View source for MV Ancona

{{Short description|Car-passenger ferry}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Ferry MV Ancona Blue Line in Split.JPG
| Ship caption = MV ''Ancona'' moored in [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[Croatia]], July 2010
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship name = *1966–1969: ''Svea''
*1969–1972: ''Hispania''
*1972–1978: ''Saga''
*1978–1998: ''Knossos''
*1998–2003: ''Captain Zaman II''
*2003–2010: ''Ancona''<ref name=Asklander>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/svea_1966.htm |title=M/S ''Svea'' (1966) |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref>
| Ship owner = *1966–1969: [[Rederi AB Svea]]
*1969–1978: [[Swedish Lloyd]]
*1978–1998: [[Minoan Lines]]
*1998–2003: [[Ferro Ferryboat & RoRo Transport]]
*2003–2010: [[Blue Line International]]<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship operator = *1966–1969: [[Rederi AB Svea]]
*1969–1978: [[Swedish Lloyd]]
*1978–1998: [[Minoan Lines]]
*1998–2001: [[Diler Lines]]
*2001–2002: [[Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation|Comanav]]
*2003–2010: [[Blue Line International]]<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship registry = *1966–1969:{{Flag|Sweden}}, [[Stockholm]]
*1969–1978:{{Flag|Sweden}}, [[Gothenburg]]
*1978–1998:{{flag|Greece|civil}}, [[Heraklion]]
*1998–2000:{{flag|Belize|civil}}, [[Belize City]]
*2000–2003:{{flag|Turkey|civil}}, [[Istanbul]]
*2003–2010:{{Flag|Cyprus}}, [[Limassol]]<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship route = 
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = [[Lindholmens varv]], [[Gothenburg]], Sweden<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship original cost = 
| Ship yard number = 1096<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship way number = 
| Ship laid down = 
| Ship launched = 3 March 1966<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship completed = 1966
| Ship christened = 
| Ship acquired = 27 October 1966<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship maiden voyage = 30 October 1966<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship in service = 10 November 1966<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship out of service = 2010
| Ship identification = {{IMO Number|6608098}}<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship fate = Scrapped at [[Alang]], [[India]] in 2010.
| Ship notes = Beached for scrap on December 15, 2010.
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = (as built, 1966)<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship class = ''Saga''-class [[ferry]]
| Ship tonnage = *{{GRT|7,883}}
*{{DWT|2,510}}
| Ship length = {{convert|141.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|20.90|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = {{convert|5.34|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth = 
| Ship decks = 
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship power = 4 × [[Pielstick]]-[[Lindholmens|Lindholmen]] 6PC2-2L400 diesels, combined 7,415 kW
| Ship propulsion = 2 propellers<ref name=Cartwright>{{cite book |title=Cruise Britannia - The Story of The British Cruise Ship |last=Cartwright |first=Roger |last2=Harvey |first2=Clive |year=2004 |publisher=The History Press |location=Stroud |isbn=978-0-7524-4443-7 |page=201 }}</ref>
| Ship speed = {{convert|18|kn|abbr=on}}
| Ship capacity = *670 passengers
*670 berths
*100 cars
| Ship crew = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = (as ''Ancona'', 2003)<ref name=Asklander />
| Ship class = 
| Ship tonnage = *{{GT|12,394}}
*{{DWT|1,910|metric}}
| Ship length = 
| Ship beam = 
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = 
| Ship depth = 
| Ship decks = 
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = 
| Ship speed = 
| Ship capacity = *1,532 passengers
*583 berths
*285 cars
| Ship crew = 
| Ship notes = Otherwise the same as built
}}
|}
{{commons category|Ancona (ship, 1966)|MV Ancona}}
'''MS ''Ancona''''' was a car-passenger [[ferry]] owned by [[Blue Line International]] and operated on it service linking [[Ancona]] in Italy to [[Split, Croatia]]. She was built in 1966 by [[Lindholmens varv]] in [[Gothenburg]], Sweden, for [[Rederi AB Svea]] as '''MS ''Svea'''''.<ref name=Asklander /> As ''Svea'', she was used on the joint Sweden–United Kingdom service operated by [[Ellerman's Wilson Line]], [[Swedish Lloyd]] and Rederi AB Svea.<ref name="Boyle SL">{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/SwedishLloyd.html |title=Swedish Lloyd |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }}</ref> In 1969 ''Svea'' was sold to Swedish Lloyd and renamed '''MS ''Hispania'''''. In 1972, she was renamed '''MS ''Saga'''''. In 1978, she was sold to [[Minoan Lines]] following the closure of Swedish Lloyd's passenger services and renamed '''MS ''Knossos'''''. In 1998, she passed to [[Diler Lines]], becoming their '''MS ''Captain Zaman II'''''. In 2003, she was sold to Blue Line and was renamed ''Ancona''.<ref name=Asklander /> She was sold for scrap in October 2010 and breaking up was commenced on 15 December 2010.

