The Greek Attica Holdings has now announced the acquisition of the two ro-pax sister ships “Kissamos” and “Kydon”, which operate in Greek waters.
Both were already part of the Attica Group’s fleet under long-term bareboat charter agreements. The acquisition of the two 192-metre-long vessels was made by exercising the corresponding purchase options under the bareboat charter agreements for a total purchase price of €4.4m and €4.5m, respectively, as has now been announced.
The “Kissamos” (IMO no. 9035876) was built in Japan in 1991 under the name “Hercules” and was used for local services together with its sister ship “Hermes”, which is one year older. Up to 700 cars can be accommodated on board. In 1999, both ships were sold to the Greek Anek Lines, after which extensive renovation work was carried out at the Perama shipyards. The main result of the renovation was an increase in passenger capacity from the original 800 to 1,500.
Ships had been sailing for Attica Holdings for some time
The “Kissamos” was later renamed “Lefka Ori”, named after a mountain range on the island of Crete, and entered service in summer 2000. Anek Lines deployed the ferry with its sister ship, renamed “Sophokles V”, on a service between Trieste, Igoumenitsa, Corfu and Patras; the Italian port of call was later moved to Venice.
At the 2012 timetable change, the two sister ships were withdrawn from the Venice-Patras route and chartered out to South Korea until November 2013. The “Lefka Ori” was chartered to Blue Star Ferries in 2015, renamed “Blue Galaxy” and deployed on routes to Crete.
The former “Sophokles V” was sold by Anek in the summer of 2014 but chartered back again and deployed under the new name “Kydon” (IMO no. 8916607). In 2017, there was another change of area of operation, with the ferry moving to the Caribbean for a ferry service between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
With the takeover of Anek Lines by the Attica Group this year, both ferries returned to the Cretan ferry line Anek Lines, with the former “Blue Galaxy” now being given the new name “Kissamos”.
Attica Holdings recently announced that it was expanding its fleet with two new e-flexers from Stena RoRo. The ships, each 240 metres long, are to be delivered by 2027. (CE)
