MS Mytilene

Mytilene is an inactive (as of October 2020) ferry ship of Greece, which used to be part of NEL Lines' fleet. She was built in 1973 in Japan as the Vega and put into service for NEL in 1992. She is a sister ship of Virgo, which also came to Greece as the GA Ferries' Rodanthi. She could accommodate up to 1300 passengers and 225 vehicles. The shipis powered by two Pielstick 16PC2-5V diesel engines[2] with a maximum combined power of 19,200 bhp[2] and reached service speeds up to 21 knots and maximum speed up to 23.8.[3] She had economy class seating, a salon and bar for A and economy class passengers, a self service restaurant, dining room, jewellery safekeeping room, telephone and gift shop. She took her name from Mytilene, the largest city and capital of Lesvos.

Mytilene, Piraeus, 2011
History
 Japan
Name: MS Vega
Owner: Shin Higashi Nihon Ferry
Route: Tomakomai to Sendai
Completed: 1973
Acquired: 1973
Maiden voyage: 1973
In service: 1973
Out of service: 1986
Fate: Sold
History
 Greece
Name: MS Mytilene (Μυτιλήνη)
Owner: NEL Lines
Route: Piraeus to Chios and Mytilene
Acquired: 1990
Maiden voyage: 1992
In service: 1992
Out of service: February 2015
Identification: MMSI: 237614000 IMO: 7332672, Callsign: SYMK[1]
Fate: Laid up, then sold at an auction.
General characteristics
Tonnage: 9124 GWT, DWT 2323 t
Length: 136.71 metres (448.5 ft)
Draught: 5.5 metres (18 ft)
Speed: 20 knots
Notes: Oldest active NEL Lines ship until 2015

The ship has been laid up since 2015, initially in Karlovasi, Samos and later in Elefsina. The ship will be difficult to return to operating condition, due to engine failure and her company declaring bankruptcy. In 2020, the ship was bought by ANEN at auction and raised the Togolese flag, but it remains unknown if and when she will return to sea.[4][5]

History

1973-2010: First years
Ship's funnel with NEL logo

The ship was built in 1973 in Japan and was originally named Vega, after the star in the Constallation Lyra for Shin Higashi Nihon Ferry, a subsidiary of Higashi Nihon Ferry. The ship operated on the Tomakomai-Sendai route until 1986. In 1990, she was sold to the Lesvos Shipping Company (NEL) and renamed Mytilene, from the city of the same name. In 1991, a conversion to night ferry began, which lasted about a year. It was routed between Piraeus-Chios-Mytilene and Lemnos-Kavala-Thessaloniki, while she was also used on the Kavala-Lemnos-Chios-Mytilene-Samos-Ikaria line occasionally.[6] Initially, she was white, with blue lettering on the sides, but later became blue with white lettering, as was the custom with other ships of the company.[7]

2013-today

In 2013, she was transferred to the line Piraeus-Syros-Evdilos-Agios Kyrikos-Fourni-Karlovasi-Vathi. There, she operated for two years, until February 2015, when due to an accident, she was stuck in Karlovasi.[8] The 43 sailors of the ship were placed under protection by decision of the Deputy Minister of Shipping, due to non-fulfillment of obligations by the ship owner for salaries. Their salaries were finally paid.[9] There were also rumors, later refuted, that the ship would be used as a floating hotel.[10] Finally, after 17 months, and after a relevant auction for her sale by the Municipal Port Fund of Samos,[11] was moved from Karlovasi by a tug and transported to Elefsina.[12] There, another auction followed for her sale,[13] and she was eventually bought by ANEN and hoisted the Togolese flag.[5]

References
  1. "unk". www.marinetraffic.com. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  2. "Στοιχεία Πλειστηριασμού". E-Auction. 2019-09-11.
  3. "unk". 世界の艦船 (Ships of the World). January 1974.
  4. Ships that fly third country flags and change their name are usually sold for scrap.
  5. PolitisChios (2020-01-13). "Στην ΑΝΕΝ και το "Μυτιλήνη"". politischios.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  6. "Former Japanese Ferries in Greece". www.interq.or.jp. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  7. "Nel Lines ferries". www.ferries.gr. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  8. "ΣΑΜΙΑΚΗ ΓΝΩΜΗ - ΕΚΤΑΚΤΟ! Sos εξέπεμψε το πλοίο Μυτιλήνη από το Καρλόβασι!". 2016-03-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  9. Malandrakis, Dimitris (2015-07-29). "Καταβλήθηκαν οι αποδοχές στους 186 ναυτικούς της ΝΕΛ". ert.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  10. theodora. "Δε θα γίνει πλωτό ξενοδοχείο το "Μυτιλήνη" - emprosnet.gr". www.emprosnet.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  11. "ΣΑΜΙΑΚΗ ΓΝΩΜΗ - Διαγωνισμός για την εκποίηση του πλοίου Μυτιλήνη στο Καρλόβασι!". 2017-02-04. Archived from the original on 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  12. "ΣΑΜΙΑΚΗ ΓΝΩΜΗ - Φεύγει τώρα το φάντασμα "Μυτιλήνη" από το Καρλόβασι!!!". 2017-02-04. Archived from the original on 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  13. "Στοιχεία Πλειστηριασμού 11/09/2019".
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