Trip: 14 August 2020. From Salamina to Perama, with the ARIS IV of Psomas Shipping.
The double-ended ferry ARIS IV was ordered in 2019, by the Greek company Psomas Shipping. She was due to become the successor of the company's previous double-ended ferry, the ARIS III, which had been sold to the Italian company Delcomar earlier that year. The ARIS IV was completed in 2020 in Greece, and was deployed on the Perama-Salamina line, operating also under the Agios Nikolaos Lines joint venture.
The ARIS IV is, as her name suggests, the fourth ship in the history of Psomas Shipping. The latter was founded in 1967 by the Psomas family, and has been known to operate in Evoia and on the Perama-Salamina line. Their first ship was the landing craft ARIS, built in 1967 in Greece, which operated for 35 years on the Oropos-Eretria line until she was sold in 2002 to Corfu-based company GM Shipping, for whom she still operates as the GRIGORIS M as a Ro-Ro carrier on the Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Paxoi-Ereikousa-Othonoi-Mathraki line on the Ionian Sea. After five years of inactivity, the company resumed operations in 2007, following the delivery of then-newly-built double-ended ferry ARIS II, which was deployed on the Oropos-Eretria line. Three years later, that ship was sold to the Croatian company Rapska Plovidba, for whom she operates today as the BARBAT on the Stinica-Mišnjak line. She was replaced by another newly-built double-ended ferry, the ARIS III, which began operations on Oropos-Eretria line in 2010. In 2015 and in 2016 that ship operated on the Perama-Salamina line, but returned to the South Evoian Gulf in 2017. In early 2019 she was sold to the Italian company Delcomar, and began service in 2020 as the I MADDALENA on the Palau-La Maddalena line on the Strait of Bonifacio. Her replacement, the ARIS IV, began service on the Perama-Salamina line (as stated previously), and is also currently the youngest ferry in the Greek coastal service.
After spending almost an entire day of taking pictures and traveling around Piraeus, Salamina and Megara, it was time for me to head back to Athens for the evening. Indeed, 14 August 2020 saw me taking pictures of many ships departing the port of Piraeus in the early morning, followed by a trip from the latter to Salamina with the GEORGIOS BROUFAS of Broufas Vessels. After seeing many ships in Salamina, I then went to the island's small port, Faneromeni, whereupon I traveled to Megara onboard the landing craft PANTANASSA of Pantanassa NE, before heading back to Salamina with the AIANTAS of Aiantas Ferries Company. Now that I was back in the port of Paloukia in Salamina, instead of taking the ship to Piraeus, I decided to travel to Perama in order to arrive quicker in Athens (as the trip to Piraeus would last 40 minutes). This was my first-ever trip with a ship of Psomas Shipping, and my third trip from Salamina to Perama with a double-ended ferry since 2019. It was also my first-ever trip with a ferry and ship built in the 2020s.
As you now known from the many posts that I have written, the Perama-Salamina line is certainly the busiest line of the Greek coastal service. While the distance is very short, it is fundamental to the connection of Salamina with mainland Greece and Athens, as it sees departures every five minutes from both ports. In 2020 there were more than 25 double-ended ferries operating on the line under two joint ventures. In addition, there were 7 small passenger boats serving the line as well.
The ARIS IV seen in the port of Paloukia in Salamina, during her debut summer.
A view of the newly-built ARIS IV prior to boarding her. She features a livery that is very similar to that of her predecessor, namely the ARIS III. I had seen the latter during the summer of 2018 (her last summer under Psomas Shipping), while she was operating on the South Evoian Gulf on the Oropos-Eretria line, during my trips with the ANNA MARIA of Gavanozis Shipping and with the PROTOPOROS XIII of Tsokos Lines.
The ARIS IV seen just before I embarked onboard her.
A view of the ARIS IV right upon embarkation. Like most double-ended ferries, she has a wide open garage, which passes under her accommodation superstructure. She also has side ramps which allow the passengers to take the staircases that lead to the accommodation superstructure. Right above the garage is her name, printed in Greek characters.
A view of the garage entrance and exit. On the top is one of the ship's foremasts.
As it is the case with most Greek double-ended ferries, the accommodation superstructure has three decks. The lower deck usually includes the ship's indoor passenger lounge area, the middle deck has an outdoor area and the crew cabins, while the upper deck has the bridge. Here is a view of the indoor lounge area, which is rather dark and simple, while featuring fern green lounges.
Another view of the indoor lounge area.
A view of the middle deck, which has an outdoor area that includes multiple rows of grey chairs facing the the foremast.
A view of the the ship's foremast and of the opposite garage entrance and exit.
