SMYRNA DI LEVANTE (ΣΜΥΡΝΑ ΝΤΙ ΛΕΒΑΝΤΕ)
-Levante Ferries
Built in 1977 (age 48). Registered in Piraeus. Current line: Kyllini-Zakynthos
The cruiseferry SMYRNA DI LEVANTE was built in 1977 in Norway, initially as the train ferry ROSTOCK for the East German state-owned railway company Deutsche Reichsbahn. She had been ordered in order to ensure the transportation of trains traveling from East Germany to Sweden via the Baltic Sea. To that end, she was deployed on the Sassnitz-Trelleborg line, operating under the TS Line brandname. In 1982 she ran aground in Trelleborg but she was quickly repaired and she returned to service. Following the German reunification in 1990, Deutsche Reichsbahn merged with its former West German counterpart, namely Deutsche Bundesbahn, in order to form Deutsche Fährgesellschaft Ostsee, to which the ROSTOCK was transferred. In 1993 she underwent a small conversion in Rostock in order to increase her passenger capacity. In 1994 she was deployed on the Rostock-Trelleborg line, where she remained until 1998. During that same year, Deutsche Fährgesellschaft Ostsee merged with the Danish company DSB Rederi, resulting in the formation of Scandlines. The ROSTOCK operated during that year for the Scandlines Hansa division, but she was subsequently withdrawn from service in late 1998. She was sold in 1999 to the Swedish company SeaWind Line (which was a subsidiary of the Finnish company Silja Line). She was renamed SKY WIND and she continued to operate as a train ferry, but this time on the Stockholm-Turku line. In 2002 she was deployed on the Tallinn-Helsinki line, before returning to the Stockholm-Turku line in 2005. Later in that same year she was sold to the Estonian company Saaremaa Shipping Company and she was renamed VIRONIA. She was deployed on the Sillamäe-Kotka line in 2006, under the Narva Line brandname. In late 2007 she was sold to the Polish company Unity Line, and she was renamed KOPERNIK. Following a refit in Szczecin, she began service in 2008 on the Świnoujście-Ystad line, where she operated for 11 years. In 2019 she was withdrawn from service and she departed Polferries, having been renamed PERN and having been presumably sold for scrap. She instead headed to Greece, after it was announced that she had been bought by the Greek company Levante Ferries, which is based in Zakynthos. She was renamed SMYRNA and she was bought as part of the company's ambitious plan to have a ferry on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line, which would link Greece with Turkey via the Northeast Aegean Sea. She underwent a major conversion in Drapetsona and in Chalkida which lasted three years. She was fully transformed into a modern and luxurious cruiseferry, with her indoor areas being entirely renovated, while her aft section was fully upgraded. She was renamed SMYRNA DI LEVANTE IN 2022, and later during that same year she began her long-awaited service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line. However, after just one month marked by disappointing traffic numbers, she was withdrawn and she was laid-up in Perama, where she stayed for the entire 2023 season. In spite of the abrupt termination of her services, she the 'Best Ferry Retrofit in the World' award by Shippax in 2023. Her future is currently uncertain.
PHOTOS (2022):
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (8/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (8/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (8/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, following the completion of her sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (8/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, following the completion of her sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (8/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen returning to Drapetsona, after having performed sea trials in light of her introduction to service on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, where she docked for the first time, following the completion of her conversion (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, where she docked for the first time, following the completion of her conversion (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, where she docked for the first time, following the completion of her conversion (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, after having completed her impressive conversion, which had started back in 2019 (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, shortly before the onboard celebration event which was hosted by Levante Ferries (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, shortly before the onboard celebration event which was hosted by Levante Ferries (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, shortly before the onboard celebration event which was hosted by Levante Ferries (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen as she is docked in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen as she is docked in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen as she is docked in Piraeus (10/2022).
The SMYRNA DI LEVANTE seen in Piraeus, just before the start of the onboard celebration event hosted by Levante Ferries. She would then head to Thessaloniki in order to begin operations on the Thessaloniki-İzmir line. She only stayed there for a month however, and she was subsequently laid-up in Perama (10/2022).