In chronological order, we briefly present these vessels, which have greatly contributed to the emergence of modern Baltic Sea ferry services. Vessels on the 1950's - 1960's S/S Viking

The Ships PDF 1650 kb »

In service 01.06.1959–12.08.1970

Built in 1924 in Dumbarton, Scotland. Length 99 m, width 13.2 m, 1,766 gross tonnes. Capacity of 900 passengers, 85 cars and 3 trailer trucks. In service for Viking Line from June 1, 1959 to August 12, 1970.
Scrapped in Helsinki, Finland in 1973 after being laid up in Mariehamn, Åland since 1970.

M/S Slite

In service 05.06.1959–19.01.1964

Built in 1955 in Sölvesborg, Sweden. Length 56.2 m, width 10 m, 499 gross tonnes. Capacity of 235 passengers and 30 cars. In service for Viking Line from June 5, 1959 to January 19, 1964, when she was sold to Sweden. Since December 1988 the M/S Tella/Gunnar Lindeberg.
Scrapped in September 2006 in Turkey under the name Elena.

In service 23.06.1961–26.08.1963

Built in 1956 in Sölvesborg, Sweden. Length 59.4 m, width 10 m, 531 gross tonnes. Capacity of 436 passengers and 45 cars. In service for Viking Line from June 23, 1961 to August 26, 1963, when she was sold to a shipping agency in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Capsized and sank in Port Limon, Costa Rica, June 19, 1981, and scrapped on site.

S/S Drotten

In service 1963–1964

Built in 1928 by Oskarshamns Mekaniska Verkstad, Oskarshamn, Sweden. Length 56.5 m, width 9.4 m, 877 gross tonnes. Capacity of 480 passengers (72 beds). In service for Viking Line from spring 1963 to autumn 1964. In 1965 she was laid up as a café ship in Mariehamn. Transferred to Algots Varv shipyard in 1967, where she was laid up for a number of years. Sold for scrapping to Ab Co-Ny Oy, Finland in 1979 and then towed to Åminnefors, Finland for demolition.

S/S Ålandsfärjan

In service 20.06.1963–19.05.1972

Built in 1933 in Dumbarton, Scotland. Length 79.2 m, width 12.6 m, 1,482 gross tonnes. Capacity of 800 passengers, 40 cars and 2 trailer trucks. In service for Viking Line from June 20, 1963 to May 19, 1972. Scrapped in Helsinki in 1972.

M/S Panny

In service 1963–1964

Built in 1924 in Middlesbrough, England. Length 60.1, width 9.1 m, 761 gross tonnes. Capacity of 200 passengers and 70 cars. In service for Viking Line during 1963–64 on the Svinö–Korpo, Åland route, after which she was sold and placed in service in the Mediterranean.
Sailed as the M/S Ramadan between 1978 and 1985, after which she was scrapped.

M/S Apollo

In service 15.05.1964–28.09.1967

Built in 1964 in Sölvesborg, Sweden. Length 71.9 m, width 12.7 m, 1,291 gross tonnes. Capacity of 750 passengers, 75 cars and 10 trailer trucks. In service for Viking Line from May 15, 1964 to September 28, 1967, when she was sold to Canada and rechristened the Manic. Sold on to Greece in 1978, where she sailed under the names Ainos, Neraida II and Ydra. Laid up as the Agios Nektarios in 1996. Scrapped in 2006 after having lain sunken near the dock since 2003.

M/S Kapella

In service 30.04.1967–14.06.1979

Built in 1967 Brodogradiliste Titovo in Kraljevica, Yugoslavia. Length 97.3 m, width 18.2 m, 3,159 gross tonnes. Capacity of 1,200 passengers (120 beds), 200 cars and 23 trailer trucks. In service for Viking Line from April 30, 1967 to June 14, 1979, then sold to Greece.
Sailed in Greece as the M/S Nissos Chios for Chios Shipping. Lay in dry dock in Piraeus for a number of years; finally scrapped in Turkey in 2006.

M/S Viking 2

In service 26.04.1968–11.02.1978

Built in 1940 by Aalborg Vaerft A/S in Aalborg, Denmark. Length 70 m, width 11.5 m, 1,207 gross tonnes. Capacity of 600 passengers and 60 cars. In service for Viking Line from April 26, 1968 to February 11, 1978. Scrapped in Loviisa, Finland in 1979.

The information is based on available facts in November 2008.  All facts stated with reservation for possible errors or changes in facts.