The Gryf is a twin-screw motor ferry of the Polish Steamship Company and registered at Szczecin. She was built at Hamburg, in 1962, as the Hansa Express by Hanseatisile Werft, for Finnlines Ltd., as a drive through passenger and vehicle ferry, the company's first attempt at operating a passenger ship. She was placed in the Travemunde-Visby-Helsinki service. Proving very successful, her owners decided to lengthen the vessel in 1963, amidships, renaming her Finndana early in 1966. She was placed on a direct service from Copenhagen to Helsinki, her service speed of 18 knots enabling her to maintain a 36-hour service, making two round trips per week, from Helsinki. She established a good reputation for her owners, who decided to build a larger vessel. The Finndana had a passenger capacity of about 620, her car capacity being 125. At the end of 1966 season she was sold to Poland and renamed Gryf. The ship has a gross tonnage of 2,977 tons; nett, 1,084 and deadweight 1,096 tons. Overall length is 315 ft., beam, 52 ft. 1 in., depth, 33 ft. 9 in. and draft, 14 ft. 7 in. Engines are two Nydquist and Holm diesels, developing
5,760 b.h.p. to give a speed of 173/4 knots. SG 2037, 2464.
Sea Breezes 6/71