==Concept and construction==
In the mid-1960s, Rederi AB Svea], Swedish Lloyd and Ellerman's Wilson Line decided to establish a joint service between Sweden and the United Kingdom, appropriately named England–Sweden Line, abbreviated ELS.<ref name="Boyle SL" /><ref name=Kommandobryggan>{{cite web |url=http://www.kommandobryggan.se/Bryggan/lloyd.htm |title=Svenska Lloyd / Rederi AB Thule |accessdate=2009-03-05 |work=Kommandobryggan |language=Swedish }}</ref> Each participant company had a new ship built for the service; Rederi AB Svea and Swedish Lloyd opted to order two identical sister ships ({{MS|Saga|1966|6}} and MS ''Svea'') from [[Lindholmens varv]] in [[Gothenburg]]<ref name=Asklander /> and Ellerman's Wilson ordered a slightly smaller vessel ({{MS|Spero}}) from [[Cammell Laird]] in [[Birkenhead]].<ref name="Asklander Spero">{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/spero_1966.htm |title=M/S ''Spero'' (1966) |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref> Swedish Lloyd also ordered a third ship of the ''Saga/Svea'' design ({{MS|Patricia}}) for its UK–[[Spain]] service.<ref name="Cartwright" />

All three ships built for the UK–Sweden service were based on an essentially traditional concept with subdued and luxurious interior fittings and without full-height car decks,<ref name=Cartwright /><ref name="Boyle SL" /> with a service speed of {{convert|18|kn|km/h mph|2}}.<ref name=Asklander /><ref name="Asklander Spero" /> Rederi AB Svea's ''Svea'' was [[ship naming and launching|launched from drydock]] on 3 March 1966 and delivered to her owners on 27 October the same year.<ref name=Asklander />

==Service history==
===1966–1969: Rederi AB Svea===
Following delivery to Rederi AB Svea, ''Svea'' sailed from Gothenburg to her [[port of registry]], [[Stockholm]]. On 30 October 1966, she made an introductory cruise around the [[Stockholm archipelago]]. Subsequently, she sailed back to Gothenburg and entered service on the Gothenburg–[[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] route on 10 November 1966,<ref name=Asklander /> running parallel to Ellerman's Wilson Line's ''Spero'', while Swedish Lloyd's ''Saga'' sailed on the Gothenburg–[[Tilbury]] route.<ref name=Boyle>{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/SwedLloyd-Svea.html |title=''Svea - Hispania - Saga - Knossos - Captain Zaman II - Ancona'' |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }}</ref>

From early on, the ELS service faced fierce competition from [[Tor Line]], which had also initiated a UK–Sweden service in 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/TOR_Line_PCs.html |title=Tor Line |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }}</ref> Unlike the ELS ships, Tor Line's {{MS|Tor Anglia}} and {{MS|Tor Hollandia}} had modern furnishings, full-height car decks and had a service speed of {{convert|22|kn|km/h mph|2}}.<ref name="Boyle SL" /> Possibly due to the high level of competition, Rederi AB Svea decided to withdraw from the joint UK–Sweden service in March 1968, when ''Svea'' was sold to Swedish Lloyd for a delivery in 1969.<ref name=Asklander />

===1969–1978: Swedish Lloyd===
Swedish Lloyd took over ''Svea'' on 7 January 1969 when the ship arrived at the [[Burmeister & Wain]] shipyard for rebuilding for the UK–Spain service. In April 1969, she was renamed ''Hispania'' and entered service on the [[Southampton]]–[[Bilbao]] route, running parallel to her sister ship ''Patricia''. On 29 November 1970, ''Hispania'' was moved to the Gothenburg–Tilbury service, running parallel to ''Saga''.<ref name=Asklander /><ref name=Boyle /> During the off-season, Swedish Lloyd marketed round trips on their ships as four-day mini cruises,<ref name=Cartwright /> making ''Hispania'' and her sister ships some of the first [[cruiseferry|cruiseferries]] in the world.

Competition from Tor Line remained fierce on the line service and, in February 1972, the joint ELS service was radically cut down On 7 February, Swedish Lloyd sold ''Saga'' to [[Stena Line]],<ref name="Asklander Saga">{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/saga_1966.htm |title=M/S ''Saga'' (1966) |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref> and ''Hispania'' was in turn renamed ''Saga''.<ref name=Asklander /> On 25 February, Ellerman's Wilson Line withdrew ''Spero'' from the service,<ref name="Asklander Spero" /> leaving ''Saga'' (ex-''Svea'') as the only ship of the England–Sweden Line.

