In the past, Superfast Ferries has operated lines in several parts of Europe, in the Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, North Sea, and the Baltic sea. Currently, they are mainly active in the Adriatic sea, operating between Greece and Italy. Their routes are between the Italian ports of Ancona and Bari and the Greek ports of Igoumenitsa and Patras, as well as between Bari and Corfu.
Superfast operated the Rosyth – Zeebrugge ferry service between 2002 and 2008. On 29 May 2008, it was announced that Superfast Ferries would withdraw across the North Sea. The service was subsequently withdrawn on 13 September 2008. The North Sea service was mainland Scotland's only year round, direct, scheduled ferry service to and from Continental Europe. The vessel used was Blue Star 1, which replaced the larger Superfast X on the route. Blue Star 1 has been reallocated to Attica's Mediterranean services. Norfolkline restarted the route in May 2009.[2]
Superfast also operated between Piraeus and Heraklion until 2013. On 8 March 2013 it was announced that Superfast VI has been sold to Genting Group and Superfast XII, which was operating that route, was transferred to its position in Adriatic Sea.[citation needed]
In late 2005, Superfast ferries removed one of the two ships operating the link between Zeebrugge and Rosyth, thus turning the daily link from Belgium to Scotland into one operated only every other day. Superfast IX joined the two ship operation between Hanko and Rostock to serve the growing demand in the Finland – Germany service.
In addition, Superfast introduced a new "roll-on/roll-off" (RO/RO) service between Uusikaupunki and Rostock in January 2005. Attica has since moved one of the RO/RO ships, RORO MARIN, to their Adriatic Sea routes.
In April 2006, Superfast and Attica once more took the market by surprise by agreeing to sell the Superfast VII, Superfast VIII, and Superfast IX ice-class ferries to Estonian operator Tallink for €310 million.
In August 2006, Attica entered into an agreement to sell to Veolia Transport its ice-class vessel Superfast X trading between Scotland and Belgium for €112 million. The delivery of Superfast X took place in January 2007.
In September 2007, Pericles Panagopulos, the former key shareholder of Attica and then Chairman, sold his family's participation for €5.50 per share to Marfin Investment Group. The move was seen as a "family transition" decision and was interpreted to be an exit for the then 72-year-old investor. Alexander Panagopulos, CEO of Attica, resigned prior to this sale and founded his shipping company by the name Arista Shipping S.A.
ANEK–SuperfastEdit
On 8 June 2011, Superfast Ferries and ANEK Lines created a joint venture in the name of ANEK–Superfast to operate Piraeus – Heraklion and Patras – Igoumenitsa – Ancona routes using two passenger RO/RO vessels in the former route (the ANEK-owned "Olympic Champion" and the Superfast-owned "Superfast XII") and three in the latter route (the ANEK-owned "Hellenic Spirit" and the Superfast-owned "Superfast VI" and "Superfast XI").[3]
ControversyEdit
On January 18, 2023, Lighthouse Reports, in collaboration with SRF, ARD, Al Jazeera, Il Domani and Solomon published a report claiming illegal pushbacks of asylum seekers from Italy to Greece using Superfast ferries. If those asylum seekers arrived to the ports of Venice, Ancona, Bari, and Brindisi, they were denied the opportunity to seek asylum and were pushed back using the Superfast ships. Immigrants were put into shower rooms and metal boxes with caged roofs, sometimes being handcuffed to metal shelves.[4]
Seville, Richard (2009). Mediterranean Ferries. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN9781871947984.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Superfast Ferries.
Superfast Ferries, online ferry ticket sales and reservations
Attica Group, parent company of Superfast Ferries
Hellas Ferries
October 27, 2023
superfast, ferries, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, april, 2009, learn, when, remove, this, template, message,. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations April 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Superfast Ferries is a Greece based ferry company founded in 1993 by Pericles Panagopulos and Alexander Panagopulos 1 Superfast Ferries is a member of Attica Group and operates 3 car passenger ferries offering daily connections between Ancona and Bari in Italy and Patras and Igoumenitsa in Greece Together with Blue Star Ferries Africa Morocco Link and Hellenic Seaways it is a subsidiary company of Attica Group which is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange Superfast Ferries S A TypeWholly owned subsidiaryIndustryTransportHeadquartersAthens GreeceProductsPassenger transportation Freight transportation Holidays Business travelParentAttica HoldingsWebsitewww superfast comMS Superfast XI bound to Ancona passing Kefalonia island MS Blue Star 1 of the joint Superfast Ferries Blue Star Ferries service from Rosyth to Zeebrugge in the Firth of Forth Contents 1 Routes 2 Vessel allocations 3 ANEK Superfast 4 Controversy 5 Fleet 5 1 Current fleet 5 2 Past fleet 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksRoutes EditIn the past Superfast Ferries has operated lines in several parts of Europe in the Adriatic Sea Aegean Sea North Sea and the Baltic sea Currently they are mainly active in the Adriatic sea operating between Greece and Italy Their routes are between the Italian ports of Ancona and Bari and the Greek ports of Igoumenitsa and Patras as well as between Bari and Corfu Superfast operated the Rosyth Zeebrugge