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WHAT A STAR!BLUE STAR DELOS MAKES

WAVES IN THE AEGEAN SEA


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3/281 CRUISE & FERRY Info April 12/BLUE STAR DELOS

During the past year, Greece has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. We are therefore delighted to bring you somegood news from that country and this is not a moment too soon. With a myriad of beautiful, sun-spoiled islands, genu-ine hospitality and excellent cuisine, Greece will always be an ideal holiday destination. If you haven’t made any summerholiday plans yet, may we recommend Greece? Instead of flying directly to your favourite island, perhaps you could considertaking a short detour via Athens and catch a ferry from Piraeus. Not convinced? Well, then we strongly suggest you readingthe following pages.

The days of Greek operators plying the Aegean with obsolete former Northern European and Japanese tonnage have longgone. Actually, the average age of the Aegean fleet is way below that of the Baltic fleet. The Baltic had long been regarded asTHE place where the ferry action is; but during the last fifteen years, operators in the Mediterranean have pointed the way.

Blue Star Ferries has been instrumental in rejuvenating the Greek domestic fleet and has further raised the bar with theintroduction of the BLUE STAR DELOS, soon to be followed by the BLUE STAR PATMOS.

The owner and all the people involved in the projecthave every reason to be proud of what are undoubtedlythe right ships for the routes they serve. We travelled toGreece to sample the Blue Star Ferries experience and tosee the new vessel with our own eyes. How impressed we

were! With her high capacity, splendid accommodationand plenty of power on tap, the BLUE STAR DELOSis the ship for the current market. We took a return tripfrom Piraeus to Santorini (via Paros, Naxos and Ios) and

were welcomed on board by Costis Stamboulelis andChris-Alexander Korfiatis of Attica Group, as well as by

Apostolos Molindris of Molindris + Associates. Theyfollowed the project from the first sketch to the deliveryand went to great lengths to show us all the details that setBLUE STAR DELOS apart.

The ships represent a huge investment in these chal-lenging economic times. But it gives Greece a spark of

hope as Blue Star Ferries clearly demonstrates that it’s notall doom and gloom out there.

Piraeus, February 2012

Philippe Holthof

Good news from Greece at last

Editor Mike Louagie, ShipPax Information

E-mail: [email protected]

Advertising Linda Johansson, ShipPax Information


Göran Freiholtz,

ShipPax Information E-mail: [email protected]

Printers Print One, Halmstad

Photos Interiors: Molindris + Associates

Others: George Giannakis

GA plan interiors Molindris + Associates

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WHAT A STAR!BLUE STAR DELOS MAKES WAVESFor those who think that the GA plan of the BLUE STAR DELOS has been copied and past-ed from that of the earlier generation, think again, because she is every inch a differentship. The modern, clean and stylish interior design with softer colours also reflects thecompany’s change of ownership since the last ferries were built in 2002. Blue Star Ferries,their consultant naval architects Knud E. Hansen and the interior designers of Molindris +Associates have every reason to be proud of their new generation of ships.

By Philippe Holthof



N THE AEGEAN

For the untrained eye, the BLUESTAR DELOS may appear to bea bigger sister of the BLUE STAR

ITHAKI-class of vessels. Nothing could befurther from the truth. The funnel shape isvery similar because this has become a BlueStar Ferries trademark, but the similarityends there. Instead of beginning with theGA plans of the BLUE STAR ITHAKI-class and making some modifications, BlueStar Ferries deliberately started with a clean

sheet. The newbuilding team, headed byCostis Stamboulelis, took into considerationcomments from the everyday ferry users andthe people working on the ships. Needless

BLUE STAR DELOS timetable (summer timetable in italics)

From Piraeus

Dept. Piraeus Arr. Paros Arr. Naxos Arr. Ios Arr. Santorini

Daily 07:2507:25

11:4011:25

12:4012:30

14:0514:05

15:1015:10

To Piraeus

Dept. Santorini Dept. Ios Dept. Naxos Dept. Paros Arr. Piraeus

Daily 15:3015:30

14:1516:40 (*)

18:0018:15

19:1519:25

23:2523:25

(*) Calling at Ios again on the way back to Piraeus only in the mid-June to mid-September period

to say, the new ships also incorporate all thelessons learned from operating the BLUESTAR ITHAKI-class.

Introduced in 2000, the BLUE STARITHAKI was the first real newbuilding ina long time for the Greek domestic market.In 2002 she was followed by the modifiedsister ships BLUE STAR PAROS and BLUESTAR NAXOS. These ships were based onthe hull form and dimensions of the BLUE

STAR ITHAKI, but were in a class of theirown with an improved lay-out. All threeships were built by Daewoo Shipbuilding &Marine Engineering (DMSE), the builderof BLUE STAR DELOS.

Purpose-built for the lucrative Piraeus-Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini route, the BLUESTAR DELOS is probably the epitome of

what a Greek domestic ferry should be:combining a high vehicle and passenger

P h o t o : A t t i c a



capacity with a 23 to 26-knot service speed(depending on the season). Competitionis fierce; on the Cycladic milk run BlueStar Ferries competes head-to-head with amajor operator of fuel-thirsty lightweightfast craft. These ships have traditionallyonly limited freight space. Their passengeraccommodation consists of rows and rows

of airline-style seats. With Blue Star Ferriesslightly increasing its speed and its competi-tor being forced to reduce the speed of itsfast craft to save on bunker costs, speed isno longer an advantage in ticket sales. Hi-speed tickets still come at a premium priceand the cost of the ticket determines thepassenger choice more than the durationof the crossing. Since passengers vote withtheir feet, BLUE STAR DELOS with herhigh capacity and lavish accommodation

will likely be the clear winner on the Aegean.

