For the fourth year in a row, I had the chance to perform back-to-back trips from Piraeus to Aegina for half a day. It was for the same exact purpose as the trips I made with my mother and her own mother on 3 July 2015, on 19 July 2016, and on 21 July 2017: it was a round-trip to the island of Aegina (one of the two islands in which I go to every summer, as you already know). Traditionally, my mother and my grandmother had been going to Aegina together a few days before we leave Athens for Zakynthos, in order to store in our Aegina house whatever we do not need for the vacation (such as oversized bags, warm clothes) and in order to take whatever is necessary for the beaches (volleyballs, rackets, towels, which stay in our Aegina house all year long). For the fourth consecutive year, I also went to Aegina with them for help (with my twin brother also coming with us this year), so it was once again an opportunity for me to see the Greek coastal service ships during both trips. We took the PHIVOS of Nova Ferries while heading from Piraeus to Aegina, and returned back with the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS of ANES Ferries.
This post is dedicated to the two trips I made that day: from Piraeus to Aegina and back. This post is not a tribute post to either ship, as I had already done one for each of them: in June 2016 for the PHIVOS and in May 2018 for the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS. I did take photos of both ships' passenger areas, but they are the same as the ones from the previous years, so I will not update them in this post.
Regarding the main focus of the post, it marked my third time in four years traveling from Piraeus to Aegina for this purpose with the PHIVOS. I had also traveled with her on 7 July of the same year while heading from Piraeus to Aegina for the weekend alongside my brother and two other friends. This trip with her was thus my second one during that summer. In the case of the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS, it was the first time I traveled with her as part of the traditional 'Saronic Gulf One-Day Trip'. I had also traveled onboard her on 24 June 2018, heading back from Aegina to Piraeus after spending the weekend there with my brother and another friend. I then traveled onboard her again on 13 August, when I headed to Aegina for the rest of the summer with my family. Hence, my trip on 1 August was the second out of the three trips I had with her that summer.
The pictures below will describe you the experience of the two trips I made to and from the second nearest island from Piraeus, Aegina, thanks to the two veteran Saronic Gulf ferries which provided a memorable day for me.
We immediately boarded the PHIVOS shortly after arriving in Piraeus, as we were due to depart at 10:00. From the ship's outdoor deck, I quickly saw the cruiseferry KNOSSOS PALACE of Minoan Lines, which was resting in the port.
On the port side of the PHIVOS, I spotted the high speed catamaran FLYINGCAT 6 of Hellenic Seaways loading passengers, prior to her departure for her first destination: Poros.
Immediately afterwards, I saw the small passenger boat GEORGIOS BROUFAS II of Broufas Vessels heading towards her docking spot in Piraeus. Built in 1998, she operates on the Piraeus-Salamina line, where she has so far spent her entire career.
The GEORGIOS BROUFAS II seen heading towards her docking spot in Piraeus. That summer marked my first-ever trips with her, as I traveled onboard her from Piraeus to Salamina and back on 3 July 2018.
While looking further up, I was surprised to spot the high speed ferry NAXOS JET of Sea Jets resting in the E9 gate. Indeed, that summer (which was her debut season under her current owners), she was operating on the Rafina-Andros-Syros-Tinos-Mykonos-Paros-Naxos line, so it felt strange to see her docked in Piraeus. The reason was because Sea Jets decided to send her fleetmate, the PAROS JET, to operate on the line for that day only, due to her having a larger passenger and garage capacity. The NAXOS JET returned to her usual service the following day.
The GEORGIOS BROUFAS II seen approaching Piraeus.
The GEORGIOS BROUFAS II about to begin her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus.
The GEORGIOS BROUFAS II having maneuvered in Piraeus and preparing to dock.
Barely seconds after she had arrived, the GEORGIOS BROUFAS II was being followed by another ship which had just returned to Piraeus. It was the hydrofoil FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA of Aegean Flying Dolphins, which operates on the Piraeus-Aegina-Agistri line.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA heading towards her docking spot. The summer of 2018 marked her ninth under Aegean Flying Dolphins, and her eighth consecutive on the Piraeus-Aegina-Agistri line.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA heading towards her docking spot in Piraeus.
