BLUE STAR MYCONOS (ΜΠΛΟΥ ΣΤΑΡ ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ)
-Blue Star Ferries
ex-NISSOS MYKONOS (ΝΗΣΟΣ ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ) for Hellenic Seaways (2005-2020)
Built in 2005 (age 19). Registered in Piraeus. Current line: None (under refit in Perama)
Considered to be among the best ships in the Greek coastal service, if not the best in Greece, the amazing and acclaimed cruiseferry BLUE STAR MYCONOS was originally ordered by Strintzis Lines in 1999, due to be named SUPERFERRY CHIOS and to operate on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene line. Alongside her, a sister ship due to be named SUPERFERRY MYKONOS (now the BLUE STAR CHIOS) was also ordered. Both ships were to be built in Greece (they are the first-ever cruiseferries to be built in the country). In 2000, as Strintzis Lines was transferred to Attica Group and was renamed Blue Star Ferries, the ships were therefore due to be delivered as the BLUE STAR CHIOS and as the BLUE STAR MYKONOS, respectively. However, in 2002, as the construction stages went very slowly, the order was canceled by Blue Star Ferries. The keel of the BLUE STAR CHIOS remained laid-up in Salamina until 2004, when the two newbuildings were sold to Hellas Flying Dolphins for completion. The BLUE STAR CHIOS therefore became the NISSOS MYKONOS and the BLUE STAR MYKONOS became the NISSOS CHIOS. The NISSOS MYKONOS was completed in 2005 in Greece and was delivered to her company, which at the time had changed its name to Hellenic Seaways. She was deployed on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene line, where she became very successful. In 2006, she won the prestigious award 'Ship of the Year' given by Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards. After her sister ship, the NISSOS CHIOS, was completed in 2007, the NISSOS MYKONOS was transferred to the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos line. Her first years on the line were very successful as well. In 2009 she operated on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ikaria-Samos line and in 2010 and 2011 she operated on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos line. In 2012, however, she was temporarily removed from service in a controversial manner, being replaced by the IERAPETRA L of ANEK Lines (now the AQUA BLUE of Sea Jets Ferries). Despite rumours saying the ship had been sold overseas, she returned to service on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos line, but only during the summer. She was then forced to operate for a month on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene line when the NISSOS CHIOS, which was operating on that line, collided with the pier of the port of Tinos. She returned to the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos line for the rest of the summer, operating for only 12 weeks. In 2013, she resumed service on the same line, but once again only during the summer. However, during her first day of service, she suffered a fire in her funnel while heading towards Samos, but fortunately enough it was extinguished immediately by the crew, causing only minor damages to her funnel. This forced her to miss a month of service. But immediately after returning, her service was acclaimed, therefore there were many calls to have her operate on a yearly basis, but unfortunately the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy declined the request. She returned to service for the summer of 2014, during which she had an extremely successful season. Things got even more fortunate when the company NEL Lines was removed from operations on the Northeast Aegean Sea lifeline. Thus, in late 2014, the NISSOS MYKONOS began service on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos-Chios-Mytilene-Limnos-Kavala line. Her service there was also successful, and eventually initiated the company to deploy some of its ships in the area. In 2015, the ship was deployed on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos line, again earning positive reviews, and in 2016 she was deployed once again on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos line. In 2017 she returned to the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos-Chios-Mytilene-Limnos-Kavala line. In 2020 she was transferred back to Blue Star Ferries and was renamed BLUE STAR MYCONOS. She was deployed on the Piraeus-Syros-Tinos-Mykonos-Patmos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos-Chios-Oinousses-Mytilene-Limnos-Kavala line, while in 2021 she served the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Patmos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos-Chios-Oinousses-Mytilene-Limnos-Kavala line. She underwent a conversion in Perama in 2021, whereupon she was equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system. In 2023 she once operated solely on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Ikaria-Samos line.
PHOTOS (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021):
The NISSOS MYKONOS departing the port of Piraeus in the morning (8/2017).
The NISSOS MYKONOS departing the port of Piraeus in the morning (8/2017).
The NISSOS MYKONOS departing the port of Piraeus in the morning (8/2017).
The acclaimed NISSOS MYKONOS leaving the port of Piraeus during the morning (8/2017).
The NISSOS MYKONOS, one of the jewels of the Greek coastal service, leaving the port of Piraeus during the morning (8/2017).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus during the morning (8/2017).
The NISSOS MYKONOS having left Mykonos (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS having left Mykonos (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS having left Mykonos (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading from Mykonos to Ikaria (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading from Mykonos to Ikaria (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading from Mykonos to Ikaria (6/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen heading from Piraeus to Syros (7/2018).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen at dawn in Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen departing the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen departing the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen departing the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS about to exit the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS having just exited the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The stern of the NISSOS MYKONOS in Piraeus (8/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen docked in Piraeus (8/2019).
The NISSOS MYKONOS seen docked in Piraeus, in what turned out to be my last-ever picture of the ship under her name and under Hellenic Seaways, as she was sold in 2020 to Blue Star Ferries (8/2019).
My first-ever picture of the BLUE STAR MYCONOS under her new name and new owner, as she is seen resting in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS resting in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS resting in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS resting in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS docked in Piraeus, during her first season under Blue Star Ferries (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS in Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS in the port of Piraeus (9/2020).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS in the port of Piraeus (9/2020).
My first-ever picture of the BLUE STAR MYCONOS with her upgraded funnel following her conversion whereupon she received an exhaust gas cleaning system. She is seen here resting in Piraeus (7/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (7/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (7/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen in Piraeus (7/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen departing Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen departing Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen departing Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen leaving Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen leaving Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen leaving Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen as she leaves Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen as she leaves Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS seen as she leaves Piraeus at dawn (8/2021).
The BLUE STAR MYCONOS heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus (8/2021).