The conceptual design of the BLUESTAR ITHAKI-class was made by Del-tamarin. For the BLUE STAR DELOS,the Attica Group appointed Knud E.Hansen to develop the project, continuinga long-standing relationship stretching backto the days when Panagopulos controlledRoyal Cruise Line. The basic design ofBLUE STAR DELOS was further refinedby DSME; but the exterior lines are moremuted and less dynamic than on the BLUESTAR ITHAKI-class, which boasts a more

raked forward superstructure. There areother differences that are very obvious whenyou see the ships berthed next to each otherin their Piraeus homeport. BLUE STARDELOS is bigger (20 metres longer and 4.3metre wider), has an additional passengerdeck, more well-protected outside deckspace and huge windows wrapped around

the ship’s shell.The project for two more newbuildings

was initiated shortly after the introductionof the BLUE STAR NAXOS. For a numberof reasons, it took more than six years be-fore the order was effectively placed. In themeantime, with shipyard activity at an all-time high, newbuilding prices were soaring.There was a shortage of equipment such asengines, crankshafts, propellers, etc., whichled to even longer delivery times. BecauseBlue Star Ferries did not want to waste too

much time, they ordered the engines forthe first ship two years before signing thecontract with DSME. The fact that BlueStar Ferries had waited so long with thedouble-order ultimately became a blessing indisguise as newbuilding prices plummetedin the aftermath of the 2008 credit crunch.

With DSME being eager to re-enter themarket of high value-added passenger ships,they offered Blue Star Ferries an attractiveprice. Perhaps the order with DSME didnot really come as a surprise because, afterall, the BLUE STAR ITHAKI-class was alsobuilt by DSME. Even so, all the shipyardemployees who had been involved in theconstruction of the previous vessels wereno longer there so there was a steep learningcurve for the new team. Blue Star Ferries hadalso talked to many European yards, butnone of them could meet the delivery timerequirement and beat the offer from DSME.

Blue Star Ferries wanted to build inas much flexibility as possible in an ef-fort to make the new ships also suitablefor short international voyages. For this

reason, they initially wanted a doublefreight deck configuration. This required alonger and more powerful hull form which

was eventually not an option because thecurrent 145.9 metres length is “Cycladicmax” size. From the outset, Blue Star Fer-ries specified a 2,400-passenger capacity,an increase of more than 900 from thepredecessors.

Utilitarian boutique shipUnlike the fast craft of Blue Star Ferries’

rivals, BLUE STAR DELOS serves theCycladic islands of Paros, Naxos, Ios andSantorini on a year-round basis. Apart fromhaving a lifeline function throughout theyear, she is meant to be a workhorse during

the holiday periods, as Blue Star Ferriesexpects to lure many passengers away fromthe fast craft.

BLUE STAR DELOS leaves Piraeusdaily at 07:25 in the morning, spending 16hours at sea with only very short stops at theislands. Even in Santorini, which is the laststop on the route and the port of departure

for the return trip, the vessel docks fortwenty minutes only. Specifically designedfor this high-density route, extremely ro-bust, durable and easy-to-maintain materialshave been used throughout. DSME firstproposed to use local materials, but AtticaGroup decided to source European furnitureand fabrics because this would make laterreplacement easier. Potocco from Italy sup-plied all the furniture. Most of the lightingcame from equally Italian Artemide.

The interior designers of Molindris +

Associates were involved in the project fromday one. Ever since the construction of theSUPERFAST V and all the other ships thatfollowed, the architects of Molindris + As-sociates have formed a close-knit team withCostis Stamboulelis and his department.

Things have changed at Attica since thedelivery of the last real Superfast ferry backin 2002, with Petros Vettas having takenover the reins from Pericles and AlexanderPanagopulos. This is also reflected in theship’s interior design. The cherry wooddecor made way for a fresh and cleaninterior atmosphere, with white and off-

white being used for most of the ceilingsand walls. The carpet colours are light andhave a warm cast with grey tones. The useof imitation wood has been reduced to astrict minimum.

One of the main considerations was togive the ship as much light as possible. Thishas been successfully achieved thanks tothe use of large floor-to-ceiling windows.The front lounges on decks 6 and 7 furtherbenefit from a row of picture windows that

overlook the bow.“Nature” is the ship’s interior theme, un-

derlining the green corporate image of AtticaGroup’s parent company, Marfin InvestmentGroup (MIG). There are many references tothe theme, all the way from the large blackand white pictures of leafless trees to mauveflower patterns in the ladies’ toilets.

Efforts have been made to reduce theship’s ecological footprint. Strong halogenlighting has only been used where neces-sary or where it is required by regulations.