ferry service between 2002 and 2008 On 29 May 2008 it was announced that Superfast Ferries would withdraw across the North Sea The service was subsequently withdrawn on 13 September 2008 The North Sea service was mainland Scotland s only year round direct scheduled ferry service to and from Continental Europe The vessel used was Blue Star 1 which replaced the larger Superfast X on the route Blue Star 1 has been reallocated to Attica s Mediterranean services Norfolkline restarted the route in May 2009 2 Superfast also operated between Piraeus and Heraklion until 2013 On 8 March 2013 it was announced that Superfast VI has been sold to Genting Group and Superfast XII which was operating that route was transferred to its position in Adriatic Sea citation needed Superfast had proposed and was the favourite to run a new ferry service between Great Yarmouth United Kingdom and IJmuiden Netherlands in 2004 at the new Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour development after a bidding process held in 2002 Superfast never went ahead with the route Vessel allocations EditIn late 2005 Superfast ferries removed one of the two ships operating the link between Zeebrugge and Rosyth thus turning the daily link from Belgium to Scotland into one operated only every other day Superfast IX joined the two ship operation between Hanko and Rostock to serve the growing demand in the Finland Germany service In addition Superfast introduced a new roll on roll off RO RO service between Uusikaupunki and Rostock in January 2005 Attica has since moved one of the RO RO ships RORO MARIN to their Adriatic Sea routes In April 2006 Superfast and Attica once more took the market by surprise by agreeing to sell the Superfast VII Superfast VIII and Superfast IX ice class ferries to Estonian operator Tallink for 310 million In August 2006 Attica entered into an agreement to sell to Veolia Transport its ice class vessel Superfast X trading between Scotland and Belgium for 112 million The delivery of Superfast X took place in January 2007 In September 2007 Pericles Panagopulos the former key shareholder of Attica and then Chairman sold his family s participation for 5 50 per share to Marfin Investment Group The move was seen as a family transition decision and was interpreted to be an exit for the then 72 year old investor Alexander Panagopulos CEO of Attica resigned prior to this sale and founded his shipping company by the name Arista Shipping S A ANEK Superfast EditOn 8 June 2011 Superfast Ferries and ANEK Lines created a joint venture in the name of ANEK Superfast to operate Piraeus Heraklion and Patras Igoumenitsa Ancona routes using two passenger RO RO vessels in the former route the ANEK owned Olympic Champion and the Superfast owned Superfast XII and three in the latter route the ANEK owned Hellenic Spirit and the Superfast owned Superfast VI and Superfast XI 3 Controversy EditOn January 18 2023 Lighthouse Reports in collaboration with SRF ARD Al Jazeera Il Domani and Solomon published a report claiming illegal pushbacks of asylum seekers from Italy to Greece using Superfast ferries If those asylum seekers arrived to the ports of Venice Ancona Bari and Brindisi they were denied the opportunity to seek asylum and were pushed back using the Superfast ships Immigrants were put into shower rooms and metal boxes with caged roofs sometimes being handcuffed to metal shelves 4 Fleet EditCurrent fleet Edit Ship Flag Built Route Gross tonnage Length Width Passengers Vehicles Knots PhotosSuperfast I nbsp 2008 Patras Igoumenitsa Corfu Bari 24 950 GT 199 m 26 6 m 928 700 24 2 nbsp Superfast II nbsp 2009 Patras Igoumenitsa Corfu Bari 24 950 GT 199 m 26 6 m 928 700 24 2 nbsp Superfast XI nbsp 2002 Patras Igoumenitsa Corfu Ancona 30 902 GT 200 m 25 m 1 639 653 29 3 nbsp Past fleet Edit Ship Years in service Gross tonnage Current statusMS Superfast I 1995 2004 23 663 GT Since 2008 MS Skania for Unity LineMS Superfast II 1995 2003 23 663 GT Since 2006 MS Mega Express Four for Corsica FerriesMS Superfast III 1998 2002 29 067 GT Since 2002 MS Spirit of Tasmania II for TT Line Australia MS Superfast IV 1998 2002 29 067 GT Since 2002 MS Spirit of Tasmania I for TT Line Australia MS Superfast V 2001 2010 32 728 GT Since 2022 MS GNV Spirit for Grandi Navi VelociMS Superfast VI 2001 2013 32 728 GT Since 2021 MS Europa Palace for Minoan Grimaldi LinesMS Superfast VII 2001 2006 30 285 GT Since 2011 MS Stena Superfast VII for Stena LineMS Superfast VIII 2001 2006 30 285 GT Since 2011 MS Stena Superfast VIII for Stena LineMS Superfast IX 2002 2006 30 285 GT Since 2008 on charter as MV Atlantic Vision from Tallink to Marine AtlanticMS Superfast X 2002 2007 29 800 GT Since 2020 on charter as MS A Nepita from Stena RoRo to Corsica LineaMS Superfast XII 2002 2018 30 902 GT Since 2018 MS Cruise Ausonia for Grimaldi GroupReferences Edit E Tsiliopoulos Greek shipping patriarch Pericles Panagopoulos 83 passes New Greek TV Retrieved 2019 05 29 Norfolkline Will Continue Rosyth Zeebrugge Service in Spring 2009 www norfolkline com Archived from the original on September 21 2008 Home anek superfast gr Detained below deck Lighthouse Reports Retrieved 2023 01 31 Further reading EditSeville Richard 2009 Mediterranean Ferries Ramsey Isle of Man Ferry Publications ISBN 9781871947984 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Superfast Ferries Superfast Ferries online ferry ticket sales and reservations Attica Group parent company of Superfast Ferries Hellas Ferries Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Superfast Ferries amp oldid 1164598108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
