Port of registry Dover, United Kingdom Laid down 12 March 2003 Construction started 12 March 2003 | Yard number 1524 Completed 2005 Builder Samsung Heavy Industries | |
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Name 2006-2010 Maersk Delft
2010 onwards Delft Seaways Operator 2006-2010 Norfolkline
2010 onwards DFDS Seaways | ||
Delft Seaways is a ro-pax ferry owned and operated by DFDS Seaways. She is the one of three sister ships designed for the cross-Channel route from Dover to Dunkerque, capable of making the crossing in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Delft Seaways is a Scandinavian designed ship built at the Samsung shipyards in South Korea in 2005. She sails under the flag of the United Kingdom and her port of registry is Dover.
Contents
History
The ship was delivered in 2006 and made her maiden voyage on 27 February 2006, replacing Northern Merchant which previously operated the route. She had an encounter with armed speedboats in the Gulf of Aden during the delivery voyage from Korea.
Maersk Delft suffered a loss of power whilst returning to Dover following a refit at Scheldeport Dockyard, Vlissingen on 29 January 2007. The fault was blamed on a computer error, but the vessel had to be towed into Dover harbour from outside the eastern entrance where she had anchored.
In July 2010 Norfolkline was acquired by DFDS. The Norfolkline ships and routes were re-branded as DFDS Seaways. In 2016 the ships went into drydock at Damen in Dunkirk. They were rebranded into the new DFDS livery which dropped the Seaways branding from the side of the vessel. Delft Seaways kept the Seaways name, the same as with the other D-Class vessels.
Features
Maersk Delft, like her sister ships, has been designed with separate roll-on roll-off decks for freight and cars, which greatly reduces the loading and unloading times. Passenger facilities are spread out over two decks and include three restaurants, a bar, shop, children's play area, games arcade and a Bureau de Change. There are seven lifts for carrying passengers, crew and stores from the lower car and freight decks up to the passenger and crew decks. The crew accommodation is located on a separate deck and includes cabins, a dayroom, offices, laundry, stores and crew mess.
A prominent feature on board are the large panoramic windows at the front and the side with their uninterrupted sea views.
Delft Seaways has a top speed of 25 knots and has the capacity to carry 200 cars and 780 passengers.
The ship has 132 paintings and prints made by artist Anne Vilsbøll. The paintings show movements in water, on water and by water.
Facilities
Deck 4
Car Deck
Deck 5
Car Deck
Deck 6
Reception
Self Service Restaurant
Food Express
Cuppa Joes
Kids Play Area
Sea Shop
Outdoor Deck
Deck 7
La Veranda
Road Kings
Sea View Lounge
Sister ships
Delft Seaways has two sister ships operating on the same service: Dunkerque Seaways and Dover Seaways.