Ro/Ro Aegean Pearl

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Ro/Ro AEGEAN PEARL

Photo © Nikos Thrylos, Piraeus, 30/11/04 #1514

Ship	Aegean Pearl (2001) ΕΤΖΙΑΝ ΠΕΡΛ	Building Spec.	Minami – Nippon Zosen KK, Usuki, Japan, 1978 – N°520
Call Sign	SWVR	IMO Number	7722621
GRT	14.444	DWT	9.332
Dimensions	140,85 x 23,19 x 7,65	Engines	2 Sulzer 8ZL 40/48, 8.827 kW
Speed	16 knots	Passengers	12
Beds	12	Cars
Lane Metres	1.900	Sister ships	Pontos
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Names/Own.	TFL Progress – Gursan Investments 1978-81 Chartered to Hellas Syria Ferry Services* 1978* Merzario Emilia – Andrea Merzario* 1981-82 (charter)* Progress Atlantic – Gursan Investments 1981-83 Union Dunedin – Union S.S. Company of New Zealand* 1983-87 (charter)* TFL Progress – Gursan Investments 1987-88 Stena Progress – Stena AB 1988-89 C.R. Tanger – S.N.C.D.V. Societè Navale et Commerciale Delmas Vieljeux 1989-01
New Names/Owners	Chartered to Co.Tu.Nav.* 2003* Chartered to Anek Cargo* 2003-06* Chartered to Co.Tu.Nav.* 04/2007-12/2008* Chartered to IMTC 01/2009 Chartered to Grendi* 02/2009-06/2009* Chartered to Grendi* 02/2010-06/2010* Chartered to IMTC* 07/2010* Chartered to CMA-CGM* 09/2010-11/2010* Chartered to Salamis Lines* 01/2011*
Line

Originally built for Greek owners, the “TFL Progress” was launched in 1978 as the second of two sister vessels delivered by Minami yards to Chandris. Clearly a modern ro/ro for her time, hadn’t an incredible speed but she offered 1.900 lane metres of hold for cargo. She was immediately chartered out, first to Hellas Syria Ferry Services, then to Andrea Merzario, which renamed her “Merzario Emilia”, and to Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, which renamed her “Union Dunedin”. The ferry was renamed “Progress Atlantic” after returning back from the charter in 1987, but was sold to Stena AB the following year as the “Stena Progress”. Her adventure under Stena colours lasted only a year, before being again sold to French interests, which deployed her between France and Northern Africa. Sold in 2001 to Aegean Cargo of Kostas Agapitos, being the ship of the new beginning over Greek shipping for the well known shipowner, was renamed “Aegean Pearl” and starts competition against Minoan Lines and ANEK on the lucrative Piraeus – Santorini – Heraklion service, where ANEK had the main stake among freight customers. The service proved to be immediately successful, allowing Mr Agapitos to expand Aegean Cargo operations from one to three vessels in a short time; this fact led ANEK to charter Agapitos vessels, rerouting them under the new brand “Anek Cargo” on both Piraeus – Crete, Piraeus – Crete – Rhodes – Cyprus – Israel/Egypt and Patras – Italy routes; anyway even if ANEK was the main operator of this ship between 2003 and 2006, she was often chartered also by other operators for many different services, including also Ocean crossings to Africa; just before the first charter to ANEK was also chartered to Co.Tu.Nav. and later to British Army for carrying military equipments to Iraq. After a long charter to Co.Tu.Nav., the “Aegean Pearl” had a short spell on Marseille – Casablanca line replacing the “Aegean Fantasy” on January 2009; this replacement took place also on July 2010, and from September of the same year the “Aegean Pearl” remained on France – Morocco link, this time chartered by CMA-CGM and competing with her Aegean Cargo fleet-mate “Aegean Fantasy”. The “Aegean Pearl” linked also Caralis and Genoa for two periods, between February and June 2009 and the same months of 2010 by the account of Grendi, then sailed for Salamis Lines on Lavrion – Limassol – Haifa line.

Photo © George Giannakis, Piraeus, 24/08/02 #3342

Floating Dry Dock - Photo © Nikos Thrylos #1420

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