The veteran hydrofoil FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA on her way towards her docking spot in Piraeus.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA, which is one of the ships that performs the most trips in a day from Piraeus to any Greek island, making her way towards her docking spot in the E8 gate.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA, which has been the sole hydrofoil of her company operating on the Saronic Gulf since late 2011, after her older fleetmates were retired due to having reached the mandatory age limit of 30 years of service, though this limit has long ceased to exist.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA having just docked in Piraeus, while the FLYINGCAT 6 is about to depart the port.
The FLYINGCAT 6 having departed Piraeus, and beginning to head towards Poros. She operates on the Piraeus-Poros-Hydra-Ermioni-Spetses-Porto Cheli line on the Saronic Gulf. She served this line in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018. She is also set to operate there during the 2019 season.
The speedy FLYINGCAT 6 leaving Piraeus in order to head towards Poros.
Just a few seconds later, she was followed by the GEORGIOS BROUFAS II, which had already loaded her passengers in order to return to Salamina.
After seeing the FLYINGCAT 6 and the GEORGIOS BROUFAS II depart Piraeus, it now was our time to leave as well. Here is another view of the KNOSSOS PALACE, which is the flagship of Minoan Lines and was on the Piraeus-Milos-Heraklion line during the summer of 2018.
While the PHIVOS was departing, I had the chance to photograph the ferry that standing right next to her. It was the APOLLON HELLAS of 2way Ferries, which operates on the Piraeus-Aegina-Methana-Poros line (just like the PHIVOS) and collaborates with Nova Ferries under the Saronic Ferries joint venture.
The APOLLON HELLAS seen resting in Piraeus. The summer of 2018 marked her second consecutive on the line, having returned there in 2017, after spending three seasons on the Sporades (two with her former owners Hellenic Seaways and one with 2way Ferries). Before that, she had been operating on the Saronic Gulf from 1999 to 2013.
As we began to head towards the exit, I got to see the rival of the KNOSSOS PALACE, the BLUE HORIZON of Blue Star Ferries, which operates on the Piraeus-Heraklion line. She was also departing the port as part of her in-day trip to Crete.
The APOLLON HELLAS in Piraeus. She had her first trip of that day just one hour after the PHIVOS' departure.
The BLUE HORIZON seen departing Piraeus.
In the meantime, another ship was seen arriving Piraeus: it was the double-ended ferry ACHAEOS, also owned by 2way Ferries, which operates on the Piraeus-Aegina-Agistri line.
The BLUE HORIZON seen leaving Piraeus. I now managed to photograph her during one of her departures, after having previously witnessed her arriving and making an impressive maneuvering procedure in Piraeus, when I visited the port on 12 July 2018.
While we were leaving the port, the FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA also departed (barely a few minutes after she had arrived). The ACHAEOS can be seen right in front of her.
The ACHAEOS seen heading towards her docking spot in Piraeus. That summer was her fifth consecutive on the Saronic Gulf, and sixth overall in her career. Indeed, she spent her debut summer there, on the Piraeus-Aegina line, shortly after her construction was completed back in 2006.
The BLUE HORIZON leaving Piraeus, and seen passing by the KNOSSOS PALACE.
The APOLLON HELLAS, on which I had traveled on 23 June of the same year, resting in Piraeus. I also traveled onboard her for the first time since her return to the Saronic Gulf on 7 August 2017 (almost a year before taking this picture).
The BLUE HORIZON seen heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus.
A view of the NAXOS JET, seen resting in Piraeus for the day.
The ACHAEOS seen heading towards the E8 gate, where the PHIVOS had previously been docked.
Behind the dock where the BLUE HORIZON was moored prior to her departure, I saw the cruiseferry EL. VENIZELOS of ANEK Lines, which was operating on the Piraeus-Chania line.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA and the much larger BLUE HORIZON both seen heading towards the exit of the port of Piraeus.
The KNOSSOS PALACE seen in Piraeus. Built in 2000, she has spent her entire career on the Piraeus-Heraklion line. The summer of 2018 saw her making connections to Milos for the first time ever. In the winter of 2018-2019, she became the second ship of her company (and of Greece as a whole) to undergo a conversion in order to have the exhaust gas cleaning system (also known as a 'scrubber') installed on her funnel. This will help her consume less sulphur and thus less gas oil, making her more environmentally-friendly. Most of her fleetmates have also undergone this conversion or are due to undergo it in the near future.
