Superfast Ferries
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Superfast Ferries is a ferry company founded in 1993 by Pericles Panagopulos and Alexander Panagopulos. Together with Blue Star Ferries, it is a subsidiary company of Attica Group, which is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange in Greece.
[edit] Routes
As of 2007, Superfast Ferries operates lines in several parts of Europe, on the Adriatic Sea and the North Sea. These are:
[edit] Adriatic Sea
- Ancona, Italy — Igoumenitsa and Patras, Greece
- Bari, Italy — Corfu, Igoumenitsa and Patras, Greece
[edit] North Sea
The North Sea service is mainland Scotland's only direct, scheduled ferry service to and from Continental Europe, although ferries also operate from Shetland to Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway via the Smyril Line. This service is now run in conjunction with Blue star ferries which Attica group own a majority share of. Blue Star 1 has replaced Superfast X on the route.
[edit] Vessel allocations
In Winter 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 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 2007 Attica enters into an agreement to sell to Veolia Transport its ice-class vessel Superfast X trading between Scotland and Belgium for € 112mln. The delivery of Superfast X took place in January and she has since been renamed Jean Nicoli.
In addition, Superfast introduced a new "roll-on roll-off" (RoRo) service between Uusikaupunki and Rostock in January of 2005. Attica has since moved one of the RO/RO ships RORO MARIN to there Adriatic Sea routes.
[edit] Fleet (present and historical)
[edit] Superfast I, Superfast II
Built in Germany, delivered in 1995.
The Superfast I was sold to Atlantic Navigazone, Naples, Italy (Grimaldi Ferries), renamed Eurostar Roma and discharged from Superfast service in 2004. She is now serving the Civitavecchia (near Rome) - Barcelona route.
The Superfast II was sold to Transport of Tasmania, renamed Spirit of Tasmania III and discharged from Superfast service in 2003. In 2006 she was sold again, due to low passenger and freight numbers. She was bought by an Italian company, Corsica Ferries, and is now Mega Express Four.
[edit] Superfast III, Superfast IV
Built in Finland, delivered in 1998.
These vessels were discharged from service in 2002 and were sold to TT-line, Renamed Spirit of Tasmania I & Spirit of Tasmania II. They now travel the Melbourne-Devonport route.
[edit] Superfast V, Superfast VI
Built in Germany, delivered in 2001.
Operate on the Adriatic sea routes Greece – Italy.
[edit] Superfast VII, Superfast VIII
- See also M/S Superfast VII, M/S Superfast VIII
Built in Germany, delivered in 2001
Both were sold to Tallink in March 2005.
[edit] Superfast IX, Superfast X
- See also M/S Superfast IX
Built in Germany, delivered in 2002
Superfast IX was sold to Tallink in March 2005.
Superfast X was sold to Veolia Transport/SNCM in August 2006, renamed Jean Nicoli.
[edit] Superfast XI, Superfast XII
Built in Germany, delivered in 2002
Operate on the Adriatic sea routes Greece – Italy.
[edit] External links
- Superfast Ferries - Online Ferry Ticket Sales and Reservations.
- Attica Group - Parent Company of Superfast Ferries.
