Blue Star Ferries Explained

Founded:[1]
Hq Location City:Kallithea, Athens
Hq Location Country:Greece
Area Served:Aegean Sea
Services:Passenger transportation
Freight transportation
Parent:Attica Group
Homepage:www.bluestarferries.com

Blue Star Maritime S.A., operating under the brand name Blue Star Ferries, is a Greece-based company founded in 1993 which provides ferry services between the Greek mainland and the Aegean Islands.

Blue Star Ferries is the biggest ferry company in Greece, serving more than 20 destinations. Its fleet is composed of 12 modern ferries whose course speeds range from 23 to 30 knots.[2] Blue Star Ferries is a subsidiary of Attica Group along with Hellenic Seaways and Superfast Ferries.

History

Blue Star Ferries was founded in 1965 as Strintzis Lines by the Strintzis family from Lixouri, Kefalonia. The company was rebranded as Blue Ferries in 2000[3] following Attica Enterprises' acquisition of a 48% stake in the company.[4] Blue Star Ferries is a sister company of Superfast Ferries, as both are part of Attica Group and have had partnership in some routes, such as RosythZeebrugge and presently PiraeusHeraklion.

In 2000, the company took delivery of two roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) ferries built at the Dutch shipyard Van der Giessen de Noord. In 2006, Blue Star Maritime S.A. purchased the Dodecanese ferry company DANE Sea Lines.

Blue Star Ferries ordered two ferry-type ships at Daewoo Shipyards in South Korea. The first ferry, named Blue Star Delos, was delivered in the first 10 days of October 2011, and the second, Blue Star Patmos, in July 2012. Blue Star Delos is currently on the route Piraeus–ParosNaxosIosThira, and Blue Star Patmos on the route Piraeus–ChiosMytilini (Lesvos).[5]

Current fleet

Blue Star Ferries currently operates a fleet of 10 vessels.[6]

Conventional ferries

Ship Flag Built Entered
service
Length Width Passengers Vehicles Knots Photo
Blue Star 1 2000 2000 176,1 m 25,7 m 1.890 780 28
Blue Star 2 2000 2000 176,1 m 25,7 m 1.854 780 28
Blue Star Paros 2002 2002 124,2 m 18,9 m 1.474 240 24,4
Blue Star Naxos 2002 2002 124,2 m 18,9 m 1.474 240 24,4
Diagoras 1990 2006 141,5 m 23 m 1.462 274 21,1
Blue Star Delos 2011 2011 145,9 m 23,2 m 2.400 430 25,5
Blue Star Patmos 2012 2012 145,9 m 23,2 m 2.000 430 25.5
Blue Star Mykonos 2005 2020 141 m 21 m 1.915 418 26.5
Blue Star Chios 2007 2020 141 m 21 m 1.782 418 27.0

RO/RO cargo ships

Ship Flag Built Entered
service
Length Width Passengers Vehicles Knots Photo
Blue Carrier 1 2000 2019 142,5 m 23,5 m 18 1.680 l.m. 17,5
Blue Carrier 2 1997 2024 162,5 m 25,6 m 12 2.307 l.m. 17,5

Former fleet

As Strinzis Lines

As Blue Ferries and Blue Star Ferries

Routes

Piraeus–Cyclades

Piraeus–Dodecanese

Piraeus–Northeast Aegean Sea

Media

One of Blue Star Ferries' boats took the role of Princess Myrto on the Greek TV show Θα Σε Δω Στο Πλοίο (literally translated: I'll See You on the Ferry) broadcast by Alpha TV, a Greek channel, from 2000 to 2002. The majority of the filming for this series was on the boat itself except for on-location filming of the characters on holiday or on leave. This is still being broadcast in certain Greek-speaking countries, including Cyprus.

Controversy

On September 5, 2023, a 36 year old passenger of Blue Horizon, owned by Blue Star Ferries, on his effort to catch the ship on time, fell overboard and drowned at the port of Piraeus. The company initially denied any responsibility claiming that the man slipped, but video footage that was released later showed clearly that he was pushed off the ship's hatch by crew members. At that time the ship was departing with her propellers full ahead and the man drowned due to heavy turbulence. The video showed that the ship continued her course and the crew neither offered help nor reported "man overboard" as should. After the video was released on social media the ship, who had continued her voyage to Crete, was ordered to return to the port where the captain and the responsible crew members were arrested by the port police.[7]

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BLUE STAR FERRIES MONOPROSOPI NAFTILIAKI ANONYMI ETAIREIA . 3 December 2023.
  2. Web site: Our Fleet . 2022-06-28 . Blue Star Ferries . en.
  3. Web site: ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΕΩΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ, ΤΕΥΧΟΣ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΩΝ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΩΝ ΠΕΡΩΡΙΣΜΕΝΗΣ ΕΥΘΥΝΗΣ, Αρ. Φύλλου 3415 . Government of Greece . 5 December 2023 . 2 . el . 19 May 2000.
  4. Attica Enterprises Annual Report 2000
  5. Web site: Launch of 'Blue Star Ithaki' on Rafina–Andros–Tinos–Mykonos line . el:Δρομολόγηση του 'Blue Star Ithaki' στη γραμμή Ραφήνας-Άνδρου-Τήνου-Μυκόνου . el . 2010-01-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101226083022/http://www.theseanation.gr/news/ferries/blue-star-ithaki.htm . 2010-12-26 .
  6. Web site: Our Fleet . 2022-06-28 . Blue Star Ferries . en.
  7. Web site: Newsroom . 2023-09-06 . Man dies after being forcefully pushed off ferry in Piraeus eKathimerini.com . 2023-09-06 . www.ekathimerini.com . English.