Hirtshals, Denmark.<ref>[http://www.fcbsweb.com/forum/index.php?topic=11599.msg86293#msg86293 Aftenposten english article reprinted at the FCBS Forum], retrieved 18 October 2007</ref> Before entering service for Kystlink, ''Fantaasia'' was docked at Cityvarvet, Gothenburg.<ref>{{in lang|fi}} [http://www.fcbsweb.com/forum/index.php?topic=11787.msg88701#msg88701 FCBS Forum: Fantaasia vuokrataan Kystlinkille?], retrieved 18 October 2007</ref> On 15 November, the Swedish Maritime Authority Sjöfartsinspektionen deemed the ship unsafe and prohibited it from leaving Cityvarvet until 18 faults found during the inspection were fixed.<ref>{{in lang|sv}} [https://archive.today/20071221132550/http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=361&a=383133 Göterborgs-Posten 17. 11. 2007: Färja kvar i hamn med allvarliga fel], retrieved 17 November 2007</ref> Twelve of the faults were considered severe, including several permanently open watertight doors, a non-functional loudspeaker system, blocked emergency exists and non-functional winches used for lowering lifeboats.<ref>{{in lang|sv}} [http://www.gt.se/nyheter/1.929930/personfarjan-panikstoppad GT.se 17. 11. 2007: Personfärjan panikstoppad], retrieved 17 November 2007</ref><ref>{{in lang|et}} [http://www.postimees.ee/171107/esileht/siseuudised/296181.php?tallinki-parvlaev-kuulutati-rootsis-soidukolbmatuks Postimees.ee 17. 11. 2007: Tallinki parvlaev kuulutati Rootsis sõidukõlbmatuks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118105348/http://www.postimees.ee/171107/esileht/siseuudised/296181.php?tallinki-parvlaev-kuulutati-rootsis-soidukolbmatuks |date=2007-11-18 }}, retrieved 17 November 2007</ref> According to Tallink, the inspection was made while refitting of the ship was still in process, which they cited as the reason why several onboard systems were turned off-line and normal safety procedures were not observed.<ref>{{in lang|et}} [http://www.postimees.ee/171107/esileht/siseuudised/296201.php?tallinki-ohutusjuht-fantaasia-oli-ulevaatuse-ajal-remondis Postimees.ee 17 November 2007: Tallinki ohutusjuht: Fantaasia oli ülevaatuse ajal remondis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220234748/http://www.postimees.ee/171107/esileht/siseuudised/296201.php?tallinki-ohutusjuht-fantaasia-oli-ulevaatuse-ajal-remondis |date=20 February 2008}}, 18 November 2007</ref> On 11 December, the ship entered service with Kystlink on its Langesund–Hirtshals and Langesund–Strömstad routes.<ref name=Asklander />
On 15 April 2008, the ''Fantaasia'' was sold by Tallink to Kystlink, with delivery date set for June of the same year. She was eventually delivered to her new owners on 30 June 2008, subsequently re-registered in Norway and renamed MS ''Kongshavn''. However, Kystlink ceased their traffic on 21 October 2008, with the ''Kongshavn'' subsequently laid up at Sandefjord, Norway. In March 2009, ''Kongshavn'' was drydocked in Fredericia, Denmark.<ref name=Asklander />
===2010- 2017: Blue Line service=== left|thumb|210x210px|''Regina della Pace'' in 2010 [[File:Regina della pace (Split 2011-07-15).jpg|thumb|''Regina della Pace'' at Split in 2011]] On 23 December 2009 the Croatian ferry operator Blue Line International was reported to have purchased the ''Kongshavn'', with the intention of using her on their service between Ancona and Split.<ref name="Slobodna Dalmacija" /> Blue Line took delivery of the ship on 17 March 2010, renamed her ''Regina della Pace'' and initially re-registered her under the Maltese flag. Prior to entering service with Blue Line on 19 April 2010, the ''Regina della Pace'' was re-registered to Panama.<ref name=Asklander /> The vessel continues in service and was seen in July 2012 on that route. In 2017 the ship was sold to Ventouris Ferries and renamed Rigel III<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/picture10/7566905304/|title=Waiting to board the ferry marko polo|date=14 May 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|IMO 7807744}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20181020015153/http://www.blueline-ferries.com/ Blue Line official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rigel III}} Category:Ships built in Turku Category:Cruiseferries Category:1978 ships