F/B El. Venizelos

F/B EL. VENIZELOS

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Igoumenitsa Port, 13/06/97

Ship	El. Venizelos (1992) ΕΛ. ΒΕΝΙΖΕΛΟΣ	Building spec.	1984-87 at Stocznia Gdynia Yard - Poland (hull), N° 494/03 Completed 1992 at Perama Yards - Greece
GRT	38.261	DWT	4.500
Dimensions	175,3 x 28,5 x 6,25	Engines	4 Zgoda-Sulzer 16c, 34.130 kW
Speed	22 knots	Passengers	3.000
Beds	1.608 in 650 cabins	Cars	1.100
Lane meters	1.650	Sister ships	Regent Sky Stena Germanica Stena Scandinavica
Registry port	Chania	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	Stena Line 1984-87 Stocznia yard 1987-88 Fred Olsen 1988-89	Former Names	Planned as “Stena Polonica” Bonanza 1988-90 Kydon II 1990-92
New Owners	Tunisia Ferries (Charter) 2004	New Names
Line	Trieste – Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Patras; Piraeus - Heraklion

She was ordered in 1979 from Stena Line to Stocznia Yard in Poland as the third of four sisters. Stena Germanica and Stena Scandinavica, however, joined Stena Line with a big delay, in 1987, so the third and the fourth ship orders were cancelled. This ship, which had to be named “Stena Polonica” was sold to Fred Olsen Lines and named “Bonanza”, but soon resold uncompleted to Anek Lines. Renamed El. Venizelos, as a Cretan - Born Greek statesman, the ship was finished in Perama Yards under new plans and introduced in 1993 on Trieste - Ancona - Igoumenitsa - Corfu - Patras line. From 1995 the Saturday call at Ancona after the departure from Trieste was eliminated, so El. Venizelos was able to take passengers from Trieste to Patras more or less in the same time of which other operators served the Ancona - Patras line. In winter times El. Venizelos was often used in Cretan Routes or on Ancona line. In 1999 was joined on Trieste route by H/S/F Sophocles V. and in 2000, after the purchase by Anek Lines of Sophocles V.’s sister (H/S/F Lefka Ori), El. Venizelos was first used in cruises during the winter time, then put on Piraeus - Heraklion line. On February 2001 was engaged in a cruise leaving from the ports of Heraklion and Souda (Chania) to Patras, site of the most famous Greek Carnival. Her 2001 season should have been spent between Piraeus and Heraklion, attempting to contrast the faster Minoan twins but, surprisingly, the “Venizelos” after a visit to G8 Summit in Genoa was diverted on Trieste line, replacing “Kriti II”. A very nice return on international routes, with a presence that continued also on 2002 season, departing from Trieste also on Saturday at 18.00 reestabilishing the mini-cruise for the passengers departing from Northern Italy on Saturday evening. Was confirmed on her service also for 2003 season, substituting the “Lato” on Chania line on winter. Also the “El. Venizelos” has followed the trend to advertise a mobile phone company: as HFD with Vodafone and NEL with Telestet, the flagship of Chania-based company now has the CosmOTE logo painted on her hull. The big difference with other two operators is that they have chosen the faster ferries of HFD and NEL, instead of “El Venizelos” which is not particularly fast. However I think that CosmOTE board has good tastes! At the end of October 2003 was on a cruise leaving from Chania, Piraeus and Thessaloniki to Istambul and to the ports of Odessa, Yalta and Trabzon on Black Sea. Since long time on sales lists, for summer 2004 the ferry was advertised again between Trieste and Greece when, on June 2004, was chartered to Tunisia Ferries for their services between Tunis, Marseille and Genoa; the ferry was also entirely repainted in Tunisia Ferries’s colours. Back from the charter on September, was surprisingly reintroduced on Trieste line for a month, before her deployment between Piraeus and Crete. Considering that Tunisia Ferries is very faithful in her charters I think that it would be very difficult to see again “El Venizelos” operating with ANEK colours.

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Patras Port, 19/06/95

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Piraeus, 06/10/00

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