Hellenic Seaways

Hellenic Seaways is a Greek shipping company operating passenger and freight ferry services in the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. The company is owned by Cyprus based Sea Star Capital Plc.

History

Hellenic Seaways was created in 2005 following the consolidation of Minoan Flying Dolphins and its subsidiaries Hellas Flying Dolphins, Hellas Ferries Saronikos Ferries and Sporades Ferries.

It is the biggest Greek shipping Company, which operates 29 vessels,11 conventional, 15 high-speed and 3 RO-RO, servicing more than 35 ports in the Cyclades, North East Aegean, South East Aegean, Crete, Argosaronikos and Sporades. ^[1]

In August 2009 Hellenic Seaways purchased the single-ship, budget cruise line easyCruise from founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou.^[2]

In January 2011 Minoan Lines (Heraklion) cancelled the sale of it´s 33,35% stake in Hellenic Seaways to ANEK and try to find a new buyer for it.^[3]

Fleet

Hellenic Seaways operate a large fleet of high speed craft^{[4] [5]}, conventional ferries ^[6] and RO/RO freight ferries.^[7]

Hellenic Seaways Fleet

Ship	Flag		Type	Built	IMO	Callsign	Pax	Cars	Notes
M/S Highspeed 4		Greece	High speed catamaran	2000	9216140		1045	188
M/S Highspeed 5		Greece	High speed catamaran	2005	9329095	SYDM	809	154
M/S Highspeed 6		Greece	High speed catamaran	2000	9221346	SVAF6	900	265
M/S Hellenic Wind		Malta	High speed monohull	1997	9141845	9HA2162	800	175	On charter to Atlantico Line
M/S Flyingcat 1		Greece	Catamaran	1990	8916865	SW6920	256	0
M/S Flyingcat 2		Greece	Catamaran	1998	9185683	SX6710	516	0
M/S Flyingcat 3		Greece	Catamaran	1998	9177442	SX6671	375	0
M/S Flyingcat 4		Greece	Catamaran	1999	9206748	SX7749	450	0
M/S Flyingcat 5		Greece	Passenger catamaran	1996	9134543	SY5393	342	0
M/S Flyingcat 6		Greece	Passenger catamaran	1997	9164299	SY5390	342	0
M/S Flying Dolphin XV		Greece	Hydrofoil	1980	8132043	SV6436	132	0
M/S Flying Dolphin XVII		Greece	Hydrofoil	1984	8331467	SV9699	145	0
M/S Flying Dolphin XVIII		Greece	Hydrofoil	1984	8331479	SV9700	145	0
M/S Flying Dolphin XIX		Greece	Hydrofoil	1980	8623365	SW2784	145	0
M/S Flying Dolphin XXIX		Greece	Hydrofoil	1991	8875700	SW9853	145	0
M/S Ariadne		Greece	Ferry	1996	9135262	SVST	700	560	On charter to Algérie Ferries
M/S Nissos Chios		Greece	Ferry	2007	9215555	SXXL	1800	418
M/S Nissos Mykonos		Greece	Ferry	2005	9208679	SYJZ	1800	418
M/S Express Pegasus		Greece	Ferry	1977	7521651	SYDV	1300	203
M/S Express Santorini		Greece	Ferry	1974	7330040	SXQR	1400	240	On charter to Atlantico Line
M/S Express Skiathos		Greece	Ferry	1996	9064803	SWHM	1410	250
M/S Nefeli		Greece	Ferry	1990	8911140	SZKE	1300	110
M/S Artemis		Greece	Ferry	1997	8966951	SWZE	1250	85	On charter to ANEK Lines
M/S Posidon Hellas		Greece	Ferry	1998	8966963	SYJY	1300	120
M/S Apollon Hellas		Greece	Ferry	1990	8807105	SWFP	1500	100
M/S Nissos Rodos		Greece	Ferry	1987	8704406	SYQJ	850	472	Out of service
M/S Hellenic Master		Greece	RO/RO Freight	1979	7718527	SZIK	12	140
M/S Hellenic Trader		Greece	RO/RO Freight	1975	7419456	SXDN	12	100
M/S Hellenic Sailor		Greece	RO/RO Freight	1978	7718515	SXEQ	12	140

Current Routes^[8]