Thanks to low voltage and LED lightingas well as the new generation T5 fluores-cent tube lamps, energy use for lighting isreduced by 30 percent. Clearly, less heat isradiated from these lamps, which, together

Selection of suppliers

Molindris + Associates .. Interior designerB+V ...........................Fin stabilizerDansk Wilton ..............CarpetsEVAC ..........................Vacuum toiletsHamworthy .................Sewage plant IMO ............................Screw pumpsKoja Marine ................Air conditionKONE .........................Elevators, EscalatorsKvadrat .......................FabricsLautex ........................Ceiling

Loipart ........................GalleyMAN B&W (STX) ..........Main/Auxiliary enginesMarioff ........................SprinklerNordic Flooring ............Vinyl floorRenk ..........................Reduction gearsRFD ............................Evacuation systemRolls-Royce (Finland) ..Deck machineryRolls-Royce (Norway) ..Steering gearRolls-Royce (Sweden) ..Side thrustersSaint-Gobain MarineApplications ................ Fire resistant

glazing, energy saving glazing

Schat Harding .............Life boatsTTS Marine ..................AccessUson Marine ...............Garbage systemVacon .........................Frequency

converters



with green tinted windows, saves on ACenergy.

Apostolos Molindris is a typical perfec-tionist architect and interior designer whopays much attention to details. AC diffusers,for instance, are not visible but rather hid-den behind the ceilings.

The shipBLUE STAR DELOS has a single freightand three separate car decks, two of whichare below the main deck – Deck 3. Theupper car deck occupies almost two thirdsof the superstructure length. The forwardsection of Deck 5 houses the crew’s ac-commodation and mess rooms. Typical forGreek ferries, foot passengers embark via astern ramp, which connects with the upperdecks. The stairs are letter-coded from A toE, with the large deck numbers being dis-

played in the stair halls. Clear signage and“you are here” panels further ease navigationaround the ship. For certain facilities, suchas cabins and airline-style seats, their namesare shown at the entrances in large, verticallyoriented characters.

There are one service/crew and twopassenger elevators. The forward passengerelevator connects the lowest car deck withall the upper decks. The aft elevator hasbeen specifically designed to carry a stretcherand gives almost immediate access to thethree-bed hospital on Deck 7. Although notrequired, a doctor is permanently on board.BLUE STAR DELOS can transport patientsin the best possible nautical way between theislands and the Greek mainland.

The addition of an extra public spacedeck is a big improvement from the BLUESTAR ITHAKI-class, reflecting the higherpassenger capacity. The entire Deck 6, in-cluding the front lounge, is Economy Classaccommodation. The Business Class loungehas been moved one deck up. Cabins onDeck 7 have been retained.

Straight, if somewhat narrow, inboardparallel walkways link the ship’s front with

A comparison of the BLUE STAR DELOS with the BLUE STAR ITHAKI and BLUE STAR PAROS

BLUE STAR DELOS BLUE STAR PAROS BLUE STAR ITHAKI

Builder - year DSME - 2011 DSME - 2002 DSME – 2000

Contract price USD 90.5 million USD 37.5 million USD 31 million

Length o.a. 145.9m 123.8m 123.8m

Beam mld. 23.2m 18.9m 18.9m

Gross Tonnage 18,498 10,438 10,193

Passenger capacity 2,400 1,474 1,313

Number of cabins/berths 32/118 35/120 5/20Total car capacity (lanemetres main deck) 427 (600) 230 (365) 225 (365)

Number of main engines - output 4 MAN B&W – 32,000 kW 4 Wärtsilä – 17,400 kW 4 Wärtsilä NSD – 16,560 kW

Service speed 26 knots 24.5 knots 24 knots

BLUE STAR DELOS versus BLUE STAR PATMOS

BLUE STAR DELOS will soon be joined by the BLUE STAR PATMOS. Because she will likely serve the longer Dodecanese routes, the ship’s GA plan has been modified with more cabins in lieu of bar facilities. What are the main differences?• The central Goody’s/Flocafé area has been completely redesigned. A 163-seat self-

service restaurant replaces the fast food style Goody’s. A small à la carte restaurantand wine bar has been created on the portside of the casing.

• With 90 cabins boasting a total of 330 berths, the Business Class Lounge & Bar hasbeen moved one deck down at the expense of the Economy Class Bar & Lounge.

Molindris + Associates

After leaving AMK, Apostolos Molindris started his own business in 1997 with asmall team of very young and enthusiast architects. Attica Group was the most im-portant client of the new office. Through the years, with the exception of the BLUESTAR ITHAKI (which was ordered by Strintzis Lines), Molindris + Associates havedesigned all Attica Group’s ferries, from the SUPERFAST V onward. In addition to

marine projects, the team of architects- interior designers also works on a wide varietyof land-based projects. The team consists of: Apostolos Molindris, Evangelia Kintou,Panayiota Kainari, Mara Korompilia and Konstantina Alipranti.

Molindris + Associates carried out the following projects for the Attica Group:• SUPERFAST I + II: complete redesign of all public spaces on decks 7 and 8• SUPERFAST III + IV: redesign and remodelling of shop & boutique areas• SUPERFAST V – XII: newbuilding - complete interior design• BLUE STAR 1 + 2: newbuilding - complete interior design• BLUE STAR ITHAKI: partial remodelling of public spaces, addition of shop and

outdoor bar and signage• BLUE STAR PAROS + NAXOS: newbuildings - complete interior design• BLUE STAR DELOS: newbuilding - complete interior design

• BLUE STAR PATMOS: newbuilding - complete interior design

aft end, uniting in the forward and aftlounges. The staircases are a bit cramped,but, admittedly, the passenger flow is mainlyhorizontal.

Deck 6 is divided into four fire zones.The aft zone contains the Snack Bar, whichalso provides access to the outer deck. Theportside walkway connects the Snack Bar

with the recept ion lobby and, beyond

that, with a coffee shop and the forwardbar. The starboard walkway leads past a

reclining lounge and the inboard shop tothe Goody’s restaurant and the forwardbar. Deck 7 is the “quiet” deck with thetranquil forward Business Class loungeand a cabin block in the midship section.

