ERLA KONGSDOTTER transport on the Faroe Islands.
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 8:13 pm
Franking labels 2022: Public transport on the Faroe Islands.
The era of the ferries
After the abolition of the royal monopoly in 1856 - and the transition from a medieval peasant society to a modern fishing nation had begun, the need for better transport options arose in the Faroe Islands. There was a call for a combined cargo and passenger ship was that could sail the coasts of the Faroe Islands.
After ten years of tug-of-war with the Parliament to provide a public coastal freight and passenger service, the management of the Faroe Islands’ largest company, A / S J. Mortensens Eftf. lost patience. They simply had a steamship built in Sweden and had it delivered to the Faroes in December 1895. The ship was named SMIRIL - and in January 1896 it started sailing regular routes between Tvøroyri, serving the communities in Suðuroy, and Tórshavn, serving the larger communities in the rest of the country.
When A / S J. Mortensens Eftf. had shown that investing in coastal sailing in the Faroe Islands was profitable, other private players immediately joined the fray - and soon small cargo and passenger ships were sailing between the islands.
The country’s coastal ships
In 1917, the Faroese County Municipality took over the operation of Smiril and founded the public coastal shipping company ‘Strandfaraskip Landsins’, popularly called Strandferðslan. For many years, Strandferðslan’s official activities only covered the operation of SMIRIL - but gradually this public shipping company took over the unprofitable routes, while private players continued operating the profitable ones.
In the sixties and seventies, Strandferðslan took over all the ferry routes in the Faroe Islands. The aging fleet was constantly being replaced and renewed - and the youngest sprout on the trunk was the small catamaran ferry ‘ERLA KONGSDÓTTER’, which is the motif on one of the franking labels. ERLA KONGSDÓTTER served as a replacement ship being deployed when one of the active small ships needed to be inspected and repaired.
https://en.stamps.fo/ShopItem/2022/0/PMA002022/SETT
HSC ERLA KONGSDÓTTER - the replacement ferry
The construction of HSC ERLA KONGSDÓTTER (white wagtail) was commissioned by Strandfaraskip Landsins in 2018 as a support ferry for other routes, especially when other ferries need maintenance (except route 7 to Suðuroy). Numerous similar high-speed catamarans (hurtigbåt) have been shown suitable for the Norwegian coast. She has a place for up to three cars and is equipped as a ro-ro with a ramp on the bow. Erla was delivered to the Faroe Islands in November 2020 and put in service on 7 December. Her maiden voyage was delayed due to misfitting ramps in Tórshavn and Nólsoy, especially at high and low tide. On the first official day of service, swell-related vibrations shattered several windows, leaving the ferry out of order for weeks. This propelled public debate about the use of high-speed catamarans in Faroese waters. It also raised question marks around Strandfaraskip Landsins' credibility, which at the same time was accused of being little forthcoming with its network redesign in response to the new Eysturoyartunnilin.
Another boat, JÓSUP, is regularly commissioned by Strandfaraskip to replace vessels that are out of order.
Source: Wikipedia
Built as a 455 high speed catamaran under yard no 49 by GS Marine Produksjon AS, Haugsbysda, Norway for Strandfaraskip Landssins, Tvoroyn, Faroe Islands.
22 February 2019 ordered.
01 October 2019 laid down.
30 September 2020 launched as the ERLA KONGSDÓTTER, named after the white wagtail bird.
Tonnage 187 grt, 59 nrt, 22 dwt, dim. 27.55 x 08.0 3.2m, length bpp 26.9m, draught 1.15m.
Powered diesel electric by two Volvo-Penta diesel, two electric motors, twin propellers, speed average 21.1 knots.
Accommodation for 49 passengers, crew?, three cars and some light cargo.
07 November 2020 completed. IMO No 9905526.
Source: Various internet sites and DNV.
Faroe Islands 2022 ATM franking label, sg?, Scott?
The era of the ferries
After the abolition of the royal monopoly in 1856 - and the transition from a medieval peasant society to a modern fishing nation had begun, the need for better transport options arose in the Faroe Islands. There was a call for a combined cargo and passenger ship was that could sail the coasts of the Faroe Islands.
After ten years of tug-of-war with the Parliament to provide a public coastal freight and passenger service, the management of the Faroe Islands’ largest company, A / S J. Mortensens Eftf. lost patience. They simply had a steamship built in Sweden and had it delivered to the Faroes in December 1895. The ship was named SMIRIL - and in January 1896 it started sailing regular routes between Tvøroyri, serving the communities in Suðuroy, and Tórshavn, serving the larger communities in the rest of the country.
When A / S J. Mortensens Eftf. had shown that investing in coastal sailing in the Faroe Islands was profitable, other private players immediately joined the fray - and soon small cargo and passenger ships were sailing between the islands.
The country’s coastal ships
In 1917, the Faroese County Municipality took over the operation of Smiril and founded the public coastal shipping company ‘Strandfaraskip Landsins’, popularly called Strandferðslan. For many years, Strandferðslan’s official activities only covered the operation of SMIRIL - but gradually this public shipping company took over the unprofitable routes, while private players continued operating the profitable ones.
In the sixties and seventies, Strandferðslan took over all the ferry routes in the Faroe Islands. The aging fleet was constantly being replaced and renewed - and the youngest sprout on the trunk was the small catamaran ferry ‘ERLA KONGSDÓTTER’, which is the motif on one of the franking labels. ERLA KONGSDÓTTER served as a replacement ship being deployed when one of the active small ships needed to be inspected and repaired.
https://en.stamps.fo/ShopItem/2022/0/PMA002022/SETT
HSC ERLA KONGSDÓTTER - the replacement ferry
The construction of HSC ERLA KONGSDÓTTER (white wagtail) was commissioned by Strandfaraskip Landsins in 2018 as a support ferry for other routes, especially when other ferries need maintenance (except route 7 to Suðuroy). Numerous similar high-speed catamarans (hurtigbåt) have been shown suitable for the Norwegian coast. She has a place for up to three cars and is equipped as a ro-ro with a ramp on the bow. Erla was delivered to the Faroe Islands in November 2020 and put in service on 7 December. Her maiden voyage was delayed due to misfitting ramps in Tórshavn and Nólsoy, especially at high and low tide. On the first official day of service, swell-related vibrations shattered several windows, leaving the ferry out of order for weeks. This propelled public debate about the use of high-speed catamarans in Faroese waters. It also raised question marks around Strandfaraskip Landsins' credibility, which at the same time was accused of being little forthcoming with its network redesign in response to the new Eysturoyartunnilin.
Another boat, JÓSUP, is regularly commissioned by Strandfaraskip to replace vessels that are out of order.
Source: Wikipedia
Built as a 455 high speed catamaran under yard no 49 by GS Marine Produksjon AS, Haugsbysda, Norway for Strandfaraskip Landssins, Tvoroyn, Faroe Islands.
22 February 2019 ordered.
01 October 2019 laid down.
30 September 2020 launched as the ERLA KONGSDÓTTER, named after the white wagtail bird.
Tonnage 187 grt, 59 nrt, 22 dwt, dim. 27.55 x 08.0 3.2m, length bpp 26.9m, draught 1.15m.
Powered diesel electric by two Volvo-Penta diesel, two electric motors, twin propellers, speed average 21.1 knots.
Accommodation for 49 passengers, crew?, three cars and some light cargo.
07 November 2020 completed. IMO No 9905526.
Source: Various internet sites and DNV.
Faroe Islands 2022 ATM franking label, sg?, Scott?