F/B Aigaion - Piraeus

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F/B AIGAION

Photo © George Giannakis #6148

Ship	Aigaion (1976) AIΓΑΙΩΝ	Building Spec.	Cockerill Ougree, Hoboken, Belgium, 1958 – N°794
Call Sign	SXEV	IMO Number	5025586
GRT	4.555	DWT	1.099
Dimensions	116,85 x 15,96 x 3,89	Engines	2 Sulzer 12MD-510, 7.061 kW
Speed	21 knots	Passengers	985
Beds	135	Cars	160
Garage		Sister Ships
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Names/Own.	Artevelde – Regie voor Maritiem Transport (R.M.T.) 1958-76
New Names/Owners	Aigaion – Agapitos Express Ferries 1992-94 Kallisti – Agapitos Express Ferries 1995-96 Sank in 1996 as Kallisti
Line

One of the first Belgian car-ferries, was delivered in 1958 to Belgian State-owned R.M.T. from Hoboken-based Cockerill yards to serve Oostende – Dover route. From an external look she’s undoubtely Belgian: long sleek hull, tight and low draught, plus the relatively high speed of 21 knots, a top speed these years. The Dover – Oostende line lasted until 1974, sixteen years of service with two collisions, before being used as training ship at Antwerp and then laid up as spare ship until 1976, when she was sold to Agapitos Brothers. For the Greek company started linking Piraeus with Kos and Rhodes, calling enroute alternatively at Tinos, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Kalymnos; after only few months anyway she moved to Ikaria – Samos line, first calling at Syros, Tinos and Mykonos, then at Syros, Paros and Naxos, finally reducing her calls before Ikaria and Samos only to Paros port, where the ship grounded in 1983. In 1989 she was transferred to Piraeus – Paros – Naxos – Ios – Santorini line, the most lucrative Cyclades service, where she remained also after the takeover by Agapitos Express Ferries in 1992. Taken out of service in 1994, having reached the 35 years age limit, the company intended to convert her as a cruise-ship, being the age limit only over ferries; anyway during refit works the ferry caught fire and sank.

R.M.T. SEALINK F/B Artevelde – Photo © Brian Fisher #6550

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