At the rear of Deck 7 there are reclininglounges on either side of the central casingand, further aft, there is an indoor/outdoorcafé. Behind the bridge on Deck 8 are the

Captain and officers’ cabins, as well as afew more passenger cabins.



Welcome As opposed to the BLUE STAR ITHAKI-class, the BLUE STAR DELOS has onlya single access for foot passengers, locatedon the portside. This is definitely a change

for the better, because the embarkationhall is exceptionally wide with an escalatorand two sets of stairs. The modern “Kao”suspension and ceiling lamps give the im-pression of a three-dimensional sculpture.

RECEPTION LOUNGE PLAN, DECK 06

The shell-side wall is decorated with framed, whitish glass pan-els, something that is repeated onother stairways. The angled wall

that separates the embarkationhall from the reception plazais yellow/orange coloured anddisplays the company’s logo, afeature duplicated on the or-



ange glass wall behind the receptiondesk. The eye-catching WELCOMElettering at the entrance attract a lotof attention, especially from children

who climb on them, using the “C” and“O” as tunnels. The letters are madeof Corian, an extremely solid and easy-to-clean surface material created by

DuPont. Made from a plastic resin thatcan be pigmented to practically anycolour, Corian has many advantagesand is completely seamless. Similarly,a material called Pyrolave, a volcaniclava stone glazed with enamel, is alsoused. Produced in Volvic, France, it isextremely durable and vandal resistant.

Apostolos Molindris first learned aboutPyrolave when visiting the Acropolisin his native Athens, where Pyrolaveslabs are used for permanent outdoor

signage. It is believed that the use ofPyrolave on board this ship is an in-dustry first. Apostolos Molindris hasmade extensive use of both Corianand Pyrolave, amongst others, for barcounters and partitions.

Water, the beach and the sea arethe theme of the ship’s aft part, whichincludes the reception area and theSnack Bar. The wall pictures clearlyrefer to this theme and, according toFeng Shui, the giant frog in transparent

water brings prosperity and money. Itis a hidden message, not in the leastto the Greek passengers boarding theship. The seating section in the port-side reception hall has a living roomatmosphere, with the sand colour offabrics and curtains referring to thebeach. The beige carpet, a productof Dansk Wilton, is simply an actof genius: the printing on it is a seachart that shows the route of BLUESTAR DELOS between Piraeus andSantorini. Even the smallest detail is

depicted. To enhance the cosy livingroom atmosphere in the lobby, theinside wall is panelled with zebrano

wood effect laminate, one of the fewdarker wall coverings on board.

Entering the lobby from the embar-kation hall, a compass rose on the tiledfloor points the way to the front, sideand aft lounges. The starboard mirrorview of the main entrance lobby has atiled sextant on the floor.

Mobile phones can be used through-

out the voyage. However, passengerscan also use one of the fixed phonesclose to the main entrance. Next tothe telephone booths there is a videogames room.



Snack BarThe “sea” theme continues in the 182-seataft Snack Bar, with its furniture and decora-tions being turquoise, deep green and bluetinted. The low plexiglass partitions and the

walls are adorned with sea waves. The ceil-ing has also a waved profile that continueson the outside deck. Vintage pickup trucks

were added as a curiosity during a presenta-tion to the owners. This feature was retained

because it is well liked.The Snack Bar is the ship’s secondaryrestaurant. The “Micrososia” suspensionlamps from Castaldi of Italy are the same asthose found in the main self-service restau-

rant, Goody’s. In keeping with the theme,the lampshades are blue, whereas those inGoody’s are red. With the exception of theGoody’s, all bars and snack bars are operat-ed by Flocafé. Both Goody’s and Flocafé areaffiliates of Vivartia, a subsidiary of MIGto which Attica Group also belongs. Thesehigh street brands are extremely popularin Greece and their recognisability factor

helps to boost the onboard expenditure.The Flocafé snack bar offers a selectionof cold and hot snacks, such as pastas andchips with Greek meatballs, prepared in asmall galley.

SNACK BAR PLAN, DECK 06


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Goody’s restaurantIn stark contrast, the Goody’s restauranthas bright colours mainly because thebackground of the Goody’s logo is vivid red.The chair and couch upholstery is a com-bination of red and off-white. The variouscutlery decorations are very appropriate: agiant picture of scattered cutlery decoratesthe diagonal wall that separates the coffeecorner from the dining section. Goody’soffers fast food style menus and the idea isto “eat & go”, with passengers leaving im-

mediately after the meal. Couches are placedback-to-back, thus creating dining alcoves,some of which are cordoned off withstretch barriers on not-so-busy sailings. TheGoody’s counter has three service stations.

Passengers form a queueto order their meals atthe counter. Queues canbe long on busy sailings,but customers can havea quick look at the menuon the TV screens in thecorridor outside the res-taurant, on the walkwayseparating the starboardreclining lounge from

the shop. Only food canbe ordered at Goody’s;drinks can be obtainedfrom the adjacent Flocafécounter.

