F/B Athina - Piraeus

F/B ATHINA

Photo © George Giannakis, Piraeus, 29/10/05 #3319

Ship	Athina (2004) ΑΘΗΝΑ	Building Spec.	Hijos de J. Barreras S.A., Vigo, Spain, 1980 – N°1456
Call Sign		IMO Number	7825980
GRT	5.287	DWT	1.188
Dimensions	99,52 x 17,01 x 4,25	Engines	2 Deutz RBV 12M350, 6.432 kW
Speed	18 knots	Passengers	1.300
Beds		Cars	120
Lane Metres		Sister ships	Bahia de Malaga Phivos Princess Victoria
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Names/Own.	Bahia de Ceuta – ISNASA Islena de Navigacion S.A. 1980-98 Bahia de Ceuta – Balearia 1998-03 Charter a Euroferrys* 1998-01* Bahia de Ceuta – TRIS Traghetti Isole Sarde 2003 Bahia de Ceuta – Enermar 2003-04
New Names/Owners	Ilha Azul – Transmaçor 2006à
Line

In 1980 the Islena de Navigacion, better known as ISNASA ordered four medium-sized vessels, two from Santander yards and two from Hijos de J.Barreras at Vigo. The “Bahia de Ceuta” is the second ferry delivered from Vigo yards and deployed on Algeciras – Tanger line, a very important connection between Spain and Morocco as it is most used for commercial traffic and by Moroccan residents in Europe to come back home. In 1998 the ownership of the vessel was transferred to Balearia, which chartered the “Bahia de Ceuta” to Euroferrys, being employed between Algeciras and Ceuta, one of the two Spanish cities in Morocco. The service came to an end in 2001 and the vessel was laid up at Algeciras until 2003, when she came to Genoa for Enermar; anyway it seems that her purchase was disclosed and finished by TRIS, a company which went in bankruptcy between 2002 and 2003 and replaced by Enermar on both the main Genoa – Palau service and local Sardinia lines. Enermar anyway decided to leave the ship in lay-up condition with her sister “Punta Europa” until 2004, when the ferry was bought by Kostas Agapitos. The “Athina” was towed to Drapetsona, where she was heavily refurbished, on both exteriors, where she was totally renewed and interior spaces, getting very high internal standards and, wondering a different use than Argosaronicos service, also few cabins and a self service restaurant. On October 8^th, 2005, the “KAI” sign was again on a passenger ferry funnel, the “Athina” which started her career on Piraeus – Aegina – Methana – Poros line. The career anyway ended very soon: on March 2006 Agapitos sold the ferry to Government of Azores islands, which intended to use the ferry in their Transmaçor services between Azores; the ferry left Piraeus the last time on April 16^th, 2006, as the “Ilha Azul”. During her Portoguese service she grounded once at Ilha Graciosa on August 23^rd, 2007, being towed to Viana Do Castelo yards to be repaired. After a lay-over lasted until 2008 spring, she is ready again to serve Azores, being repainted in deep blue.

NOVA FERRIES F/B Athina on refit – Photo © Ilias Ikaria, Drapetsona, 23/10/04 #1504

NOVA FERRIES F/B Athina – Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Drapetsona, 05/08/05 #2335

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