F/B Ionian Queen - Limassol

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F/B IONIAN QUEEN

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Patras, 30/03/2010 #9348

Ship	Ionian Queen (2005)	Building Spec.	Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries (I.H.I.) Kure, Japan, 1988 – N°2972
Call Sign	C4CC2	IMO Number	8712635
GRT	30.385	DWT	7.622
Dimensions	192,9 x 29,4 x 6,75	Engines	2 Pielstick 8PC40L, 17.480 kW
Speed	21,8 knots	Passengers	1.000
Beds	344	Cars	452
Lane Metres	1.860	Sister Ships	Ferry Azalea Ferry Shirakaba Ocean Grand
Registry Port	Limassol	Flag	Cyprus
Former Names/Owners	New Akashia – Shin Nihonkai Ferry 04/1988-12/2004 Ionian Glory – Endeavor Shipping 12/2004-06/2005 Ionian Queen – Endeavor Shipping 06/2005-02/2008 Operated in joint venture with Agoudimos* Lines 06/2005-02/2008*
New Names/Owners
Line	Arrested at Patras

A very beautiful ferry, delivered to Shin Nihonkai Ferry of Osaka in 1988 by Ishikawajima Harima Industries (I.H.I.), better known as turbo-charges manufacturer for automotive industry (they also developed the twin turbines of Maserati Quattroporte IV Edition). The ferry was delivered as the first of a four sisters series which were built within six years (the following ones were delivered in 1991, 1994 and again 1994); not a particularly speedy vessel, with 21,8 knots as top speed, was extremely fuel efficient. Deployed between Maizuru, on the Western Coast of Honshu island, and Otaru, close to Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido island. was replaced by two newly-built ferries in 2004 and put for sale; was then bought by Endeavour Shipping of Mr Gianetatos, a company which is in business with Agoudimos Lines and renamed “Ionian Glory”. This beautiful ferry arrived in Greece in January 2005 and started the rebuilding work at Perama yards; during this time was also renamed “Ionian Queen” and reflagged from Saint Vincent & Grenadines to Cyprus, having Limassol as her home port. Among her family of sisters, she is noticeable for the external promenade of her first passenger deck (a common feature with “Ionian King”) and also for her stern quarter ramp on starboard side. Anyway after the refit she appeared different on many aspects with her nearest sister “Ferry Lavender/Ionian King”, both over internal spaces and on raps to access the ferry. The quarter ramp was removed and another one was added at stern along to the original Japanese stern ramp, which was lengthened; anyway the new stern door/ramp included the passengers entrance with escalator; the bow visor, not useful due to its height in Greek ports, was sealed, and the sliding doors which were closing the access to upper garage from the quays were removed, leaving two holes for the ventilation, alterations not carried on “Ionian King”. differently from the “Ionian King” she had two stern ramps, already installed in Japan; however the starboard side one should be modified from her appearance under Japanese days. We can find also other differences among the life boats: both sisters have two life boats each side, but on “Ionian Queen” the couple of life-boats is at stern, instead of “Ionian King”, where there are one at stern and one at bow, just behind the wheelhouse; finally a little structure is surrounding the stern mooring station. The ferry served Bari – Igoumenitsa – Patras line from August 2005 to February 2008, calling also at Cephalonia on peak periods; even there were often rumours about a possible sale of the ship, this never happened, and the “Ionian Queen” was redeployed to Endeavor Lines’s main service, the Brindisi – Igoumenitsa – Patras line, with some sailings diverted also to Corfu and Cephalonia. The career at Brindisi, where she is the biggest ferry ever employed in the Apulian port, started with a detention on March 19^th, 2008, due to missing paperwork; since then, she was inspected for a total of 13 times, always passing the controls. Since 2009 she is wearing the company’s new livery, which suits very well to this ferry; on March 2011 was employed in the evacuation of foreign citizens from Libya, escaping from the Civil War. Even if the furnishing is very different from those of her former “Greek sister”, the arrangement of the interiors is basically the same; we can find some difference on the lowest passenger deck, where the lounges, the shops and the casino have different locations, although in the same area, and we can find two lux cabins at bow, where the “Ionian King” had a small air-seats room. The other decks are almost identical, including the marvellous suites on the top deck, even if it seems that the “Ionian Queen” is lacking the sauna. After three years sailing in pair on Patras service with the “Erotokritos T.”, in 2011 finds the “Elli T.” as mate. At the beginning of 2012 the strong difficulties around the company, mainly of financial nature due to the Greek crisis, led to the arrest of the ferry at Brindisi, requested by the local Port Agent, on February 10^th, 2012. After few days the ferry was released and continued her service between Italy and Greece, remaining the only ferry of Endeavor Lines sailing on Brindisi line. The Summer season saw mainly the connection from Brindisi to Corfu and Igoumenitsa, with few sailings also proceeding to Patras, sometimes calling also at Sami and Zakynthos. On September 12^th, 2012, the ferry was finally arrested in Patras, writing the end of this company. Since then, the “Ionian Queen” is regularly auctioned by the Courts, anyway without finding a buyer.