SELF SERVICE RESTAURANT PLAN, DECK 06



Front lounges With large windows on both sides and oneend, the two main bars on decks 6 and 7benefit from being in a prime location, of-fering unrivalled 270-degree panoramic seaviews. The Economy Class Bar & Loungeon Deck 6 is different from the BusinessClass Lounge & Bar on Deck 7 in style andlayout. The nature theme prevails in bothlounges, with the lower bar being decorated

with large images of tree trunks floating in a

river. The architects have subtly played withthe geometry of these floating trunks for thepartitions, the carpets and ceiling lights.Left luggage lockers are at either entrance tothe Economy Bar. Upon embarkation, pas-

sengers can also drop their luggage in storeson decks 3 and 5, but these remain closed

whilst at sea. Entering the front lounge onDeck 6, there is a small reclining loungeon either side. The “trunk pattern” of theCorian partition perfectly blends with thetypical Greek windmill images depicted onthe front walls of these lounges.

Business Class passengers pay extra andtickets are checked at the entrances to the

Lounge on Deck 7. This lounge extendsbehind the stair hall, offering a total of 402seats. The whole area feels extremely lightand airy, enhanced by the soft colours ofthe furniture and fabrics. The transition

to darker shades is smooth and harmoni-ous. Much indirect lighting has been usedthroughout the ship; this is very apparent inthe Business Class lounge with upside-downlight tubes illuminating the ceiling.

The casing of the forward stair is embel-lished with bamboo cladding and mosaictiles that depict oversized leaves. The glass

walls with large black and white picturesof leafless trees are another pleasant design

element. With a little imagination one canalso see the shape of a leaf in the decorative“Cadmo” lamps. To make themselves morecomfortable, Business Class passengers canleave their luggage in one of the stores.

FORWARD LOUNGE PLAN, DECK 06


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CRUISE & FERRY Info April 12/BLUE STAR DELOS CRUISE & FERRY Info April 12/BLUE STAR DELOS 13

BLUE STAR DELOS • Scale 1:750

C l a s s i fi c a t i o n

B u r e a u V e r i t a s + H u l l + M a c h + A U T -

U M S + S Y S - N E Q - 1 , C l e a n s h i p , C o m f -

P a x - 2

D i m e n s i o n s

L e n g t h o a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4 5 . 9 0 m

L e n g t h p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 3 . 5 0 m

B e a m m l d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 . 2 0 m

D r a f t d e s i g n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 9 0 m

T o n n a g e

G T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 , 4 9 8

N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 , 5 7 8

t D W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 , 3 0 0

C a p a c i t y

T o t a l c a p a c i t y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 , 4 0 0

C a r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 7

L a n e m e t r e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 0 0

M a c h i n e r y

M a i n e n g i n e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 M A N B & W

T y p e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 V 3 2 / 4 0

O u t p u t , k W e

a c h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 , 0 0 0

G e n s e t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M A N B & W

P r o p e l l e r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L i p s W ä r t s i l ä

S t a b i l i z e r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B l o h m + V o s s

S p e e d

S e r v i c e s p e e d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 . 0 k n o t s

M a i n d e t a l i s B L U E S T A R D E L O S


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Flowers and grassThe toilets have gotten special attention.Typically smelly and dirty, toilets on ferriesoften have an ordinary utilitarian design.However, the toilets on BLUE STAR DE-

LOS are anything but that. The nature themecontinues in a very pleasant way with vibrantcolours of mauve for the ladies’ toilets andlime green for the gents’. The gents’ toilet

cubicles are decorated with fresh grass motif, while ladies see a bouquet of daisies reflectedin the mirror. The black and white tiled floorfurther adds to the clean and modern design.



Modern and elegant cabinsThere are 32 cabins in total: 24 on Deck7 and eight on the deck above. All cabinshave four berths, except the two disabledcabins, two deluxe cabins and an insidecabin on Deck 8. They are well appointed,albeit rather small. Although the ship doesnot sail during the night, cabins are in highdemand, with an average occupancy rateof 80 percent. It’s a combination of a fewdesign details, such as the headboards with

imitation leather upholstery, the “Aqua Cil”table lamps and other light fittings whichmake the cabins look very elegant indeed.The white writing desk and bedside tables inthe standard cabins are made of Corian. The

inside cabins are identical in size and layoutto the outside ones. A sea view picture cov-ers what would otherwise be a bland insidecabin wall. It gives an impression of depth

with indirect ceiling lighting and fluorescentlights hidden behind the headboards.

In line with the price tag and for the morediscerning customers, the deluxe suites areroomier and come with a seating corner,

wider writing desk, bigger bathroom and

a larger-than-normal window. Instead oftwin beds, the suites have double beds witha picture of a Greek yacht harbour on theheadboard. The bathroom unit, suppliedby Korean BN BIP, is wrapped in bamboo

cladding, as opposed to PVC panels in thestandard cabins. All cabins have TV sets andvinyl Amtico Marine flooring, which is botheasy to clean and allergy friendly. Cabins onmost ferries have PVC panelled walls. Notso on the BLUE STAR DELOS; its wallsare covered with grey three-dimensionalvinyl which is more expensive, but easier tomaintain. In case of damage, small piecescan be cut out and easily replaced. The fin-

ishing of the cabin corridors is also of a highstandard with bamboo cladding, decorativeglass cabin signs, porthole-like wall lampsand a large printed photo of green and redgrass leaves.


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On the technical sideOne of the main drivers for the newbuild-ing project was the need to increase vehiclecapacity both for freight and passenger cars.

Within the overall dimensions, two small cardecks have been included below the maindeck forward, eking out the greatest pos-sible use of available space. The main deckis where the freight is parked, but includessix hoistable deck panels, three each side ofthe centreline casing which are employedduring the busiest holiday seasons only.The most useful area, as far as passenger carsare concerned, is the fixed car deck above,occupying the aft part of Deck 5. For the

majority of sailings, passenger cars will bedirected to this level as it is closest to thepassenger facilities on Deck 6.