The EL. VENIZELOS seen in Piraeus. She was also due to depart the port in order to make a day trip to Chania.
The ACHAEOS having passed by the PHIVOS and making her way towards the E8 gate docking spot.
The ACHAEOS about to dock next to her fleetmate, the APOLLON HELLAS.
The BLUE HORIZON seen leaving Piraeus in order to go to Heraklion. She has been on the Piraeus-Heraklion line since 2014. Before that, she had a very successful spell on the Adriatic Sea from 1998 to 2009 (as the SUPERFERRY HELLAS of Strintzis Lines from 1998 to 1999, and as the BLUE HORIZON from 2000 to 2009), operating initially on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Ancona-Venice line (1998-1999), then on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Bari line (2003-2009). Afterwards she operated on the Piraeus-Chania line in 2010, with this being her first-ever service on the Aegean Sea. She was laid-up in 2012 due to problems caused by the Greek economic crisis at the start of the decade, but fortunately returned to service in 2013, being deployed on the Piraeus-Santorini-Kos-Rhodes line, before again finding a permanent spot the following year: this time on her current line.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA on her way towards Aegina.
The KNOSSOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus.
The BLUE HORIZON and the FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA seen from behind, as we all head towards the port's exit.
As mentioned previously, the EL. VENIZELOS also began to depart Piraeus in order to reach Chania.
Next to the ships in front of us, there was the cruiseferry NISSOS SAMOS of Hellenic Seaways, which operates on the Northeast Aegean Sea, serving the Piraeus-Psara-Oinousses-Chios-Mytilene line.
The EL. VENIZELOS having departed Piraeus. The summer of 2018 was her second consecutive one on the Piraeus-Chania line, on which she had also served several times in the past. The summer of 2017 was her first operating for ANEK Lines since 2012, after having had multiple charters in between. She was replacing her fleetmate, the ELYROS, which was on charter to Algérie Ferries (as it has been the case since the summer of 2015).
Two rival ferries of two rival operators seen together in Piraeus. The KNOSSOS PALACE and the departing EL. VENIZELOS. While the KNOSSOS PALACE still is the flagship of Minoan Lines, the EL. VENIZELOS was previously the flagship of ANEK Lines, serving that role from her delivery in 1992 until the arrival of the newly-built OLYMPIC CHAMPION in 2000.
The EL. VENIZELOS seen right behind us, on her way towards Chania.
In the E1 gate located right next to the exit of the port of Piraueus, I got to see the ferry BLUE STAR 2 of Blue Star Ferries, which was operating on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Amorgos-Santorini-Samos-Patmos-Leros-Kalymnos-Kos-Symi-Rhodes line, alongside her sister ship, the BLUE STAR 1.
Between where the NISSOS SAMOS and the BLUE STAR 2 were docked, I got to see a ship for the first time in more than a decade. It was the cruiseferry MYKONOS PALACE of Minoan Lines, which was operating for the company for the first time since 2012, being deployed on the Piraeus-Chania line. This marked Minoan Lines' first summer on the line exactly twenty years, having last served it in 1998.
The NISSOS SAMOS seen receiving bunkers while resting in Piraeus. This was her third season under Hellenic Seaways. Before that, she was the IONIAN QUEEN of the now-defunct Adriatic Sea-based company Endeavor Lines, operating for them between 2005 and 2012, before being laid-up in Patras from 2012 to late 2015, when she was bought by her current owners.
The MYKONOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus. Her introduction to service on the Piraeus-Chania line was certainly the most discussed and most defining moment of the summer of 2018. Her first season was very successful, and it was a pleasure to see her back in Greece, after she had spent her previous years (2012-2017) under charter to Italian company Tirrenia Di Navigazione (taking the name AMSICORA).
The funnel of the MYKONOS PALACE, carrying the logo of Minoan Lines (featuring the Lilly Prince from the fresco located in the palace of Knossos in Crete) for the first time since 2012. Her funnel however no longer looks like the one shown in the picture. Indeed, the ship was the first one of her company (right before the KNOSSOS PALACE) and the first in the history of the Greek coastal service to upgrade her oil consumption method by having scrubbers installed, as part of the Sulphur Cap legislation implemented by MARPOL which will come to effect on 1 January 2020. Minoan Lines is so far the only company in Greece to have undergone such a process, making it the most environmentally-friendly shipping company in the Greek coastal service as of 2019.
