ELYROS (ΕΛΥΡΟΣ)
-ANEK Lines
Built in 1998 (age 26). Registered in Chania. Current line: Piraeus-Chania
The cruiseferry ELYROS, perhaps the greatest-ever ANEK Lines ship and maybe the greatest-ever Cretan ferry, was built in Japan in 1998, and she was delivered to the Japanese company Blue Highway Line. She spent her first 9 years on the Ōarai-Tomakomai line under the name SUNFLOWER TSUKUBA, until she was sold to the Japanese company Higashi Nihon Ferry in early 2007. She was renamed FERRY TSUKUBA, but never entered service for her new owners and was laid-up in Muroran. A few months later in 2007, she was bought by the Chania-based company ANEK Lines. She underwent a conversion which lasted an entire year in Perama, whereupon she received an upgraded stern and a larger funnel, while also increasing her passenger capacity and amenities. She finally entered service in late 2008, and officially became the new flagship of ANEK Lines. She was deployed on the Piraeus-Chania line. Unfortunately, during the summers of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, instead of operating in Greece, she was chartered to Algérie Ferries, operating on the Marseille-Oran line, though she would return to operate on the Piraeus-Chania line during the winter. She was deployed back on the Piraeus-Chania line during the summer of 2020.
PHOTOS (2014, 2020, 2021):
The ELYROS in Piraeus (8/2014).
The ELYROS in Piraeus (8/2014).
The ELYROS seen in Piraeus, in her first full summer in Greece since 2014 (8/2020).
The ELYROS having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS preparing to depart the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS preparing to depart the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen departing the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen departing the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen exiting the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen exiting the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen exiting the port of Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS having exited the port of Piraeus and heading towards Chania (8/2020).
The ELYROS having exited the port of Piraeus and heading towards Chania (8/2020).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS seen in Piraeus (8/2020).
The ELYROS resting in Piraeus during the morning (9/2020).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (7/2021).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (7/2021).
The ELYROS seen in Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The ELYROS resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The ELYROS resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The ELYROS resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The ELYROS seen in the port of Piraeus (8/2021).
The ELYROS spotted in Piraeus during the evening (9/2021).
The ELYROS spotted in Piraeus during the evening (9/2021).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (9/2021).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (9/2021).
The ELYROS docked in Piraeus (9/2021).