Ro/Ro Aegean Sun

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Ro/Ro AEGEAN SUN

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Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Drapetsona, 05/08/05 #2264

Ship	Aegean Sun (2003) ΕΤΖΙΑΝ ΣAN	Building Spec.	Kristiansands Mekaniske Verksted, Kristiansand, Norway, 1975 – N°222
Call Sign	SZUB	IMO Number	7383451
GRT	10.171	DWT	7.597
Dimensions	137,55 x 20,6 x 7,17	Engines	2 Pielstick 12PC2V, 8826 kW
Speed	18,5 knots	Passengers	12
Beds	12	Cars
Lane Metres	1.139	Sister ships	Aegean Sky († 2010) Aegean Star († 2013) Assi Euro Link (sank in 2003) Filippos († 2013) Stora Korsnas Link I (sank in 1991) Strada Gigante († 2012) Strada Gothica († 2012) Taxiarchis Ulusoy 6 († 2014)
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Names/Own.	Ordered by Tor Line; not ufficially named “Tor Caledonia” 1975 Fichtelberg – Veb Deutfracht Seerederei 1975-06/1990 Fichtelberg – Deutsche Seerederei GmbH 06/1990-09/1991 Spirit of Dublin – Dublin Ferry* 09/1991-08/1992 (charter)* Fichtelberg – Deutsche Seerederei GmbH 08/1992-11/1992 Norcliff – North Sea Ferries* 11/1992-10/1993 (charter)* Fichtelberg – Deutsche Seerederei GmbH 11/1993-12/1994 Chartered to DFDS Seaways* 1994* Dana Minerva – DFDS Seaways* 12/1994-09/1996 (charter)* Dana Minerva – Clare Shipping 09/1996-12/1996 Seahawk – Seahawk K/S 12/1996-05/2002 Chartered to Pandoro* 01/1997* Chartered to Fred. Olsen* 07/1997-08/1997* Chartered to Pandoro* 09/1997* Chartered to Lineas* Suardiaz 02/1998-03/1998* Chartered to P&O European Ferries* 05/1998* Chartered to Lineas* Suardiaz 10/1998* Cetam Victoriae – Cetam* 05/2002-09/2002 (charter)* Seahawk – Seahawk K/S 09/2002-11/2003 Chartered to E.S.CO. Estonian Shipping Company* 10/2002* Chartered to Cobelfret* 2003* Chartered to Dart Line* 09/2003*
New Names/Owners	Chartered to Anek Cargo* 2004* Archagelos – Aegean Cargo 03/2006-05/2012 Chartered to Nel Lines* 2006* Chartered to Anek* Cargo 2006-04/2012* Scrapped at Alang (India) on May 2012.
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This ferry is the seventh of the series of ten ro/ros built in Norway between 1971 and 1977, and the only one which wasn’t built at Framnæs yards. In fact also the “Tor Caledonia”, nowadays “Strada Gigante” was built in a different yard, the A/S Fredriksstad Mekaniske Verksted, but was finished at Framnæs yard, so this is the only ferry of the serie to have never seen the Sandefjord based yard. Another fact is linking the ship to the actual “Strada Gigante”: the “Aegean Sun” was to be named “Tor Caledonia”, having been ordered by Tor Line; anyway, after the keel laying the ferry was sold to the Government of Eastern Germany, being launched with the name “Fichtelberg” and registered in Rostock, which that time was the main port of German Democratic Republic. Her first employment was between Rostock and Havana, attempting this way to defeat the American embargo against Cuba. In 1990, when Germany was again united, the ferry passed under the ownership of the new Government of United Germany and started a long serie of charters; in 1996 the ferry was sold to DFDS, which already held her on charter since two years; later the ferry was sold to Seahawk K/S, which renamed her as the “Seahawk”. On this period was chartered to Pandoro, Suardiaz, P&O and Cetam, which renamed her as the “Cetam Victoriae” during its charter period. After later spells under Cobelfret and Dart Line services, was sold to Aegean Cargo, which renamed her “Aegean Sun”. Immediately chartered out to Anek Cargo, was engaged on the ro-ro connections Patras – Bari and Patras – Porto Marghera sailing on opposite days to the “Aegean Glory”; at the end of the ANEK period the ferry was engaged on other minor charters to various operators. During one of these charters to the British company Euromed, the “Aegean Sun” had her spell of celebrity due to the mooring at Ammochostos Port (Famagusta), on Northern side of Cyprus occupied by Turkey, which is strictly forbidden to any ship flying the Greek flag. This violation caused many problems both to the company and the Master of the ship, including a safety inspection which led to a fee of over five millions Euros. According to certain rumours, this fee was adopted as a warning for any other Greek ferry which should enter a port of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state which is internationally recognised only by Turkey. After a considerably long period of lay-up, the ferry was renamed “Archagelos” and chartered to ANEK. Was scrapped at Alang in 2012.

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