STAVROS (ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣ)
-Saos Ferries
Built in 2001 (age 24). Registered in Piraeus. Current line: Samos-Agathonisi-Farmakonisi-Arkioi-Patmos-Leipsoi-Leros-Kalymnos-Kos-Nisyros-Tilos-Symi-Chalki-Rhodes
The conventional ferry STAVROS was ordered in 1999 by the Greek company Saos Ferries, which is based in Samothraki. Despite the company experiencing significant financial difficulties, she was completed in 2001 in Greece as the SAOS II, and she was deployed on the Northeast Aegean Sea, serving the Lavrion-Agios Efstratios-Limnos-Kavala-Samothraki-Alexandroupolis lifeline. In 2005 she also served the Cyclades, as she was on the Lavrion-Andros-Syros-Tinos-Mykonos-Chios-Mytilene-Psara-Agios Efstratios-Limnos-Kavala-Samothraki lifeline, while in 2006 she began serving the Sporades instead of the Cyclades, as she operated on the Agios Konstantinos-Volos-Skiathos-Skopelos-Alonissos-Kymi-Chios-Mytilene-Limnos-Kavala-Samothraki-Alexandroupolis lifeline. In 2008 she operated on the Lavrion-Psara-Agios Efstratios-Limnos-Samothraki-Kavala line. In 2009 she moved to the Alexandroupolis-Samothraki line, and she was the only ship of Saos Ferries that continued to operate, as all of her fleetmates were arrested and subsequently laid-up across many Greek ports due to the company experiencing financial issues once again. She was therefore the only ship that operated in Samothraki for about a decade. In 2017 she operated on the Lavrion-Limnos-Samothraki-Alexandroupolis line, before returning to the Alexandroupolis-Samothraki line in 2018. In 2019 she suffered a major engine failure in Alexandroupolis, which kept her out for the rest of the season and resulting in Samothraki being left with no ferry to serve it, as her other fleetmates, namely the SAONISOS and the ZEFYROS, also had engine failures. Following a major crisis in the island, Saos Ferries saw its subsidy contract on the Alexandroupolis-Samothraki line being revoked. The ship was eventually repaired and she was renamed STAVROS. She was deployed on Kos-Nisyros-Tilos-Chalki-Symi-Rhodes-Castellorizon lifeline on the Dodecanese in 2020. In 2022 she operated on the Astypalaia-Kalymnos-Kos-Nisyros-Tilos-Chalki-Symi-Rhodes-Castellorizon lifeline, before returning to the Kos-Nisyros-Tilos-Chalki-Symi-Rhodes-Castellorizon lifeline in 2024.
PHOTOS (2022):
The STAVROS seen having left Kos and heading towards Kalymnos, with Pserimos spotted in the background (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen having left Kos and heading towards Kalymnos, with Pserimos spotted in the background (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen having left Symi (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen having left Symi (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen on the Dodecanese, as she heads from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen on the Dodecanese, as she heads from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen on the Dodecanese, as she heads from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
Crossing the STAVROS while she sails from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
Crossing the STAVROS while she sails from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
Crossing the STAVROS while she sails from Symi to Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen en route towards Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen en route towards Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen en route towards Rhodes (8/2022).
The STAVROS seen as she is making her way towards the port of Rhodes (8/2022).