| She is the last one of the four ferries ordered by Stena Line, Gothenburg in 1979, one of them is the EL. VENIZELOS. In 1986 the order for the last one was cancelled due to problems with the shipyard. In 1989 the hull was sold to A. Lelakis (owner of Regency Cruises), Piraeus and was towed to Avlis Shipyards, Perama, Greece (also owned by Lelakis). He wanted to convert it into a cruise ship at an estimated cost of $200 million. At some point the vessel was lengthened by over 50 metres at Eleusis Shipyards, Eleusis, Greece, when over 7.000 tonnes of steel was installed. Later the ship was towed to Avlis Shipyards at Chalkis, Greece. Regency Cruises went bankrupt in 1995 and in 1996, when the ship was about 60% complete, she was taken over by the Bank of Greece. In 1999 sold to Sea Nomad Maritime, Piraeus. In January 2001 all works halted for completing the construction. In June 2004 sold to unknown buyers and on the 16th of June 2004 arrived in tow at Ambelakia. Several auctions have been held in order to sell her but they have failed and now she is only awaiting to be sold for demolition. |
SIRIOS