The BLUE STAR 2 seen resting in Piraeus. She herself has also served the Piraeus-Chania line, having operated there back in 2003 and 2004. Since 2005, she has been permanently serving the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus. She became the third ship of her company to connect Piraeus with Crete that summer, alongside her two older sister ships (the KNOSSOS PALACE and the FESTOS PALACE).
Another view of the MYKONOS PALACE. She is the youngest of the four sister ships ordered by Minoan Lines at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Italy between 2000 and 2002. During her first spell under Minoan Lines, she operated as the EUROPA PALACE, and was on the Adriatic Sea. She was on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona line from 2002 to 2010, and then on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Venice line from 2010 to 2011. In 2012, Minoan Lines closed the line, and she and her sister ship, the OLYMPIA PALACE (now the CRUISE BONARIA of Grimaldi Lines), were chartered to Tirrenia Di Navigazione.
The NISSOS SAMOS and the EL. VENIZELOS seen together in Piraeus. The gigantic cruiseferries were previously on the Adriatic Sea, though not in the same period of time.
The impressive MYKONOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus.
Another view of the BLUE STAR 2. She was a competitor of the MYKONOS PALACE (then known as the EUROPA PALACE) in her debut season back in 2002, when both ships served the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona line. The BLUE STAR 2 then moved to the Aegean Sea in 2003, and has been remaining there ever since.
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus. In her first stint under Minoan Lines, she was registered in Heraklion. Following her return, she was reflagged to Greece, but was instead registered in Piraeus. This makes her the only ship of Minoan Lines' Aegean Sea fleet not be registered in the company's base port.
The BLUE HORIZON seen exiting the port of Piraeus.
While the PHIVOS was exiting the port of Piraeus, I spotted the AGIA MARINA AEGINIS of Evoïkos Lines patiently waiting to enter it (due to many ships exiting at the same time). She operates on the Piraeus-Northern Aegina line, serving the ports of Souvala and Agia Marina.
Another view of the MYKONOS PALACE as we begin to exit the port.
Alongside another view of the BLUE STAR 2.
The AGIA MARINA AEGINIS awaiting the moment in which she will be able to enter the port of Piraeus. It was her third summer under Evoïkos Lines, having been sold to them in 2016.
While exiting Piraeus, I then had a clearer view on the Piraeus Vicinity area, which includes Drapetsona, Keratsini and Perama. Near the Drapetsona pier, I spotted the landing craft PSYTTALEIA II of Psyttaleia Shipping, which connects Drapetsona with the nearby island Psyttaleia (which houses the largest sewage treatment plant in Europe).
The AGIA MARINA AEGINIS preparing to enter the port of Piraeus. She was previously known as the ALEXANDROS of Alexandros Shipping (2000-2015) and then of my WAYS (2015-2016). After beginning her career as on the Ionian Sea on the Zakynthos-Kefalonia-Ithaca-Lefkada line (2000-2006) and in Crete on the Ierapetra-Chryssi line (2007), she was deployed on her current service in 2008. She has remained there ever since, despite changing owners in 2015 and 2016, as well as changing her name to her current one in the latter year.
Next to the AGIA MARINA AEGINIS, I spotted another small passenger boat. It was the PETROULA of Petroula Speedline, which was spending her debut season on the Piraeus-Salamina line.
The PETROULA about to enter Piraeus. She was previously known as the HERMES of
Antiparos Speedline NE, operating for them between 2010 (the year she was built) and 2016 on the Paros-Antiparos line. She was sold that same year to her current owners, which renamed her PETROULA and deployed her on the Perama-Salamina line in 2017. In 2018, she instead connected Salamina with Piraeus.
The BLUE HORIZON seen right after having exited the port of Piraeus.
The great BLUE HORIZON seen heading towards Heraklion.
The BLUE HORIZON seen en route towards Heraklion.
The EL. VENIZELOS having just exited the port of Piraeus.
A last view of the incredible BLUE HORIZON as she heads towards Crete.
