F/B Ionian Sun

Photo © Per Jensen

Ship	Ionian Sun (1986)	Building Spec	1969 at Verolme yard, Cork, Ireland N° 800
Call Sign		IMO Number	6902767
GRT	7.311	DWT	3.878
Dimensions	118,32 x 17,84 x 4,46	Engines	4 MAN, 8.505 kW
Speed	20 nodi	Passengers	1.200
Beds	434	Cars	280
Lane Metres	480	Sister Ships
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	B&I Line 1969-86 (Co.Tu.Nav. 1993)	Former Names	Leinster 1969-80 Innisfallen 1980-86 Chams 1993
New Owners	Marco Shipping 2001à	New Names	Merdif 2001à
Line

One of the “historical” ferries of Strintzis lines, part of the Greek fleet for 13 years, started her career in 1969 for the B&I Line service Ireland - United Kingdom named “Leinster”. Renamed “Innisfallen” on my first name day, the 29/09/80, in 1986 was sold to Strintzis for the line Ancona - Corfu - Igoumenitsa - Patras starting the following year, when I travelled aboard her from Patras to Ancona. I don’t remember nothing about that crossing (I was only 7 years old!), but my parents told me that the sea was at 7th Beaufort and I fell down from my bed without wake me up! Used on that line until 1990, when chartered to Swansea Cork Ferries, was subsequently put on domestic routes departing from Rafina: Andros, Tinos, Myconos and the Dodecanese islands, substituted by the “Superferry II”. In 1993 was for two months on charter to Tunisia Ferries as “Chams”, the, some sources say that was engaged on a Igoumenitsa – Brindisi line. In 1994 was back on international routes, on the new line Brindisi - Corfu - Igoumenitsa, gaining a big success and beating all the other lines on the same traffic, including also Minoan Lines which put the “Knossos” on that line in 1997. In 1998 she is back to Rafina, serving Syros, Paros, Naxos and Amorgos. From 1999 she is on the Cephalonia Routes departing from Killini, a service, for my opinion, less important viewing the figures of this ship. In October 2000 was laid up in Keratsini (Piraeus), apparently without a reason. Was sold at beginning of 2001 to Arab interests.

SWANSEA CORK FERRIES M/N Ionian Sun photo by courtesy of Micke Asklander

BLUE STAR FERRIES F/B Ionian Sun photo from the brochure Blue Star Ferries domestic lines - 2000

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