Access into the vehicle decks is via twinstern ramp/doors, supplied by TTS. Thethird ramp on the portside is the dedicatedpassenger access. The starboard ramp is8.0m long by 4.5m wide and the portsideramp is slightly larger with a clear widthof 6.0m. The ramps and adjacent deckareas have been coated with Bimagrip typeanti-slip material. The arrangement is a

significant improvement compared with thesmaller BLUE STAR ITHAKI-class which were equipped with a central vehicle sternramp and two passenger ramps outboardof it. In practice, only one of the passenger



ramps is normally employed. The passengerramp on the BLUE STAR DELOS is doublethe width with a double flight of Kone escala-tors transferring passengers from Deck 3 to 5and 5 to 6 as well as a 3m wide stairway. Thisis the widest we have encountered on a ropaxof this size and will help cope with the rushof passengers leaving and entering the ship.

A perennial problem on the island routesare all the suitcases dragged on board by thepassengers. Rather than taking them into theaccommodation area where they obstructaccess, a dedicated baggage area has beenprovided aft on the main deck underneaththe escalator casing and on Deck 5 adjacentto the escalator. Also, temporary shelves havebeen recently retrofitted along the portsideof the main deck to boost the baggage stor-age area when necessary. It is not a simpleproblem to solve considering the number

of ports that are called daily. Uniquely,several freezer units have been provided forpassengers who regularly send or take foodpackages to or from the islands.

As the design was conceived without bowaccess, vehicles enter on one side of the shipand exit via the other, making the turn atthe forward end of the central casing. Themaximum freight intake is 600 lanem withthree 3.0m wide lanes on either side ofthe centreline casing. The clear headroomunderneath the car decks is 4.5m althoughit is a surprise to see piping and ventilationductwork protruding beneath the structure.

All kinds of trucks are regularly transportedincluding unaccompanied trailers, refriger-ated tractor-trailers as well as smaller trucks.The BLUE STAR DELOS is a lifelinefor people living on the islands but alsofor freight. As the tourist industry on theislands is now almost year-round, freighttraffic also follows suit but there obviouslyis an increased demand during the sum-mer months. The freight traffic generallypeaks midweek with less transported at the

weekends. This balance suits Attica very well, gaining income from passengers atthe weekends and freight during the week.

No time to looseOne of the unexpected consequences of therecession has been the growth in unaccom-panied trailers, now reaching a share of 80%as transport companies seek to minimisetheir costs. This causes problems for the linein the smallest ports as there is such littlearea reserved for trailer parking. The truck-

ing companies use their own tractors fortrailer shunting rather than purpose-builttugmaster type tractors which are much moremanoeuvrable and have far better visibility.So the unloading and loading of the trailersThe Rolls Royce Rauma hydraulic winches.

The MAN B&W

18V 32/40 main

engines.

The STX-MAN gensets.



can cause delays. The turnround times arekept as short as possible, so any delays haveto be compensated with higher sea speeds andthe inevitable increase in fuel consumption.

There is very little that Attica can do toimprove or even influence changes in theport infrastructure. Of course, the increasedcapacity of the BLUE STAR DELOS exacer-

bates the problem. Hundreds of passengersuse both the dedicated passenger rampas well as the stern ramp to get ashore asquickly as possible followed closely by carsand freight, all jockeying for position in thelimited port confines. Much responsibility ison the shoulders of the deck officers to makesome sense of the ensuing pandemonium.

The two small car decks underneath themain deck are accessed via a fixed ramp onthe portside. Covered with an end-hingedhatch, the ramp is dog-legged to fit within

the B/5 bulkhead as it curves inward to- wards the bow. Attica admits that the 2.3mhigh spaces are not really intended for largeMercedes or BMWs but rather smallercars, a maximum of 23 being parked onDeck 2 and 21 on the tanktop. The rampto the tanktop is nested underneath turn-ing around a central access area with a liftand stair casing. This turn is tighter thanone would find in a typical underground

or multi storey car park rather limiting theusefulness of the space. However, it willonly be used on the busiest summer sailings.

For most of the year outside of the holi-day periods, even the hoistable car deck willnot be used as it is realistically used only inits entirety or just the starboard side accessedvia the hoistable ramp. The most efficient

use is when vehicles drive up to the hoist-able deck on one side of the ship and turnaround the front of the casing, exiting viathe opposite side.

The 2.3m high, 100 car capacity cardeck on Deck 5 is used on all sailings asthe passengers have the shortest distance toclimb to the passenger decks. With openingsalong the sides and aft, the deck is naturallyventilated. The 21.0m long by 3.0m wideaccess hoistable ramp is tilting which allowsa relatively fast flow as the cars circulate

around the central casing area.The whole concept of small fast ropaxes

was started with the BLUE STAR ITHAKIin 2000. Up till then, only hi-speed vesselscould make a daily roundtrip on the Santoriniroute. To maintain a daily service in the past,two conventional passenger/car ferries wererequired or a single vessel with overnight ac-commodation. The new concept has certainlybeen a winner for Attica. It can even be said

that all their most successful routes are oper-ated with 23-26 knot ships.