A view of the ship's upper deck, which has the bridge. Its windows are all covered by a black stripe.
Just before the departure of the ARIS IV, I saw the small passenger boat SALAMIS EXPRESS III of Salamis Express leaving Salamina in order to head towards Perama.
Next to the ARIS IV was the double-ended ferry IOANNIS SOPHIA K, which is the flagship of Karnesis-Lalousis NE.
The IOANNIS SOPHIA K seen in Salamina, in what was her second straight summer on the Perama-Salamina line. She had also operated there during the first two summers of her career, back in 2016 and in 2017, while in 2018 she was on the Rion-Antirrion line.
At 15:40, the ARIS IV departed Salamina in order to head towards Perama. Here is another view of the IOANNIS SOPHIA K.
On the starboard side, I spotted several ships that were docked in the port of Paloukia in Salamina, including the double-ended ferry STAVROS N of Nikolaïdis NE, and the small passenger boats GEORGIOS BROUFAS II of Broufas Vessels and ARTEMIS of Artemis SNE.
Another view of the IOANNIS SOPHIA K in Salamina.
On the port side was another double-ended ferry, namely the DIMITRIOS S of Sofras NE. Built in 2011, she was spending her third summer in a row on the Perama-Salamina line. Moreover, this was her sixth summer on the line, as she had also operated there from 2011 to 2013.
The DIMITRIOS S docked in Salamina. She is one of the two double-ended ferries currently owned by Sofras NE, with the other one being the SPYRIDON S. She is one of the few Salamina-based double-ended ferries to have operated on multiple other services besides the Perama-Salamina line. Indeed, she has operated on the Arkitsa-Aidipsos line on the North Evoian Gulf in 2014 and in 2016, as well as on the Rion-Antirrion line in 2015 and in 2017. During the latter year, she was operating there alongside the SPYRIDON S.
The DIMITRIOS S seen docked in the port of Paloukia in Salamina. She was built in the same year as her former fleetmate, the MARIA ELENI (which was for a time the largest ferry on the Perama-Salamina line), which was sold in 2015 to the Russian company Tourinvest Services Ltd, for whom she began service as the MARIA on the Kerch Strait. However, since 2019 she has been laid-up in Kerch.
The DIMITRIOS S seen resting in Salamina.
Another view of the DIMITRIOS S.
The DIMITRIOS S was seen right next to the APOSTOLOS M and the THEOMITOR of Athinais Lines, and the EMPEDOKLIS of Aianteiaki NE.
A view of the STAVROS N. Built in 2017, she has been operating on the Perama-Salamina line since then.
A view of the GEORGIOS BROUFAS II, the ARTEMIS and the TZORTZIA of Speed Service Waterways. The latter serves the Perama-Salamina line, while the former two were operating on the Piraeus-Salamina line.
The TZORTZIA seen docked in Salamina. Built in 2008, this was her second season under her current owners and her current name. Before that, she had spent 10 years as the AGIOS ELEFTHERIOS of Kotsomoiris-Karvela Shipping before being sold in late 2018 to Speed Service Waterways. Even while operating for her former owners, she has always been on the Perama-Salamina line.
The SALAMIS EXPRESS III seen heading towards Perama. Built in 2001, she has spent her entire career so far on the Perama-Salamina line.
A view of the double-ended ferries as seen from the starboard side of the ARIS IV: the GLYKOFILOUSA IV of Panagia Glykofilousa NE, the ATHINA P of Athinais Lines, the IOANNIS THIRESIA of Theotokos NE, the ORION III of Farmakoris-Villiotis NE, and the IOANNIS SOPHIA K.
Dozens of double-ended ferries seen resting in Salamina.
While we had now left the port of Paloukia in Salamina, we happened to cross the double-ended ferry AGIOS ELEFTHERIOS IV of Feidias NE, which had left from Perama.
Crossing the AGIOS ELEFTHERIOS IV as she heads towards Salamina. She was built in 2002 for Feidias NE, and began service on the Rion-Antirrion line, becoming one of the first double-ended ferries to operate on that specific line. She stayed there until 2004, and she was then transferred to the Perama-Salamina line, where she has since been remaining, with the exception of the 2017 season when she operated on the Arkitsa-Aidipsos line on the North Evoian Gulf.
I then saw another ship heading towards Salamina, namely the small passenger boat ELENA F of Elena F Shipping, which was arriving from Piraeus.
The ELENA F seen heading towards Salamina. Built in 1998, she has spent her entire career on the Piraeus-Salamina line, with the exception of the 2013 season, when she served the Glyfa-Skiathos line on the Sporades.
