Gotland ferry
Former name: MS Thjelvar
Gotland ferry current position
The current location of Gotland ferry is in Baltic Sea (coordinates 60.45136 N / 22.02977 E) cruising en route to Naantali. The AIS position was last reported 4 minutes ago.
Current PositionSpecifications of Gotland ferry
| Year of build | 2019 / Age: 6 |
| Flag state | Sweden |
| Builder | COMEC Guangzhou Shipyard (Nansha-Guangzhou, China) |
| Class | fast cruiseferry/Ro-Rax ship |
| Ferry route / homeports | Visby-Oskarshamn-Nynashamn |
| Building cost | USD 150 million / EUR 127 million |
| Speed | 29 kn / 54 km/h / 33 mph |
| Length (LOA) | 200 m / 656 ft |
| Beam (width) | 32 m / 105 ft |
| Gross Tonnage | 32000 gt |
| Passengers | 1650 - 1730 |
| Crew | 98 |
| Cars | 500 |
| Freight vehicles | 110 |
| Decks | 10 |
| Decks with cabins | 5 |
| Sister-ships | Visborg |
| Former names | MS Thjelvar |
| Owner | Furetank Rederi AB |
| Operator | Destination Gotland AB |
Gotland ferry Review
Review of Gotland ferry
MS Gotland ferry (fka MS Thjelvar) is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel owned and operated by the Swedish ferry company DESTINATION GOTLAND. The ship has a maximum capacity of 1730 passengers and 500 cars (or 110 lorries). The newbuild vessel was constructed in China (Guangzhou) and inaugurated in 2019. She operates on the ferry route Visby-Nynashamn (via Oskarshamn and Vastervik) with a crossing time of 3 hours.
Several daily crossings from Oskarshamn connect Gotland Island (Visby), Oland Island (Grankullaviken) and Bla Jungfrun Island (aka Blakulla - an uninhabited island/nature park). Port Oskarshamn, located in Kalmar County (southwest of Nynashamn), has the capacity to handle container carriers and bulk cargo ships (dry and wet). The port features a total quay length of 2.7 km (1.7 ml), maximum draft of 11 m (36 ft), a Ro-Ro terminal (serving roll-on/roll-off ships), gantry cranes, covered storage (warehouses), and oil and chemical silos. On the harbor's southern side is Oskarshamnsvarvet Sweden AB, a shipbuilding yard established in 1863, equipped with a floating drydock, gantry crane, slipway, and a 318 m (1043 ft) long quay.
Cabins
As a cruise ferry, Gotland has (TBA) cabins (TBA passenger staterooms), all air-conditioned and equipped with en-suite bathrooms. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. All accommodations (categorized as "day cabins") are located on Cabin Decks 8-9-10 (Kupedack) and come in two types: Outside and Inside.
Shipboard facilities and amenities
Note: More information on onboard facilities will be provided once DESTINATION GOTLAND announces further details about the newbuild.
The main dining venues include the Food Market Restaurant (Restaurangtorg) and Bistro Lounge (Bistrosalong), both located on Lounge Deck 7 (Salongdack). A Conference Room (aft-portside on Lounge Deck 7) can be booked for group meetings and conferences at sea.
The ship offers four Seating Lounges fitted with comfortable reclining Pullman seats. Lounge seating prices vary by location:
- Front Lounge (Forlig Salong / 360-degree forward views)
- Economy Lounge (Ekonomisalong / midship portside and starboard views)
- Aft Lounge (Aktersalong / aft-starboard views)
- Bistro Lounge (Bistrosalong / aft-portside views)
Also on Lounge Deck 7 are the Information Desk (guest services) and two kids' playrooms equipped with toys and games. The company does not provide organized children's entertainment (no kids' program with trained staff or supervised activities). Both ship entrances (boarding areas) are on Deck 7 (forward-midship) with direct access to the Lobby. The ship has 3 passenger elevators providing access to all decks.
Aft on Cabin Deck 8 is the Sun Deck (outdoor/open-air deck area) accessible to passengers. The ferry also features a unique "animal saloon"—a new pet-friendly lounge by DESTINATION GOTLAND, with under-seat shelters for animals.