The BLUE STAR DELOS has beendesigned according to IMO’s SOLAS 2009rules but the keel was laid before the new safereturn to port (SRTP) regulations enteredinto force. The compartmental layout al-lowed by the probabalistic subdivision rules

have permitted a somewhat more flexiblearrangement. Many of the compartmentsare inside of the B/5 longitudinal bulkheads,including the large engine control room aftof the genset room. The HFO and LO treat-ment rooms are on the tanktop level aft ofthe main engine room. The Blohm & Vossfin stabilizers flank the pump room forwardof the ME compartment.

Designing a fast small ropax with highFroude number is significantly more com-plicated than a larger ship. Waterline length

is critically important to maintain the bestpossible fuel economy so Attica examinedthe whole range of island ports to determinethe maximum possible length. 145.9m wasthe best compromise which, although ex-cluding a number of islands, would also offergood economies of scale. Knud E. Hansendeveloped the initial hull form which wastested at MARIN’s Wageningen model testfacilities before any contract was signed

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with DSME. Initial tests did not achievethe desired speed so a range of ducktailsand trim wedges were investigated, first byCFD analysis and later in the towing tank,before arriving at the final lines. Seakeepingtests were also conducted as there was someconcern about the vulnerability of the pano-ramic front windows. In service, the vessel hasexceeded expectations with a slightly betterspeed than expected and low vibration levels.

MachineryBecause of the problems in obtainingdelivery slots for main engines, Atticatook the highly unusual step of orderingthem before signing a contract with theyard. After an extensive investigation, thetechnical department chose MAN B&W18V 32/40 engines, each with an output of8,000 kW at 750 rpm. The engines havebeen manufactured by MAN’s prolific SouthKorean licensee, STX and are of the latest

common rail type. The turbochargers of allfour engines are mounted at the forward end

without causing any congestion problems inthe exhaust casing. The engines are coupledto Renk twin input single output gearboxes

which have a pto spur, coupled to Hyundai1,254 kW generators. The length of theengine room has not required the location ofthe shaft generator in another compartment.The 4.6m diameter CP propellers have beensupplied by Wartsila Lips.

Directly aft of the M.E. room, the genset

compartment houses three STX-MAN 6L21/31 gensets, each having a 1,320 kWoutput. The unique feature of the BLUESTAR DELOS is that the gensets can beused in parallel with the shaft generators.

Frequency converters supplied by Vacon areable to synchronize the output of the shaftgenerators regardless of the propeller rpm.This gives much greater flexibility to adjustthe main engine rpm and propeller pitch forthe most economic operation.

With so many port calls in very smallharbours and frequent strong wind condi-tions, the manoeuvrability of the BLUESTAR DELOS is of primary importance.Twin spade rudders are fitted, supplied byDSME themselves, with a twisted leadingedge adapted to the water flow from thepropeller. Two 750 kW Rolls Royce bowthrusters are considered sufficient given the

windage area of the ship.The mooring and anchoring equipment

was of particular concern to Attica as the ves-sel berths stern-to the quay in most if not allports. The anchor winches are therefore usedon average sixteen times daily. A separatemooring winch is also provided at the bow.

Similarly, the aft mooring gear is over speci-fied with two double drum winches and athird single drum winch giving a minimumof three lines aft. The constant use of theequipment has led Attica to specify RollsRoyce Rauma hydraulic winches rather thanthe ever more popular electric variety. Spe-cial care was also given to the design of theanchor pockets and anchor locker bearingin mind the intensive use of the equipment.

In the very challenging economic envi-ronment that all the Greek ferry operators

find themselves in, there has been a call forthe new Greek Shipping minister to changesome restrictive rules governing the domes-tic ferry scene. Rather than asking for moresubsidy, more flexibility is required in the

manning rules and operating conditions toat least give the ferry operators a chance ofsurvival. These onerous conditions can evenbe seen on the design of the BLUE STARDELOS. The crew accommodation, locatedforward of the car deck on Deck 5, is largerthan on comparable ferries operating inNorthern Europe. A total of 52 cabins areprovided for the crew.

Uson has supplied the waste treatmentsystem. A garbage chute is arranged fromDeck 6 down to a special container housedin the centre casing on the main deck. InPiraeus, the container is slid into the cargolanes and exchanged by truck. The food

waste unit is located on the main deckforward on the starboard side.

The lifesaving equipment on boardcomprises four RFD Beaufort Marin-ArkMES units, each with a 632 passengercapacity. Attica chose this new generationsystem as they wanted to avoid using any

davit launched rafts. The Marin-Ark has arelatively small footprint at the same time asoffering fast evacuation times. Schat hardinghas supplied four 150 passenger partiallyenclosed lifeboats. While lifeboats are notrequired for the route to Santorini, they arerequired if the vessel would sail on Adriaticor Cretan routes.

As would be expected from such a repu-table shipbuilder, the standard of workman-ship on the ship is very high even thoughthe ship type was very unfamiliar for the

shipyard design and outfitting team. DSMEhas certainly gained a lot of experiencefrom building the ship. It is also notablethat the vast majority of equipment is fromEuropean suppliers.



