KEFALONIA (ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ)

-Levante Ferries

ex-NISSOS KEFALONIA (ΝΗΣΟΣ ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ) for Kefalonian Lines (2013-2018)

Built in 1975 (age 49). Registered in Piraeus. Current line: None (under drydock in Piraeus)

 

The conventional ferry KEFALONIA is undoubtedly the greatest ship that has ever operated on the Ionian Sea. In her 27 years of service, she has won the hearts of many Ionian Sea residents and tourists alike, and she continues to provide excellent service even today. She was built in Japan in 1975 as the VENUS for the Japanese company Higashi Nihon Ferry. She spent her first 20 years in Japan, operating first on the Hachinohe-Tomakomai line. She then moved to the Aomori-Hakodate line in 1979, before then heading to the Aomori-Muroran line in 1987. She was purchased by Strintzis Lines in 1995. She was renamed KEFALONIA, underwent a major conversion in Perama, and entered service on the Patras-Kefalonia-Ithaca line, where she would go on to experience a lot success for the next 15 years. Strintzis Lines was transferred to Attica Group and became Blue Star Ferries in 2000. The KEFALONIA nevertheless remained on her usual service. She initially operated under the Blue Ferries division, before beginning to operate under the Blue Star Ferries brandname in 2004. Later in that same year she was bought by the newly-established company Strintzis Ferries. She remained on the Patras-Kefalonia-Ithaca line until 2011, when she switched operations with her fleetmate, the EPTANISOS. As a result, she began service on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line. Strintzis Ferries however ceased operations in 2012, and both the EPTANISOS (now the FAST FERRIES ANDROS of Fast Ferries) and the KEFALONIA were laid-up in Drapetsona. The KEFALONIA was detained for 16 months, with many rumours of her being sold for scrap. However, in 2013, to the Greek coastal service's joy, the ship was bought by the newly-established company Kefalonian Lines. She was renamed NISSOS KEFALONIA and was deployed on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line.In the end of 2013 she also started to operate on the Kyllini-Zakynthos line and on the Kyllini-Kefalonia-Ithaca line, operating on the latter only from 2013 to 2015. From 2016 to 2017, she was solely deployed on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line. In late 2017, she combined her operations on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line with the re-opening of the line where she had been acclaimed in the past: the Patras-Kefalonia-Ithaca line. She was therefore deployed on the new Patras-Ithaca-Kefalonia-Kyllini line. After the 2018 season, she was sold to Levante Ferries and was again renamed KEFALONIA following a major upgrade in Drapetsona. She then resumed service under her new owners on the Kyllini-Zakynthos line and on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line. In 2020 she returned to the Patras-Ithaca-Kefalonia-Kyllini line.

 

PHOTOS (2013, 2014, 2016, 2019):