Aft-midship on the top deck (in front of the funnel) there is a helipad (helicopter landing platform) for emergency use.
DESTINATION GOTLAND ferry + land accommodation packages (hotels, cabins-cottages, camping sites)
Through DESTINATION GOTLAND, ferry passengers can book discounted accommodation on Gotland Island. Options include hotels, cabins, cottages, and campsites. The company currently offers reservations (pre-booking) at the following properties.
Coastal hotels and resorts - Best Western Solhem, Best Western Strand, Breda Blick, Clarion Wisby, Helgeand Wisby, Visby Bors, Djupvik, Frejs Magasin, Kalk, Strandakar, Magazin1, Donners Hotell, Hallfreda Hotell, Hotell Gute, First Hotel Kokoloko, Hotell St Clemens, Hotell Slitebaden, Hotell Slottsbacken, Hotell Stenugnen, Vallevikens Hotell, Hotell Villa Borgen, Frojel Resort, Gumbalde Resort, Kneippbyn Resort Visby, Rosas Pensionat, Scandic Visby, Snack Annex, Warfsholm (Klintehamn).
Cabins and cottages (holiday villages and resorts offering cottages to fully equipped guest houses) - Muramaris, Kneippbyn Resort Visby, Vallevikens Hotell, Tofta Camping, Lummelunda Vandrarhem Hostel, Puttersjaus, Aminne Fritid-Havsbad, Gotlands Idrotts, Norderstrand City Camping, Hogklint, Ljugarns Semesterby, Stugor Pensionat Lovangen, Pensionat Warfsholm, Kronholmen's Estate, Visby Gustavsvik, Sudersands Semesterby (Faro), Dromstugan Kneippbyn, Farosunds Semesterby, Lickershamn Holiday Village, Alva Village, Strandskogens, Snackan (near Klintehamn), Annelunds Holiday Rentals, Fridhem, Mavens kustnara stugor (Kappelshamn), Burgsvik.
Camping options include popular campsites at Aminne Fritid-Havsbad, Lickershamn, Snacks Camping, Tofta, Strandskogen, Burgsvik, Sudersands Camping (Faro), The Medieval Week's Campground, Visby Strandby (Norderstrand), Bjorkhaga (caravans), Gangvide Farm (caravans), Ljugarns (caravans), and Kneippbyn Resort Visby (caravans).
Car decks
Gotland’s garage decks are on decks 2-3-4-5, all connected by lifts and staircases. Car deck safety procedures include:
- Emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on TV screens, and at assembly (muster) stations. Life jackets are issued at muster stations. In emergencies, elevators may not be used.
- Disabled passengers or those needing special assistance should contact the Information Desk (open 24 hours).
- Apply the handbrake, place the vehicle in park or 1st gear, switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment, and headlights. Gas cylinders, if any, must be turned off. Lock the vehicle.
- Take only valuables and essential hand baggage from your vehicle.
- Note your vehicle's location and garage deck number/stairway before leaving.
- Access to vehicle decks during the voyage is prohibited.
- Smoking is forbidden on vehicle decks, in cabins, and in passenger lounges.
- Wait for the onboard announcement before returning to your vehicle.
To reduce air pollution, do not start the engine until instructed.
The shipowner Destination Gotland (founded in 1998, headquartered in Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden) operates exclusively within Sweden. Destination Gotland’s current fleet includes the conventional ferries MS Drotten (ex Gotland), MS Visby, MS Visborg, MS Gotland (ex Thjelvar), the high-speed ferries HSC Gotlandia and HSC Gotlandia 2, as well as the 2004-built cruise ship Birka Gotland.
Photos of Gotland ferry
Other DESTINATION GOTLAND cruise ships
Gotland ferry Wiki
By GT tonnage, Gotland (launched as Thjelvar) and her sistership Visborg are among the world's largest LNG-powered ferries. They have dual-fuel engines able to run on both LNG (liquefied natural gas) and MDO (marine diesel oil). LNG is natural gas consisting of ~90% methane and ~10% ethane. When cooled to -160 °C, it transitions from gas to liquid and its volume decreases more than 600-fold, making it highly efficient for distribution. Long-distance LNG transport is via well-insulated, double-hull gas carriers, while short-distance distribution uses trucks or smaller vessels (including barges) fitted with high-pressure tanks.
