F/B Express Santorini

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Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Paros Sea, 28/06/96 #56

Ship	Express Santorini (1993) ΕΞΠΡΕΣ ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗ	Building Spec.	Dubigeon Normandie S.A., Nantes, Francia, 1974 – N°137
Call Sign	SXQR	IMO Number	7330040
GRT	4.590	DWT	1.647
Dimensions	115,4 x 19,23 x 4,2	Engines	2 Atlantique - Pielstick, 16PC2V400 11.776 kW
Speed	19 knots	Passengers	1.863
Beds	40	Cars	240
Lane Metres	350	Sister ships
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Names/Own.	Chartres – SNCF Societè Nationale Chemins de fer France / Sealink 1974-93
New Names/Owners	Express Santorini – Minoan Flying Dolphins / Hellas Ferries 2000-01 Express Santorini – Hellas Flying Dolphins / Hellas Ferries 2001-05 Express Santorini – Hellenic Seaways 2005à Chartered to Trasmaçor Atlanticoline 06/2007-10/2007 Chartered to Strintzis* Ferries 01/2008-02/2008* Chartered to Trasmaçor Atlanticoline 06/2008-10/2008 Chartered to Trasmaçor Atlanticoline 05/2009-10/2009 Chartered to Trasmaçor Atlanticoline 05/2010-10/2010 Chartered to Trasmaçor Atlanticoline 05/2011-10/2011
Line

The “Express Santorini” could surely have been considered as part of Agapitos Express Ferries’s heart, together with her running-mate “Express Olympia”. There is not big differences from the former appearance as “Chartres” and the actual one as “Express Santorini”. Originally in service between England and France, was on almost all the Eastern Channel connections, calling in Dover, Boulogne, Calais, Newhaven, Dieppe, Dunkerque, Folkestone, Zeebrugge. Her main garage deck was used also for railway coaches, the main traffic on Dover – Dunkerque route; for this reason the “Chartres” had another particular feature: the deck just above the garage was convertible and was able to accommodate cars in her aft lounge, a flexibility which was lost later in the years by converting the space to passenger lounge in a permanent way; the cars could enter the convertible upper garage by side openings from the train-ferry berths or also by the stern opening when moored at twin-level berths in Dover or Calais. Was bought by Agapitos on November 1993 and rerouted on Piraeus - Paros - Naxos - Ios - Santorini line, maintaining her name and service also after the resale to Minoan Flying Dolphins of December 1999. Transferred to Hellenic Seaways in 2005, serving both her classic route and other services to Eastern Aegean (Samos – Ikaria – Chios – Mytilene), was chartered to Transmaçor for Summer 2007, retaining her colours, name and Greek Flag, but being fitted with a left site-ramp, required to serve Azores, which hurted very much her external appearance. Back to Greece in Autumn 2007, was rarely employed again on Hellenic Seaways routes, spending all her Summer seasons on charter for Atlanticoline and two months in 2008 on charter for Strintzis Ferries.