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FERRIES – AEGEAN CARGO > Ro/Ro AEGEAN PEARL (2001)
Ro/Ro AEGEAN PEARL
Photo © Nikos
Thrylos, Piraeus, 30/11/04 #1514
Ship |
Aegean Pearl (2001) ΕΤΖΙΑΝ
ΠΕΡΛ |
Building Spec. |
Minami
– Nippon Zosen KK, Usuki, Japan, 1978 – N°520 |
Call Sign |
SWVR ( 05/2013) J8B4584 (05/2013) |
IMO
Number |
7722621 |
GRT |
14.444 |
DWT |
9.332 |
Dimensions |
140,85
x 23,19 x 7,65 |
Engines |
2 Sulzer 8ZL 40/48, 8.827 kW |
Speed |
16
knots |
Passengers |
12 |
Beds |
12 |
Cars |
|
Lane Metres |
1.900 |
Sister ships |
Pontos († 2011) |
Registry Port |
Piraeus
( 05/2013) Kingstown
(05/2013) |
Flag |
Greek
( 05/2013) St.
Vincent & Grenadines ( 05/2013) |
Former Names/Own. |
TFL
Progress – Gursan Investments 1978-81 Chartered to Hellas
Syria Ferry Services 1978 Merzario Emilia – Andrea Merzario 1981-82 (charter) Progress
Atlantic – Gursan Investments 1981-83 Union Dunedin – Union
S.S. Company of New Zealand 1983-02/1987 (charter) TFL
Progress – Gursan Investments 02/1987-88 Stena Progress
– Stena AB 1988-89 C.R. Tanger – S.N.C.D.V.
Societè Navale et Commerciale Delmas Vieljeux 1989-10/2001 |
||
New Names/Owners |
Chartered to Co.Tu.Nav. 2003 Chartered to Anek Cargo 2003-2006 Chartered to Co.Tu.Nav. 04/2007-12/2008 Chartered to IMTC 01/2009 Chartered to Grendi 02/2009-06/2009 Chartered to Grendi 02/2010-06/2010 Chartered to IMTC 07/2010 Chartered to CMA-CGM 09/2010-11/2010 Chartered to Salamis Lines 01/2011 Scrapped at Aliaga
(Turkey) on February 2014. |
||
Line |
|
Originally built for Greek owners, the
“TFL Progress” was launched in 1978 as the second of two sister vessels
delivered by Minami yards to Chandris. Clearly a modern ro/ro
for her time, hadn’t an incredible speed but she offered 1.900 lane metres of
hold for cargo. She was immediately chartered out, first to Hellas Syria Ferry
Services, then to Andrea Merzario, which renamed her “Merzario Emilia”, and to
Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, which renamed her “Union Dunedin”. The
ferry was renamed “Progress Atlantic” after returning back from the charter in 1987, but was sold to Stena AB the following year as the
“Stena Progress”. Her adventure under Stena colours lasted only a year, before
being again sold to French interests, which deployed her between France and
Northern Africa. Sold in 2001 to Aegean Cargo of Kostas Agapitos, being the
ship of the new beginning over Greek shipping for the well known shipowner, was
renamed “Aegean Pearl” and starts competition against Minoan Lines and ANEK on
the lucrative Piraeus – Santorini – Heraklion service, where ANEK had the main
stake among freight customers. The service proved to be immediately successful,
allowing Mr Agapitos to expand Aegean Cargo operations from one to three
vessels in a short time; this fact led ANEK to charter Agapitos vessels,
rerouting them under the new brand “Anek Cargo” on both Piraeus – Crete,
Piraeus – Crete – Rhodes – Cyprus – Israel/Egypt and Patras – Italy routes;
anyway even if ANEK was the main operator of this ship between 2003 and 2006,
she was often chartered also by other operators for many different services,
including also Ocean crossings to Africa; just before the first charter to ANEK
was also chartered to Co.Tu.Nav. and later to British
Army for carrying military equipments to Iraq. After a long charter to Co.Tu.Nav., the “Aegean Pearl” had a short spell on
Marseille – Casablanca line replacing the “Aegean Fantasy” on January 2009;
this replacement took place also on July 2010, and from September of the same
year the “Aegean Pearl” remained on France – Morocco link, this time chartered
by CMA-CGM and competing with her Aegean Cargo fleet-mate “Aegean Fantasy”. The
“Aegean Pearl” linked also Caralis and Genoa for two
periods, between February and June 2009 and the same months of 2010 by the
account of Grendi, then sailed for Salamis Lines on Lavrion – Limassol – Haifa line. Last of the vessels of
Aegean Cargo to be in service, was scrapped at the beginning of 2014.
Photo
Gallery
DELMAS VELIJEUX – CR Tanger
(1989-2001)
AEGEAN CARGO – Aegean Pearl (2001-2003)
COTUNAV – Aegean Pearl (2003)
COTUNAV – Aegean Pearl (2003-2004)
Dry Dock |
Drapetsona, 29/06/2005 |
Drapetsona, 05/08/2005 |
Genoa, 29/10/2007 |
Nikos Thrylos |
Apostolos Kaknis |
Michele Lulurgas |
Alessandro Orfanù |
AEGEAN
CARGO – Aegean Pearl (2004-2014)