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FERRIES – AEGEAN CARGO > F/B EXPRESS ATHINA (1997-2000)
F/B Express Athina
Photo Tony Garner, Mykonos, 26/09/1999 #13463
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Ship |
Express Athina (1997) ΕΞΠΡΕΣ ΑΘΗΝΑ |
Building Spec. |
Boelwerf Vlandereen Yard, Tamise, Belgium, 1973 – N° 1476 |
|
Call Sign |
SVFR |
IMO Number |
7305514 |
|
GRT |
5.643 |
DWT |
1.194 |
|
Dimensions |
118,01 x
19,82 x 4,25 |
Engines |
2 Atlantique
- Pielstick 18PC2-2V400 13.240 kW |
|
Speed |
21 knots |
Passengers |
2.000 |
|
Beds |
148 |
Cars |
240 |
|
Lane Metres |
216 |
Sister ships |
Superferry II |
|
Registry Port |
Piraeus |
Flag |
Greek |
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Former Names/Own. |
Prins Philippe – R.M.T. Regie voor
Maritiem Transport / Sealink
1973-11/1986 Chartered to Sealink British Ferries 05/1985-10/1985 Chartered to B+I Line 05/1986-06/1986 Moby
Love – Nav.Ar.Ma. Navigazione Arcipelago Maddalenino
11/1986-12/1993 Panagia Tinou 2 – Ventouris Sea Lines 1993-08/1996 |
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New Names/Owners |
Express Athina
– Minoan Flying Dolphins / Hellas
Ferries 11/1999-12/2001 Express Athina
– Hellas Flying Dolphins / Hellas
Ferries 01/2002-01/2005 Express Athina
– Hellenic Seaways 01/2005-03/2007 Chartered to Strintzis
Ferries 01/2007-02/2007 Express Limnos – Saos Ferries 03/2007-10/2011 Scrapped at Aliaga
(Turkey) in November 2011 as EXPRESS LIMNOS. |
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Line |
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Delivered to R.M.T. of Belgium in 1973
as the PRINS PHILIPPE, was immediately put on Oostende – Dover line, a service
which lasted until the sale to Navarma company,
belonging to the Italian shipowner Achille Onorato,
except for a 5 month charter to Sealink British Ferries
in 1985 and a brief spell for B+I Line the following year. After being renamed
MOBY LOVE, she started linking Bastia with Italian ports of Leghorn and La
Spezia until 1994, when she was sold to Ventouris Sea
Lines. During her Italian period, was also employed to serve the Giro d’Italia 1993, which started from Elba Island with two
semi-stages won by Moreno Argentin and Maurizio Fondriest, with Miguel Indurain
as the winner of that edition of the “Pink Race”. Bought by the Greek owner to
replace the aged PANAGIA TINOU, even if she was renamed PANAGIA TINOU 2, she
sailed to all Cyclades routes and not only to Syros, Tinos, Mykonos. After Ventouris Sea Lines’s bankruptcy
was bought by Agapitos Express Ferries; due to the contemporary acquisition of
the BARI EXPRESS from Ventouris Ferries and her
operating licence was renamed as the EXPRESS ATHINA and deployed on Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Mykonos, finding as a competitor
the SUPERFERRY II of Strintzis Lines, her sister and
once-time fleet mate during the Belgian days. In 2000 was bought by Minoan
Flying Dolphins and enters the Hellas Ferries fleet, where she remained until
her transfer to Hellenic Seaways of 2005. In 2007 was chartered by Strintzis Ferries for two months to replace their ferries
on Winter refits and then she became the protagonist of a bizarre fact: after
the announcement of her sale to Agoudimos Lines, was
instead bought by Saos Ferries, which operates her
since May 2007 on North Aegean routes as the EXPRESS LIMNOS. From December 2008
to October 2011 the ferry was arrested in Lavrion due
to the economical problems afflicting Saos Ferries; then was finally sold for scrap, even if
before of her long lay-up was in an excellent condition, but this didn’t last
to find a buyer.
Photo Gallery
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By courtesy of |
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EFOPLISTIS magazine |
R.M.T.
SEALINK – Prins Philippe (1973-1974)
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Dover, 21/09/1981 |
|
Tony Garner |
R.M.T.
SEALINK – Prins Philippe (1974-1986)
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From Peter Asklander’s |
Postcard |
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Collection |
Navarma Lines |
NAV.AR.MA.
– Moby Love (1986-1991)
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Genoa,
06/07/1992 |
Genoa,
06/07/1992 |
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Carlo Martinelli |
Carlo Martinelli |
MOBY
LINES – Moby Love (1992-1993)
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Piraeus |
20/06/1994 |
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Gunnar Menzer |
George Giannakis |
VENTOURIS
SEA LINES – Panagia Tinou 2
(1993-1996)
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From Alessandro
Bertolini’s |
Santorini |
Piraeus,
1998 |
|
collection |
Gunnar Menzer |
Emilio Barenghi |
AGAPITOS
EXPRESS FERRIES – Express Athina (1996-1999)
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|
Drapetsona, 08/10/2000 |
|
Michele
Lulurgas |
MINOAN
FLYING DOLPHINS / HELLAS FERRIES – Express Athina (1999-2001)
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Piraeus |
Rafina |
|
Dominik
Wagner |
Antonios Lazaris |
HELLAS
FLYING DOLPHINS / HELLAS FERRIES – Express Athina (2002-2004)
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Rafina, 17/08/2005 |
Rafina, 20/09/2005 |
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Michele
Lulurgas |
George Giannakis |
HELLENIC
SEAWAYS – Express Athina (2005-2007)
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Mytilene, 04/07/2007 |
Mytilene, 04/07/2007 |
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Apostolos Kaknis |
Apostolos Kaknis |
SAOS
FERRIES – Express Limnos (2007-2011)