MV Logos Hope

Logos Hope in Kiel
History
Name	1973-1983: Gustav Vasa 1983–2003: Norröna 2003–2004: Norröna I 2004 onwards: Logos Hope
Operator	1973-1976: Öresundsbolaget 1976–1980: Saga Line 1980–1983: TT Saga Line 1983–2004: Smyril Line 2004 onwards: GBA Ships
Port of registry	1973-1983: Halmstad Sweden 1983–2011: Tórshavn, Faroe Islands 2011 onwards: Valletta, Malta
Builder	Nobiskrug, Rendsburg, Germany
Yard number	678
Launched	10 February 1973
Identification	IMO number: 7302914
Status	In service
General characteristics
Tonnage	12,519 GT
Length	132.5 m (434 ft 9 in)
Beam	21.06 m (69 ft 1 in)
Draught	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in)
Decks	9
Installed power	4 X SWD 6TM 410 RR 6-cylinder diesel engines
Propulsion	2 × controllable pitch propellers 1 × bow thruster
Capacity	442 passengers

The same ship as MV Norröna in the harbour of Torshavn in 1997

MV Logos Hope is a ship operated by the German Christian charitable organization GBA Ships e.V (Gute Bücher für Alle, English: Good Books for All) featuring a mobile bookstore, as a part of international Christian outreach movement. Built in 1973 as the ferry MV Gustav Vasa for service between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany), she later operated as the MV Norröna providing a ferry service to the Faroe Islands.

As the fourth ship operated by the organisation, The MV Logos Hope follows in the line of MV Logos, the wrecked hulk of which now sits on a rock shelf on the Chilean coast, MV Logos II which was retired in the fall of 2008 and which Logos Hope was designed to replace, and MV Doulos which was sold to a company in Singapore in 2009.

Twice as big as any previous ship operated by the organisation, the ship was completely refitted over a period of 5 years. Logos Hope provides a better quality of life for crew as well as a wider range of activities for visitors and guests. The newly created Logos Hope Experience (which is situated on a deck that was installed into the original ferry’s car area) holds up to 800 visitors at any time, with capacity to host an additional 500 in the Hope Theatre and Logos Lounge. This publicly accessible deck offers visitors an introduction to the vessel and the organisation, a book fair featuring over 5,000 different titles of educational and Christian books, a visual presentation called the Journey of Life, which is based on the story of the "Prodigal Son", and the International Cafe.

The all volunteer crew and staff of 400 people, represent over 60 different countries. Unlike the crew during her original use as a car ferry, crew and staff normally join the organisation to live on board for two years as volunteers.

Schedule

Logos Hope generally visits ports for two weeks and is continually sailing from port to port year round. Since the launch into active service in February 2009, she has been in several regions: Northern Europe, the Caribbean, West Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, and most recently Latin America. Future schedule information is available on the website.

History

In 1973 the ship was commissioned as the car ferry Gustav Vasa running between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany), a route she ran for 10 years. In April 1983 she was sold to the Faroese ferry company Smyril Line and renamed Norröna. Sailing from Tórshavn, the Faroese capital, to Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Bergen (Norway), Hanstholm (Denmark) and Seyðisfjörður (Iceland) each summer, she was often chartered in the winter to cover other operators’ overhaul schedules. When Smyril Line delivered a new Norröna in 2003, the old vessel became Norröna I and was put up for sale. After much deliberation, inspection and prayer, the current owners purchased the vessel in March 2004.

Gallery

Colombo, Sri Lanka In 2015 November

• 
  Logos Hope - International Cafe.
• 
  Logos Hope ship berthed at Colombo Harbour in Sri Lanka in 2015.
• 
  Logos Hope ship berthed at Colombo Harbour in Sri Lanka in 2015.
• 
  Book store inside Logos Hope ship.

See also

• MV Logos II
• MV Doulos