PANAGIA TINOU (ΠΑΝΑΓΙΑ ΤΗΝΟΥ)
-Ventouris Sea Lines
ex-AGIOS GEORGIOS (ΑΓΙΟΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ), also for Ventouris Sea Lines (2004-2015)
Built in 1972, scrapped in 2017 (age 45). Was registered in Piraeus.
Among the most historic ships to have ever been deployed in the Greek Coastal Service, this ferry was renamed for a record 7 times during her 25 years in Greek waters. She was built in France as the HENGIST for the British conglomerate Sealink, for service on the Channel. She operated mainly on the Boulogne-Folkestone line, but she also operated on the Ostend-Folkestone line and on the Boulogne-Dover line during winters, replacing her fleetmates that were undergoing their annual refits. She grounded off in Folkestone in 1987, but was repaired and put back into service. She was transferred to the company Stena Line in 1991 and was renamed STENA HENGIST, remaining on the Boulogne-Folkestone line until the end of that year. She was sold to the Greek company GA Ferries in 1992, and headed to Perama for a lengthy conversion. She was renamed ROMILDA, and entered service on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Amorgos-Patmos-Kalymnos-Kos-Nisyros-Tilos-Symi-Rhodes-Karpathos-Kasos-Siteia-Milos line for the 1992 summer season. She was again sold, after just one year, to Ventouris Sea Lines, which renamed her APOLLON EXPRESS 2 and deployed her on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini line on the Cyclades in 1993. In 1995 she was inserted on the Piraeus-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Folegandros-Siteia-Kasos-Karpathos-Chalki-Rhodes line. However, during that same year, Ventouris Sea Lines collapsed due to financial difficulties, and therefore the ship was sold in 1996 to Agapitos Lines. She was renamed PANAGIA EKATONTAPYLIANI and was deployed on the Piraeus-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini line. In 1999, her company was taken over by Minoan Flying Dolphins (which was renamed Hellas Flying Dolphins in 2002) and she was renamed EXPRESS ARTEMIS. She operated on the Piraeus-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Folegandros-Sikinos-Ios-Santorini-Anafi line in 2000 under the Hellas Ferries division. In 2001 she was renamed PANAGIA EKATONTAPYLIANI once again (following protests made by the eponymous church in Paros when she changed her name in 1999), and she operated on the Piraeus-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Irakleia-Schoinousa-Koufonisi-Donousa-Amorgos-Folegandros-Sikinos-Ios-Thirassia-Santorini-Anafi line. In 2002 she was inserted on the Piraeus-Syros-Tinos-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Thirassia-Santorini line, while in 2003 she was deployed on the Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Irakleia-Schoinousa-Koufonisi-Donousa-Amorgos-Ios-Thirassia-Santorini-Anafi line. In 2004 she was sold to a re-established Ventouris Sea Lines. She therefore returned to the company for the first time since 1996, being renamed AGIOS GEORGIOS. Although she was first deployed on the Rafina-Syros-Paros-Naxos-Donousa-Amorgos-Ios-Santorini line, she was transferred, in 2005, to the Piraeus-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Kimolos-Milos-Folegandros-Sikinos-Ios-Santorini line, where she stayed until 2014. In 2015 she was renamed once again, as PANAGIA TINOU, and was planned to be deployed on the Rafina-Andros-Tinos-Mykonos line, but her company's financial difficulties led her to being arrested in Piraeus. In 2016, the abandoned ship sadly developed a listing of 45 degrees and was partly submerged inside the port of Piraeus. The following year, the Piraeus Port Authority organised the salvaging operation of the ship, and the ship was towed to Turkey for scrap, thus ending a legendary 45-year-long career, with 25 of these years being spent on the Aegean Sea.
PHOTOS (2013, 2015, 2016):
The PANAGIA TINOU, then known as the AGIOS GEORGIOS, resting in Piraeus port, awaiting her departure to the Cyclades (8/2013).
The PANAGIA TINOU laid-up in Piraeus (6/2015).
The historic PANAGIA TINOU laid-up in Piraeus (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU in the usual spot she was departing from between 20 and 10 years ago in Piraeus. In 2015, however, this spot became permanent for her (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU in the usual spot she was departing from between 20 and 10 years ago in Piraeus. In 2015, however, this spot became permanent for her (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU in the usual spot she was departing from between 20 and 10 years ago in Piraeus. In 2015, however, this spot became permanent for her (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU laid-up in Piraeus, repeating the same fate her company had faced twenty years ago (7/2015).
The historic PANAGIA TINOU now laid-up in Piraeus (7/2015).
The historic PANAGIA TINOU now laid-up in Piraeus (7/2015).
The historic PANAGIA TINOU now laid-up in Piraeus (7/2015).
The historic PANAGIA TINOU laid-up in Piraeus (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU in Piraeus, awaiting her fate (7/2015).
The PANAGIA TINOU in Piraeus, awaiting her fate (8/2015).
A sad picture inside the port of Piraeus: the PANAGIA TINOU partly submerged (7/2016).
An ending she totally did not deserve: the legendary PANAGIA TINOU awaiting her final fate in Piraeus (7/2016).
An ending she totally did not deserve: the legendary PANAGIA TINOU awaiting her final fate in Piraeus (7/2016).
An ending she totally did not deserve: the legendary PANAGIA TINOU awaiting her final fate in Piraeus (7/2016).
The legendary PANAGIA TINOU awaiting her final fate in Piraeus (7/2016).
The doomed PANAGIA TINOU now very far from her glorious past in Piraeus. This turned out to be my last-ever picture of the ship, as she was salvaged and scrapped the following year (8/2016).