The EL. VENIZELOS seen following her, though she heads towards Chania. Her season last year was cut short near the end of August, as she suffered a fire onboard caused by some lorries inside her garage. Fortunately, thanks to the professionalism and calmness of her crew, it was extinguished and the ship was able to return to Piraeus and to safely evacuate all passengers, with no reported injuries. She was repaired in Perama and returned to service on the Piraeus-Chania line three days ago.
After having left the Piraeus area, we were now heading towards Aegina. There, I spotted the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS of ANES Ferries, which was heading from Aegina to Piraeus.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS, in what was her twentieth summer of operations, having spent all of them, except for the first two of her career, on the Piraeus-Aegina line. Before that, she was operating as the PANAGIA SKIATHOU on the Sporades, under her former owners, Northern Sporades and Evoia Shipping Company, on the Volos-Skiathos-Skopelos-Alonissos-Pyli line. She has been owned by ANES Ferries since 2007.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS seen during her eighteenth summer on the Saronic Gulf, and twelfth under ANES Ferries.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS on her way towards Piraeus. I would find myself onboard her just a few hours after taking this picture.
After 65 minutes, we had reached Aegina. This marked my third time (out of four overall) going to the island that summer. As soon as we arrived, we disembarked and I saw the FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA departing Aegina.
The FLYING DOLPHIN ATHINA seen leaving Aegina.
The PHIVOS seen in Aegina, shortly after having disembarked her. She then left Aegina in order to head towards Methana and Poros.
Just a few moments after having disembarked, I also spotted the POSIDON HELLAS of 2way Ferries arriving in Aegina, after having left Agistri.
The first trip had thus come to an end. We then headed towards our house in Aegina in order to carry out our planned tasks. Just two hours later, we were already back at the port in order to make our return to Athens.
While waiting for the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS to come, I saw the ACHAEOS resting in Aegina, shortly before her planned departure to Piraeus.
The ACHAEOS seen in Aegina, before her departure to Piraeus.
About 30 minutes after the departure of the ACHAEOS, the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS had finally reached Aegina.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS seen maneuvering in Aegina.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS seen maneuvering and preparing to dock in Aegina.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS having finished maneuvering and preparing to dock in Aegina.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS preparing to dock in Aegina.
The AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS having almost docked in Aegina.
At around 14:30, we began to depart Aegina in order to return to Piraeus. I would find myself there again from 13 August to 25 August, spending my last summer days in Greece there before heading to Vienna (via Italy).
We had already started leaving the island of Aegina. Fifteen minutes after our departure, I spotted the hydrofoil FLYING DOLPHIN XXIX of Hellenic Seaways, which was also heading towards Piraeus.
Built in 1993, the FLYING DOLPHIN XXIX has spent her entire career on the Saronic Gulf. She is currently the youngest hydrofoil still in service in Greece.
Crossing the FLYING DOLPHIN XXIX as she heads towards Piraeus. She operates on the Piraeus-Aegina-Agistri-Poros-Hydra-Ermioni-Spetses-Porto Cheli line.
A few minutes later, I saw the APOLLON HELLAS sailing right in front of us.
The APOLLON HELLAS seen heading towards Aegina.
The APOLLON HELLAS on her way towards Aegina, in her third season under 2way Ferries, and second consecutive season on the Saronic Gulf (on the Piraeus-Aegina-Methana-Poros line).
Another view of the APOLLON HELLAS as she heads towards Aegina.
Crossing the APOLLON HELLAS as she heads towards the island of Aegina.
Near the Attica coast, I spotted the containership COSCO SHIPPING DANUBE of Chinese giants COSCO Shipping, which is also the main operator the port of Piraeus.
After an hour and ten minutes, we had reached the port of Piraeus. I again saw the GEORGIOS BROUFAS II, though this time she was standing behind us, as she was arriving from Salamina.
We immediately entered the port of Piraeus, where I again saw the BLUE STAR 2.
The BLUE STAR 2 seen resting in Piraeus.
I then saw the MYKONOS PALACE again, as she was receiving bunkers shortly before her programmed departure to Chania.
The MYKONOS PALACE seen during her first summer back with Minoan Lines.
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus shortly before her departure.
