2004

 

NorTHERN Adriatic SEA

 

There are some changes in this area, in 2004. Unfortunately, Anek Lines's changes are not much positive: ships on service are “Lefka Ori”, “Sophocles V.” and “El. Venizelos”, though the latter is chartered to Tunisia Ferries for the whole summer. So, during the summer period, ANEK departures to Patras are four a week; “Lefka Ori” leaves on Mondays at 7 pm and Fridays at 1 pm, “Sophocles V.” leaves on Tuesdays at 7 pm and on Saturdays at 1 pm. Minoan Lines still offers six departures a week (from the end of March), following the classical timetable and employing “Pasiphae Palace”, “Ikarus Palace” and “Ariadne Palace”. However, there's an interesting change: from July to September, there are daytime departures from Venice (leaving at 2 pm), while departures from Patras are at 12 pm (and so, there's no longer a day of rest for the three ferries during the week). In Venice, Blue Star Ferries' competition is over, but now there's Hellas Ferries (whose ferries “Navetrailer” and “Cielotrailer” dock at Porto Marghera) and Anek Cargo's competition. These two companies are very successful in freight transportation; the latter is a recently born company which controls ro-ro ferries chartered from Kostas Agapitos' Aegean Cargo. Anek Cargo's ferries are “Aegean Star” and “Aegean Sun”, servicing the route to Patras, and not Corinth - where Hellas Ferries's ships are employed.

 

ANEK LINES H/S/F Lefka Ori

MINOAN LINES H/S/F Ikarus Palace

MINOAN LINES H/S/F Pasiphae Palace

ANEK CARGO Ro/Ro Aegean Sun

 

 

ANCONA

 

As in 2003, there are many changes in Ancona. From April, Anek Lines anticipates “Olympic Champion” and “Hellenic Spirit”'s departures (now leaving half an hour earlier than in the previous year), so introducing the same timetables that are still now in force. Minoan Lines employs “Olympia Palace” and “Europa Palace”, and Superfast Ferries keeps on employing “Superfast V”, “Superfast VI”, “Superfast XI” and “Superfast XII” - which service the same routes as in 2003. Though, from summer, they no longer have a day of rest a week, but they have a day of rest every fortnight; Friday's departure from Patras (leaving at 8 pm) calls at Beri and arrives at Ancona at 4 pm the following day. 

 

ANEK LINES H/S/F Olympic Champion

MINOAN LINES H/S/F Olympia Palace

SUPERFAST FERRIES H/S/F Superfast XI

SUPERFAST FERRIES H/S/F Superfast VI

 

 

BARI

 

After 2003's success, the ferry market in Bari abruptly shrinks. Minoan is no longer operative here and Superfast Ferries employs “Superfast I” and “Blue Horizon”; yet, before long, “Superfast I” follows her sister's fate and “Blue Horizon” has to leave three times a week from Bari: on Mondays and Saturdays at 8 pm (from Patras on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 6 pm) and on Fridays calling at Igoumenitsa (daytime return the following day). Departures from Patras on Mondays and from Bari on Tuesdays are operated by “Superfast XI” and “Superfast XII”, while departures from Patras on Wednesdays and from Bari on Thursdays are operated by “Superfast V” and “Superfast VI”. These ones also leave once a week from Patras to Bari (on Fridays at 8 pm, arriving at Bari at 6 am the following day). The other routes from Patras are only freight routes: two departures a week of Anek Cargo's sisters  “Aegean Sun” and “Aegean Star”. The Bari – Corfu – Igoumenitsa route is serviced by Ventouris Ferries, with “Polaris” and “Siren” - the latter is former “Venus” and has recently been renamed.

 

BLUE STAR FERRIES F/B Blue Horizon

SUPERFAST FERRIES H/S/F Superfast V

ANEK CARGO RoRo Aegean Star

VENTOURIS FERRIES F/B Siren

 

 

BRINDISI

 

Maritime Way shrinks its service and now employs only two ships: “Erotokritos” and “Elli T.”, the latter replacing “El Greco” (sold to a Turkish company) and “King Minos” (chartered in Morocco). “Elli T.”, bought from Endeavor Shipping, is former “Maria G” owned by Med Link Lines - that after this selling closes down. The company, based in Kefalonia, prefers to charter its ship (a two-year agreement) rather than manage her on its own. HML, surprisingly, charters its flagship to a Northern African operator; this year, no ferry with HML livery is going to sail from Brindisi to Greece and the company will employ “Arielle” (a chartered vessel). That's the situation for the routes to Patras; the more important Brindisi – Corfu – Igoumenitsa route introduces some novelties. First of all, in May, Blue Star Ferries stops servicing the route  operated by “Blue Bridge”. The ferry is suddenly sold to ISCOMAR and, following a bad practice by Attica Enterprises, all departures are cancelled. Its place is taken by “Ionian Sky” (formerly known as “Blue Sky” when owned by Blue Star), an Agoudimos Lines vessel which has recently replaced “Penelope A”. The route, as in 2003, is serviced by other three ferries:  Fragline “Ouranos”, “Alkmini A” (the latest G.A. Ferries's purchase) and Adriatic Seaways “Poseidon C”. G.A. Ferries, as we have seen, is again servicing international routes, while “Poseidon”'s career on this route ends very early, since she'll be distrained until the end of 2005.

 

ADRIATIC SEAWAYS F/B Poseidon C

G.A. FERRIES F/B Alkmini A.

MARITIME WAY F/B Elli T.

AGOUDIMOS LINES F/B Ionian Sky

Photos in this page are courtesy of Egidio Ferrighi, Pieter Inpijn, Fleet File Rotterdam, Dominik Wagner, Emilio Barenghi, Michele Lulurgas, Stefanos Antoniadis; other images are official photographs and postcards.

 

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