F/B AF Francesca

You are in: HOME > COMPANIES 2.0 > ADRIA FERRIES > AF FRANCESCA (2011)

F/B AF Francesca

Photo © Erald Spahiu, Durres, 08/08/12 #12546

Ship	AF Francesca (2011)	Building Spec.	Fincantieri yards, Castellammare di Stabia, Italy, 1979 – N° 4347
Call Sign	ICSU	IMO Number	7602089
GRT	12.575	DWT	3.250
Dimensions	147,99 x 25, 4 x 6,1	Engines	2 Fincantieri-GMT A420 16V. 14.120 kW
Speed	20,5 knots	Passengers	2.000
Beds	950 in 339 cabins	Cars	645
Lane Metres	850	Sister Ships	Amanah Aurelia Clodia († Alang, 2013) Flaminia († Alang, 2013) Nomentana († Alang, 2013)
Registry Port	Naples	Flag	Italy
Former Names/Own.	Domiziana – Tirrenia Navigazione 1979-03 Domiziana – Adriatica Navigazione 2003-06/2004 Domiziana – Tirrenia Navigazione divisione Adriatica 06/2004-06/2011 Domiziana – Adria Ferries 06/2011-11/2011
New Names/Own.
Line	Bari - Durres

During the Seventies, Tirrenia di Navigazione ordered to Italcantieri eight passenger ferries, of which two were an evolution of “Poeti” class, and the other six were part of a new class, named “Strade consolari”; the “Domiziana” is the first ship of that class, delivered in 1979. After 24 years sailing in Thyrrenian sea, during which she was lengthened of 12 metres, started sailing between Bari and Durres, sometimes diverting to Genoa to serve her old route to Sardinia, mainly to Olbia and Arbatax. In October 2010 the “Domiziana” was laid up and put for sale, as long as she wasn’t compliant with Stockholm Agreement; was sold the following June to Adria Ferries, which switched her flag to Cyprus and, at the beginning of July, doubled its Bari – Durres link by introducing the ferry along to their “Riviera Adriatica”. At the end of Summer the ferry was sent to Tuzla, in Turkey, where she was refitted to comply to the safety rules and returned to service on December, with the new name of “AF Francesca” and under Italian flag. Mainly operating between Bari and Durres, sometimes was employed also on the longer route from the Albanian port to Ancona, where on January 6^th, 2012, ran onto the mole due to bad weather, without significant damage. On March 2015 the ferry was fitted with side sponsons; later, on May 13^th, 2015, enroute from Bari to Durres, a fire broke out in engine room, promptly extinguished by the crew. Finally, in 2017 the ferry received an update of her first class cabins.