Passing by the NISSOS SAMOS, which was still resting in Piraeus. The Japanese-built ship spent her first summer under Hellenic Seaways on the Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene-Limnos-Thessaloniki line. In 2017, her second year, she was deployed on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Santorini line, where she was extremely successful. In 2018, due to the changes brought by the sale of Hellenic Seaways to Attica Group, she returned to the Northeast Aegean Sea, serving the Piraeus-Psara-Oinousses-Chios-Mytilene line. She is due to operate there as well during the summer of 2019.
Behind the NISSOS SAMOS, I saw the cruiseferry BLUE STAR PATMOS of Blue Star Ferries, which had returned to Piraeus following her morning departures from the Cyclades islands she serves.
Another view of the KNOSSOS PALACE, still resting in Piraeus.
As we were starting to head towards the E8 gate docking spot, I saw the POSIDON HELLAS departing the port of Piraeus in order to head towards Aegina.
The POSIDON HELLAS seen leaving Piraeus, n route towards Aegina. She had been the ship on which I had done my Saronic Gulf One-Day Trip the previous year, having traveled onboard her from Piraeus to Aegina and back on 21 July 2017.
The great KNOSSOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus.
The BLUE STAR PATMOS resting in Piraeus, before her late afternoon departure to the Cyclades. Having been on the area since late 2014, she spent the 2018 season solely on the Piraeus-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini-Anafi line.
When looking towards the starboard side of the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS, I saw the high speed catamaran FLYINGCAT 3 of Hellenic Seaways resting in Piraeus.
The FLYINGCAT 3, which was celebrating 20 years since her date of built in 2018. She was spending her third consecutive season serving the Saronic Gulf on a full-time basis, being deployed on the Piraeus-Poros-Hydra-Ermioni-Spetses-Porto Cheli line, together with the FLYINGCAT 6. She had also briefly operated on the Piraeus-Hydra-Spetses line in 2015, in addition to her Cyclades service that was being spent on the Piraues-Serifos-Sifnos-Koufonisi line.
Next to her was another high speed catamaran, the SUPER JET of Sea Jets, which was loading passengers as she was due to depart the port for her afternoon and evening service on the Cyclades.
I also saw the gigantic cruise ship MSC POESIA of Italian-Swiss company MSC Cruises (MSC standing for the Mediterranean Shipping Company).
The SUPER JET seen in Piraeus. That summer, she was operating on the Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Kimolos-Folegandros-Ios-Santorini line, which she had also served in 2016 (back then, the island of Sikinos was part of her itinerary) and in 2017.
The FLYINGCAT 3 resting in Piraeus, prior to her next departure for Poros.
Another view of the SUPER JET, shortly before her departure to Serifos.
As the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS was beginning her maneuvering procedure, I saw the ACHAEOS, which had arrived in Piraeus an hour before us, resting besides us.
Also docked were the AGIA MARINA AEGINIS and the PETROULA, which I had seen earlier that day at the exit of the port of Piraeus, when I was heading towards Aegina with the PHIVOS.
The PETROULA seen resting in Piraeus. For the 2019 summer season, she is due to return to the Perama-Salamina line.
The AGIA MARINA AEGINIS and the PETROULA seen together in Piraeus.
The FLYINGCAT 3 resting in Piraeus, right next to the two small passenger ships.
The AGIA MARINA AEGINIS seen in Piraeus. She has reportedly been sold to ANES Ferries, hence she will be a fleetmate of the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS this upcoming summer. To add some positive news, she is rumoured to extend her service to Hydra, by thus operating on the Piraeus-Northern Aegina-Hydra line. If this eventually happens, it will mark the first-ever direct connection of the two islands (despite her leaving from the port of Agia Marina rather than from the main port of Aegina), if one-day cruise ships are excluded.
After the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS had finished her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus, we disembarked at around 16:00, thus marking the end of our day spent on the Saronic Gulf. These two trips with the PHIVOS and the AGIOS NEKTARIOS AEGINAS (two ships which have been a significant part of my childhood) were exceptional to me, as I was able to enjoy a handful of Greek coastal service ships, seeing many of them multiple times and obviously taking more photos of them. I was now ready for my annual summer days with my family in both Zakynthos (from 2 August to 13 August) and Aegina (from 13 August to 25 August).
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