Built in Denmark in 1989 by Svendborg Skibsværft, the ship was originally intended for a Danish customer, Langeland-Kiel, who sailed it under the name of Langeland III.

[1] In 1998, it was bought by Jadrolinija and renamed after the author and poet Petar Hektorović (1487–1572), known for his coastal travelogue – Fishing and Fishermen's Talk (Croatian: Ribanje i ribarsko prigovaranje) – and collection of fisherman songs from the island of Hvar.

[11] In October 2006, five crew members were hospitalized during a regular boat escape drill with a sixth narrowly avoiding injury by jumping on the ship's deck.

[15] The crew has been praised for its performance throughout its time on the Split–Vis line, particularly for its skill in bad weather, which is often exacerbated by the jugo katabatic winds, and in emergency services.

[16] In October 2023, the ship weathered a storm that disrupted commercial traffic in the Adriatic to deliver an injured Vis fireman to a hospital in Split, saving his fingers after an axe injury.