The company's newbuild project started in 2014. For the ship design, OSK-ShipTech—a Danish naval architecture and marine engineering firm founded in 1996—was contracted. OSK-ShipTech is headquartered in Denmark, with offices in Aarhus and Copenhagen. With the same design and particulars is the sistership Visborg, delivered in December 2018. Before the arrival of the new ferries, Destination Gotland had the capacity to serve up to 23,920 passengers daily. In 2017, the company carried a total of 1,749,755 passengers, approximately a 7.8% increase over 2016.
The ship, as "Thjelvar," was launched (floated out from drydock/Slipway 2) on July 24, 2017. The ceremony was attended by Han Guangde (CSI’s President) and Hakan Johansson (Destination Gotland’s President). Delivery was delayed as she had to be moved to the newly built CSI shipyard on Longxue Island (Nansha District, outside Guangzhou City, at the mouth of the Pearl River). Gotland-Thjelvar and Visborg were the last ships built at GSI’s old shipyard (GSI Liwan Factory), where the older fleetmates Visby and Drotten were also constructed. The old GSI Liwan yard was preserved as a museum where visitors can learn about South China’s shipbuilding industry. Over its 56-year history, the factory constructed various vessel types, including guided-missile destroyers, salvage ships, and research ships.
The vessel’s DWT (deadweight) is approximately 4,800 tons, and cargo capacity is 1,750 lane meters. Of the 10 decks, the upper five are for passenger staterooms, and the remainder are garage decks (with parking for passenger vehicles and wheeled freight).
The shipowner is Furetank Rederi AB—a joint venture involving Klaipedos Nafta, Lithuania (10%, owner of Klaipeda’s LNG terminal) and Bomin Linde LNG (90%). The new ferry was delivered and commissioned by Destination Gotland AB on December 8, 2018. The christening ceremony was held at Port Nansha (Guangzhou City) on December 9, led by godmother Siv Olofsson (a Destination Gotland employee). The cruise ferry departed China on December 17, repositioning to Europe via the Suez Canal.
On January 22, 2018, Destination Gotland AB and Nauticor GmbH & Co KG (Hamburg-based LNG supplier) signed a contract for LNG bunkering for the new cruise ferry. Under the contract, Nauticor supplies LNG to the company’s first newbuild serving the route between Gotland Island (Visby) and mainland Sweden (Port Oskarshamn). Destination Gotland’s annual traffic is around 1.75 million passengers.
In Sweden, Nauticor operates via its sister company AGA AB (AGA Industrial Gases), which operates the LNG transshipment terminal (capacity 20,000 m³) in Port Nynashamn. Like AGA, Nauticor is a subsidiary of Linde Group—a Danbury (Connecticut, USA)-based multinational chemical company formed through the merger of Linde AG (Germany) and Praxair (USA). Linde plc’s services cover the entire LNG chain (from terminals to end customers), including sourcing, transportation, storage, and bunkering.
AGA AB also supplies LNG to VIKING LINE’s Viking Grace cruise ferry. For Viking Grace, LNG is delivered from Nynashamn’s gas terminal via AGA’s ship Seagas, which then transfers it to Viking Grace at Stadsgardskajen Terminal (Stockholm).
In 2017, Linde Group signed a time charter with Bernhard Schulte GmbH & Co KG (Cyprus-based ship management company) for an annual 7,500 m³ LNG bunkering program serving marine shipping companies and small-scale LNG terminals in Baltic Sea ports.
The shipbuilder CSI (Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd) is a subsidiary of CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation), a state-owned Chinese corporation and one of the country’s two largest shipbuilding conglomerates (along with CSSC/China State Shipbuilding Corporation). The ship’s construction cost (CNY 1 billion / USD 150 million / EUR 127 million) was GSI’s record high for a passenger ship.