F/B Romilda - Piraeus

F/B ROMILDA

Photo G.A. FERRIES by courtesy of Daniele Miglio

Ship	Romilda (1992) ΡΟΜΙΛΤΑ	Building Spec.	1972 at Arsenal de la Marine yard, Brest, France; N° 1
Call Sign	SWXF	IMO Number	7205063
GRT	5.596	DWT	1.030
Dimensions	117,5 x 19,8 x 4	Engines	2 De Bretagne - Pielstick, 9.885 kW
Speed	19,5 nodi	Passengers	1.400
Beds	118	Cars	256
Lane metres	450	Sister ships	Express Apollon Penelope A
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	Sealink B.R. 1972-84 Sealink British Ferries 1984-90 Sealink Stena Line 1990-92	Former names	Hengist 1972-90 Stena Hengist 1990-92
New Owners	Ventouris Sea Lines 1993-96 Agapitos Lines 1996-00 Hellas Ferries 2000-04 Ventouris Sea Lines 2004à	New Names	Apollo Express 2 1993-96 Panagia Ekatontapiliani 1996-00 Express Artemis 2000-01 Panagia Ekatontapiliani 2001-04 Agios Georgios 2004à
Line

First of three sister ships employed between France and England, the “Hengist” was mainly used on Dover - Calais line. In 1984 Sealink merger with Seacontainers and “Hengist” was put on Folkestone - Boulogne line. In 1990 she changes her name in “Stena Hengist”, following the fusion Sealink - Stena. In February 1992 was acquired by G.A. Ferries, which employs her on routes to Paros, Naxos, Patmos, Lipsi, Kalymnos, Kos, Nissiros, Tilos, Symi and Rhodes under the name “Romilda”. Note that in this occasion the stern superstructure was increased. In 1993 was purchased by Ventouris Sea Lines, which used her for links to Kithinos, Serifos, Sifnos, Folegandros, Milos and also Sitia (Crete), Kassos, Karpathos, Chalki e Rhodes. After Ventouris’s bankruptcy in 1996 was purchased by Agapitos Lines to sail on the line Piraeus - Paros - Naxos - Ios - Santorini. In October 1999 was sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins. Deployed on the same Cycladic route she plied also for Ventouris Sea Lines and Agapitos, she was on Rafina – Andros – Tinos – Myconos line for a lot of time during winter 2000/01; then she served almost every route along the Cyclades, including services to Western Cyclades. On winter 2003 Hellas Flying Dolphins decided to sell the ferry to reduce the average age of its fleet; the buyer was a member of one of the “sacred families” of Greek shipowning, the Ventouris Family, which renamed her “Agios Georgios” and started connecting the port of Rafina with the islands of Syros, Paros, Naxos, Amorgos and Santorini. After her great success on Rafina routes the ferry started connections from Piraeus to Western Cyclades, calling sometimes also at Ios, Santirini, Riva and Anafi.