On 29 April 2022, Aegean Speed Lines announced [press release] the suspension of its activities on the Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos -Milos line after 17 years of continues presence in the Hellenic Coastal Shipping.
Its only vessel, HSC SPEEDRUNNER III, has been sold to SeaJets, who already owns former HSC SPEEDRUNNER IV.
The Eugenides Group (Aegean Speed Lines) says “it intends to continue its presence in coastal shipping.”
On 15 January 2022, Seajets’ HSC RAPID LINK JET and HSC CHAMPION JET 1 entered the large Spanopoulos group dry dock for schedules and annual repairs. RAPID LINK JET was purchased in October 2019 from the Bridgemans Trinidad LP and since December 2019 was laid up at Ambelakia Salamis. The repairs and dry docking reveal that the ship is preparing for service in the domestic market for the summer season 2022.
Seajets owns 17 High Speed Craft and serves 33 islands with 330 connections.
The fleet capacity is for 20,000 passengers and 3,500 private cars.
Photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
On 26 January 2022, a tender concerns debt to the oil company Revoil. The former Japanese ferry (1976) was brought in Greece by Med Link Lines in 1998 for the Greece-Italy service. She also served for Maritime Way (2004-2006), Endeavor Lines (2006-2011) and Cretan Ferries (2012).
She was laid up at Perama when Cretan Ferries went out of business (2012). Sea Speed Lines purchased her at a tender in June 2018 for the Piraeus-Rethimnon line.
Another High-Speed Craft might be added to the Seajets’ fleet.
The ship was purchased from the Venezuelan Golden Sun Petroleum S.A. and renamed SPEED JET. She left the port of El Guamache (Isla Margarita) where she was laid up and currently is seen at the port of Tembladora (Trinidad & Tobago) flying the flag of Cyprus. SPEED JET was built in Australia (Austal) in 1996 and served for Scandlines (1996-2000), Ferrymed (2000-2002), SNAV (2002-2015) and Conferry (2015).
Her carrying capacity is for 156 cars and 650 passengers. She is a sister ship to Seajets’ POWER JET.
Towards a new career within the Hellenic Coastal Shipping is heading the Seajets’ AQUA STAR (former AZORES EXPRESS).
The ship is currently at Chalkis Shipyards undergoing some interior refit and she is expected to connect the port of Volos with Skiathos-Skopelos-Alonissos at the end of February 2022.
Seajets is investing in that line following its success on the Thessaloniki-Sporades-Evia line with HSC SUPERRUNNER JET last summer.
photo: Kostas Papadopoulos
End of an era for the Belgian-built SUPERFERRY II of Golden Star ferries, which will be delivered to SEAJETS on October 12, following the agreement that was made between the two ferry operators last April.
The 46-years-old ship will leave the port of Rafina after 28 years of service on the Andros-Tinos-Mykonos line.
The former PRINCE LAURENT of RMT served the route initially on behalf of Strintzis Lines and then for Blue Star Ferries and Golden Star Ferries. She will be remembered as the “Legend” of that line.
On August 9, 2021 the former AZORES EXPRESS of Hellenic Med Ferries performed her sea trials under the Seajets ownership. She was purchased at the end of July and renamed AQUA STAR. According to the information she will be probably introduced within the next few days temporarily on the Lavrio – Agios Efstratios – Lemnos – Kavala line.
Getting prepared for her returning voyage to Greece is the AQUA MYTH (former AL SALMY 4, EXPRESS SANTORINI, CHARTRES), which was recently purchased by Seajets.
The Greek crew that will take her over has already flown to Dubai and soon the ship will set sail for Greece.
On May 14, 2021 the two High Speed Crafts of Gozo Fast Ferry arrived as deck cargo in Valletta, coming from Singapore.