In 1975–76, Tor Line introduced notably larger and faster sister vessels, {{MS|Tor Britannia}} and {{MS|Tor Scandinavia}}, to the UK–Sweden service.<ref name="Boyle SL" /> The ''Saga'' could not compete with the more modern tonnage and, on 2 September 1977, Swedish Lloyd abandoned the Gothenburg–Tilbury service.<ref name=Asklander /> The Southampton–Bilbao service had been abandoned a month before,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/patricia_1967.htm |title=M/S ''Patricia'' (1967) |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref> and as a result both ''Saga'' and ''Patricia'' were laid up at Lindholmens varv in Gothenburg.<ref name=Asklander />

===1978–1998: Minoan Lines===
In March 1978, ''Saga'' was sold to the Greece-based [[Minoan Lines]]. On 6 April 1978, she was renamed ''Knossos'' and subsequently entered service on Minoan Lines [[Piraeus]]–[[Heraklion]] route. On 16 September 1980, the ship suffered an engine room fire while in Piraues.<ref name=Asklander /> In 1985, she again sailed parallel to one of her sister ships, when Minoan Lines acquired ''Festos'', ex-''Saga''.<ref name=Boyle /><ref name="Asklander Saga" />

In 1988, ''Knossos'' was moved to the Piraeus–[[Chania]] service, where she remained until October 1995 when Minoan Lines decided to abandon the route. ''Knossos'' was laid up until March 1996, when she started sailing on the [[Patras]]–[[Igoumenitsa]]–[[Corfu]]–Ancona service. In the following year, the service was shortened to Igoumenitsa–Corfu–Brindisi, with calls at Corfu omitted during the winter season.<ref name=Asklander />

===1998–2003: Diler Lines and Comanav===
In February 1998, ''Knossos'' (as well as ''Festos'') was sold to [[Ferro Ferryboat & RoRo Transport]]. ''Knossos'' was renamed ''Captain Zaman II'' and ''Festos'' became ''Captain Zaman I''. Both ships entered service on the Turkey-based [[Diler Lines]]' [[Istanbul]]–[[Odessa]] route. In August the same year, the route of the ships was altered into [[Brindisi]]–Igoumenitsa.<ref name=Asklander /><ref name="Asklander Saga" /> During the summer seasons of 2001 and 2002, ''Captain Zaman II'' was chartered to [[Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation|Comanav]] for service between [[Nador]] and [[Sète]] in France. Following the end of her 2002 charter to Comanav ''Captain Zaman II'' was laid up at [[Tuzla, Istanbul|Tuzla]], Turkey.<ref name=Asklander />

===2003–2010: Blue Line===
[[File:Ancona moored in Port of Split Adriatic Sea Croatia Split 4 August 2010.jpg|thumb|232x232px|''Ancona'' moored at [[Split, Croatia|Split]] on August 4, 2010]]
On 17 January 2003, ''Captain Zaman II'' was sold to the Croatia-based [[SEM Maritime]] for service with its subsidiary [[Blue Line International]].<ref name="Asklander" /><ref name="Boyle" /> The ship was renamed ''Ancona'' and entered service on Blue Line's Ancona–Split service on 1 April 2003.<ref name="Asklander" /> During the summer season, the service also included occasional calls at [[Hvar]] and [[Vis (town)|Vis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blueline-ferries.com/download/TimeTable_EN.pdf |title=Timetable 2009 |accessdate=2009-03-01 |publisher=Blue Line |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419080134/http://www.blueline-ferries.com/download/TimeTable_EN.pdf |archivedate=April 19, 2009 }}</ref>

==Retirement==
''Ancona'' was withdrawn from service in 2010 due to the new [[SOLAS 2010]] regulations coming into effect.<ref name=Reinikainen>{{cite web |url=http://cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=255:-at-least-7-old-cruise-ships-face-uncertain-future-due-to-solas-2010&catid=43:latest-news-catecory&Itemid=115 |title=At least 7 old cruise ships face uncertain future due to SOLAS 2010 |accessdate=2009-03-01 |last=Reinikainen |first=Kari |date=2009-02-28 |work=Cruise Business Online |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306220952/http://www.cruisebusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=255:-at-least-7-old-cruise-ships-face-uncertain-future-due-to-solas-2010&catid=43:latest-news-catecory&Itemid=115 |archive-date=2009-03-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Scrapping was commenced at [[Alang, India]], on 15 December 2010.<ref>{{csr|register=MSI|id=6608098|shipname=Ancona |accessdate=8 December 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181020015153/http://www.blueline-ferries.com/ Blue Line official website]


{{1970 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ancona}}
[[Category:Ferries of Italy]]
[[Category:Ferries of Croatia]]
[[Category:Ships built in Gothenburg]]
[[Category:1966 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1970]]