Blue Star Ferries
 | |
| Founded | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Athens, Greece |
Area served | Aegean Sea |
| Services | Passenger transportation Freight transportation |
| Parent | Attica Holdings |
| Website | www.bluestarferries.com |
Blue Star Ferries is a brand name of Blue Star Maritime S.A. The company operates ferry services from the Greek mainland to the Aegean Islands.
History
Blue Star Ferries was found in 1965 as Strintzis Lines by the Strintzis family from Lixouri, Kefalonia. The company was rebranded as Blue Star Ferries in 2000 following Attica Enterprises' acquisition of a 48% stake in the company.[1] Blue Star Ferries is a sister company of Superfast Ferries, as both are part of the Attica Group and have had partnership in some routes, such as Rosyth to Zeebrugge and presently Piraeus-Heraklion.
In 2006 Blue Star Maritime S.A. purchased the Dodecanese ferry company DANE Sea Lines.
Blue Star Ferries built two ferry-type ships at Daewoo Shipyards on Korea. The first ferry, named Blue Star Delos, was delivered in first 10 days of October 2011 and the second, Blue Star Patmos in July 2012. Blue Star Delos is currently on the route: Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Thira and Blue Star Patmos on the route: Piraeus-Chios-Mytilini(Lesvos)[2]
Fleet
Blue Star Ferries currently operates a fleet of 8 ships.[3]
| Ship | Flag | Built | Entered service |
Route | Gross tonnage | Length | Width | Passengers | Vehicles | Knots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Star 1 |  |
2000 | 2000 | Piraeus-Heraklion | 29.415 GT | 176 m | 26 m | 1.890 | 641 | 28 |
| Blue Star 2 | |
2000 | 2000 | Piraeus-Santorini-Kos-Rhodes | 29.415 GT | 176 m | 26 m | 1.854 | 641 | 28 |
| Blue Horizon | |
1987 | 2000 | Piraeus-Heraklion | 27.320 GT | 187 m | 27 m | 1.497 | 780 | 23 |
| Blue Galaxy | |
1992 | 2015 | Piraeus-Chania | 29.992 GT | 192 m | 27 m | 1,500 | 703 | 25 |
| Blue Star Paros | |
2002 | 2002 | Piraeus-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Santorini-Irakleia-Schoinoussa-Koufonissia-Donousa-Aegiali-Katapola-Astypalaia | 10.438 GT | 124 m | 19 m | 1.474 | 230 | 24 |
| Blue Star Naxos | |
2002 | 2002 | Piraeus-Syros-Tinos-Mykonos | 10.438 GT | 124 m | 19 m | 1.474 | 230 | 24 |
| Diagoras | |
1990 | 2006 | Piraeus-Kalymnos-Kos-Rhodes Astypalaia-Patmos-Leipsoi-Leros-Nisyros-Tilos-Symi-Kastellorizo |
9.834 GT | 141 m | 23 m | 1.462 | 272 | 22 |
| Blue Star Delos | |
2011 | 2011 | Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini | 17.550 GT | 145 m | 24 m | 2.400 | 430 | 26 |
| Blue Star Patmos | |
2012 | 2012 | Piraeus-Chios-Lesvos | 17.550 GT | 145 m | 24 m | 2.000 | 430 | 26 |
Media
One of Blue Star Ferries' boats took the role of Princess Myrto in the Greek TV Show Θα Σε Δω Στο Πλοίο (literally translated: I'll See You on the Ferry) broadcast by Alpha TV, a Greek channel, in 2000 till 2002. The majority of the filming for this series was on the boat itself except for on-location filming of the characters on holiday or on leave. This is still being broadcast in certain Greek speaking countries like Cyprus.
References
- ^ Attica Enterprises Annual Report 2000
- ^ http://www.theseanation.gr/news/ferries/blue-star-ithaki.htm
- ^ http://www.bluestarferries.com/site/content.asp?sel=641&loc=2