The ELENA F on her way towards Salamina. Besides her successful service on the Piraeus-Salamina line, she has also distinguished herself by making very successful small cruises to islands of the Saronic Gulf such as Aegina, Agistri and Poros, during the summer of 2012 and since the summer of 2014.
The ELENA F seen heading towards Salamina. She is owned by the Filiagkos family, which has been operating ships to Salamina since 1967. The family notably had a double-ended ferry, the AGGELIS F, which served the Perama-Salamina line in 2019, and on which I had actually traveled a year and 11 days before taking this picture. However, the ship was sold in 2020 to the Kuwaiti company Ikarus United Marine Services.
The ELENA F seen as she is sailing en route to Salamina.
Another view of the AGIOS ELEFTHERIOS IV as she is seen heading towards Salamina.
In front of me, I saw the SALAMIS EXPRESS III heading towards Perama, whereas the PANAGIA of Panagia Thalassini NE was sailing towards the opposite direction.
The PANAGIA seen heading towards Salamina. Built in 1996, she is the ship with the most experience on the Perama-Salamina line, having served it for the past 24 straight years.
The PANAGIA seen heading towards Salamina, a port that she has been serving for almost a quarter-century.
The PANAGIA seen en route towards Salamina.
The PANAGIA seen sailing towards Salamina.
While the ARIS IV was approaching the port of Perama, the double-ended ferry MATOULA K of Salaminia Ferries-K Star was seen heading towards Salamina.
The MATOULA K having left Perama.
The MATOULA K having left Perama. She was built in 2006, and has spent her entire career on the Perama-Salamina line, except during the summers of 2013 and 2018, when she was on the Rion-Antirrion line.
The MATOULA K seen heading towards Salamina, during her second consecutive summer on the Perama-Salamina line.
Crossing the much-appreciated MATOULA K while she heads to Salamina.
The MATOULA K seen as we are about to pass by her.
Another view of the MATOULA K.
While the ARIS IV was approaching the port of Perama, I spotted three other double-ended ferries, namely the GLYKOFILOUSA V of Panagia Glykofilousa NE, the THEOTOKOS of Theotokos NE and the PROTOPOROS X of Tsokos Lines.
A view of the GLYKOFILOUSA V in Perama. She was built in 2017 (just like the GLYKOFILOUSA IV, which is her sister ship), and has so far spent her entire career on the Perama-Salamina line.
One last view of the MATOULA K, as she sails towards Salamina.
The GLYKOFILOUSA V and the THEOTOKOS seen together in Perama.
A view of the THEOTOKOS, which I went on to see for the first time in my life. She is the younger fleetmate of the IOANNIS THIRESIA, as she was built a year after her (in 2003). She was spending her second summer in a row on the Perama-Salamina line, as she had operated on the Rion-Antirrion line in 2018.
A view of the PROTOPOROS X, which has also been built in 2017 (just like the GLYKOFILOUSA V), and has also so far spent her entire career on the Perama-Salamina line.
The GLYKOFILOUSA V seen during her fourth consecutive summer on the Perama-Salamina line.
The THEOTOKOS docked in Perama. Besides the summers of 2014 and 2018, she has spent all years of her career on the Perama-Salamina line.
The THEOTOKOS docked in Perama. This summer, she was operating for the first time under the new livery of Theotokos NE, which consisted of two yellow stripes added on top of the lower deck and the upper deck of her accommodation superstructure.
The THEOTOKOS seen next to the much larger PROTOPOROS X.
A view of the PROTOPOROS X in Perama. I had traveled onboard her while sailing from Salamina to Perama on 3 August 2019, hence exactly a year and 11 days before this picture was taken.
At around 15:55, the ARIS IV began to dock next to the THEOTOKOS.
The THEOTOKOS seen as the ARIS IV is about to dock right next to her.
As the ARIS IV docked in Perama, my trip was over, as was this unique day which saw me taking more than 700 pictures in almost eight hours. I chose the best way to finish it, by traveling with the brand new and comfortable ARIS IV, which proudly represents the fourth generation of Psomas Shipping in the Greek coastal service. Her trip was very nice and calm, and I saw several familiar figures of the Perama-Salamina line. I was very pleased to have spent such a long and impressive day, during which I witnessed countless departures, explored new ports and ships for the first time, while also spotting several ships that I had not seen in years. Overall, this day, 14 August 2020, will hardly be forgotten. However, my Greek coastal service experience for the 2020 summer season was far from over, as I went on to do so many other trips and take numerous other pictures. More about that will be covered in the upcoming posts, which will begin to appear in 2021, so stay tuned!
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