• Piraeus – Syros – Mykonos – Fournoi – Ikaria – Samos (Nissos Mykonos)
• Piraeus – Chios – Mytilini (Nissos Chios)
• Volos – Skiathos – Glossa – Skopelos – Alonissos (Express Skiathos, Flyingcat 6)
• Piraeus – Aegina – Methana – Poros (Poseidon Hellas, Nefeli)
• Piraeus – Aegina – Agistri (Flying Dolphins,Poseidon Hellas )
• Piraeus – Poros – Hydra – Ermioni – Spetses – Porto Heli (Flying dolphins)
• Corinth – Venice (Hellenic Sailor)

Past Routes

Hellenic Seaways covered itineraries to Chania in Crete island in the summer periods from 2004-2006 with the highspeed vessel "Highspeed 4" in 4 hours and 30 minutes, and in summer 2007 with the passenger ferry "Ariadne". The company also launched routes from Piraeus to Rethymno port, in Crete with Highspeed 5 in summer 2008. In the summer season of 2010 Hellenic Seaways launched for the first time itineraries from Piraeus to Dodecanese islands, Kos and Rhodes, (through Paros) with the passenger ferry "Nissos Rodos" but after an unsuccessful period they cancelled them.

Marketing Campaign

• Summer 2006: "Πάμε Κυκλάδες", "Πάμε Χανιά", "Πάμε Χίο και Μυτιλήνη" (Let's Go)
• Summer 2007: "Πτήσεις για... Κυκλάδες, Αργοσαρωνικό, Σποράδες, Χίο & Μυτιλήνη" (Flights to...)
• Summer 2008: "Πιο γρήγορα από ποτέ" (Faster Than Ever)
• Summer 2009-present: "Πάμε μαζί" (Let's go together)

Awards

In 2007 Hellenic Seaways was awarded by "Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards" as "The Best Passenger Line of the Year 2007" and their, then new-building vessel, Nissos Chios, was awarded with the prize of "The Best Ship of the Year 2007".^[8]

Former ships

The following list includes former ships of the current company and of predecessors Minoan Flying Dophins (MFD) and its subsidiaries.

list of former Hellenic Seaways ships

• Highspeed 1 (IMO: 9125932), now Orange 2
• Highspeed 2 (IMO: 9216169), now Bissat
• Highspeed 3 (IMO: 9216171), now Boraq
• Hellenic Carrier
• Express Apollon (IMO: 7235915)
• Express Poseidon (IMO: 7302885)
• Express Adonis
• Express Samina (IMO: 6613548)
• Express Aphrodite
• Express Hermes
• Express Aris
• Express Limnos
• Express Danae
• Express Athina
• Express Anemos
• Express Milos
• Express Naias
• Express Olympia
• Panagia Ekatodapiliani
• Eutichia
• Saronikos
• Limnos
• Faidra
• Papadiamantis
• Makedon
• Erotokritos (IMO: 7394747)
• Aias
• Aegina
• Ellas
• Afaia
• Apostolos
• Flying dolphin I
• Flying dolphin II
• Flying dolphin III
• Flying dolphin IV (IMO: 7933385)
• Flying dolphin V
• Flying dolphin VI
• Flying dolphin VII
• Flying dolphin VIII
• Flying dolphin IX
• Flying dolphin X (IMO: 7939004)
• Flying dolphin XI
• Flying dolphin XII
• Flying dolphin XIV
• Flying dolphin XVI
• Flying dolphin XX
• Flying dolphin XXI
• Flying dolphin XXII
• Flying dolphin XXIII
• Flying dolphin XXV
• Flying dolphin XXVI
• Flying dolphin XXVII
• Flying dolphin XXVIII
• Mega dolphin XXX
• Mega dolphin XXXI
• Mega dolphin XXXII
• Star Trailer
• Sea Trailer

MV AG Nektarios

MV AG Nektarios photographed operating out of Port of Piraeus Athens 2011

References:

1. "Sea Star Capital Plc". Sea Star Capital Plc. http://www.seastarcapital.com/
2. "EasyCruise Sold to Hellenic Seaways". Cruise Industry News. Aug. 18, 2009.
3. http://www.ekathimerini.com
4. HSW highspeed fleet
5. HSW Flyingcat fleet
6. HSW conventional ferries
7. HSW Ro-Ro fleet
8. http://www.hellenicseaways.gr

Web References: Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenic_Seaways