W ith the Greek economy stillin the doldrums, the timingfor introducing new tonnage

is hardly auspicious. When the contract was signed with Daewoo Shipbuilding& Marine Engineering (DSME) in June2009, the world was still licking its woundsfrom the 2008 credit crunch. Actually, thedouble order represented the first significant

ferry newbuilding contract since the creditcrunch. With hindsight, the timing of BlueStar Ferries’ order was very appropriate,

with DSME offering an attractive priceand a prompt delivery. The project had

already been initiated in 2003, but the notyet fully liberalised Greek domestic marketmade Blue Star Ferries hesitate to push thebutton. The 2007 takeover of Blue StarFerries’ holding company, Attica Group, byMarfin Investment Group (MIG) did notprove to be the right timing either. Withthe strong financial muscle of MIG, whichhas Southeast Europe’s biggest buyout fund,

Blue Star Ferries and Superfast Ferries arein a much better shape than a few otherGreek (domestic) ferry operators whosefuture looks very bleak indeed. Standing atthe helms of Blue Star Ferries and Super-

fast Ferries are Michael Sakellis and SpirosPaschalis respectively. During this interviewthey voiced their opinions on the state of theGreek ferry market.

Due to the Greek sovereign debt crisis,uncertainty continues to prevail inGreece. How tough is it to operate in thecurrent Greek environment and how hard

has the Greek ferry industry been hit bythe crisis? Spiros Paschalis: The first signs of depressioncame in late 2008 mainly on the Greece-Italy trade. For three consecutive years,

ATTICA GROUPA DOUBLE INTERVIEW WITH SPIROS

PASCHALIS AND MICHAEL SAKELLIS

With the introduction of the new BLUE STAR DELOS, soon tobe followed by near sister vessel BLUE STAR PATMOS, BlueStar Ferries shifts into a higher gear at a time when theGreek economy is in reverse. Even so, Greece’s numberone domestic ferry operator is pretty confident that its EUR140 million investment will pay off in the long term.

By Philippe Holthof

Michael Sakellis

Spiros Paschalis



the market has shrunk. The internationalroutes are heavily dependent on freighttraffic, with passengers only travellingduring fairly short periods of the year. Inthe 2008-2010 period, truck-carryingsdropped by 22 percent, with a further 9percent decrease in 2011. Of course we feelthe Greek deficit crisis every day, but this

is not the only problem. Soaring bunkerprices are the main problem. Whereas fareshave remained almost stable during the lastthree years, bunker costs have increased by89 percent with no sign suggesting thatthey will go down again, quite the contrary.This is a huge problem for the ferry indus-try as a whole. Bunker costs today equal50 percent of our gross revenue. Since last

April, fuel prices have further increasedby more than EUR 100 per metric tonne.

All our ships together consume 250,000

tonnes per year. This represents an extracost of EUR 25 million. All this comesagainst the backdrop of a shrinking market. Michael Sakellis: We have maintained thevolume of traffic on our Blue Star Ferriesbranded domestic services. We have evennoted an increase at the expense of our rivalssince the overall Greek domestic market hasgone down. We have further increased ourmarket share with our competitors suffer-ing more.Spiros Paschalis: On the Adriatic Sea, Mi-noan Lines has fuelled competition follow-ing the introduction of their big Cruise-classvessels. We have adapted supply to demandand withdrawn ships from the Adriatic fray.On the Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Patras andPiraeus-Heraklion routes, we have joinedforces with Anek Lines. Thanks to the

Anek-Superfast joint service we can save onbunkers whilst still keeping our frequency.

In the mid-nineties a similar MinoanLines-Strintzis Lines alliance proved tobe short-lived. How is the Anek-Superfast

cooperation performing?Spiros Paschalis: Perfectly, I must say! It’s a

win-win situation for both parties. On the Ancona route our SUPERFAST VI andSUPERFAST XI are supplemented by AnekLine’s HELLENIC SPIRIT. This arrange-ment helps to further reduce overcapacity

whilst still keeping daily sailings thanks to

a three-ship rolling sailing schedule. It alsoenables us to cut bunker costs because thesailing time has been extended from 21 to24 hours. In the June-September period, theservice speed is increased again, offering a21-hour crossing and two sailings on certaindays of the week.

Capacity is also optimised on the Piraeus-Heraklion service. Before the merger, ourSUPERFAST XII operated a daily returnsailing in direct competition with MinoanLines and Anek Lines. The Anek-Superfast

joint service sees each company supplyingone ship, which comes down to a reductionin total capacity and fuel consumption be-cause the ships make only one single nightcrossing. On certain peak summer days,the ships operate an additional middaydeparture.

The joint Anek-Superfast service hasgained a 60 percent market share forfreight and 35 percent for passengers on thePiraeus-Heraklion route.

Apart from the Anek-Superfast tradename, no corporate identity has beenadopted, with the ships retaining theirrespective liveries. How long does the

joint-venture agreement last and whatabout the revenues? Spiros Paschalis: Each company has keptits own identity, with the Heraklion routebeing marketed as Anek-Superfast. We havesigned a three-year agreement. This endsin May 2014 with the option to extend itbeyond that date. The revenues are fixedpercentages, which are related to the number

of ships each partner deploys.Superfast Ferries operates one service

outside the joint service. This is the southern Adriatic route from Bari to Corfu, Igou-menitsa and Patras. We are the only bigplayer in this part of the Adriatic. We havethe largest market share on the southerncorridor and are the only reliable operator

with daily services.

Cost cutting seems to be the main driverof the Anek-Superfast joint service. Whatelse are you doing to reduce costs? Michael Sakellis: We do whatever we can,but it is mainly related to reducing fuelconsumption. We slow down when a highspeed is not required. We have also reducedthe number of sailings, whilst still perform-ing 95 percent of our advertised departures.

It is widely known that the Greek flag isa very expensive one. Are reflagging andemploying cheaper labour among youroptions now that the Greek domesticmarket has been fully liberalised? Michael Sakellis: Our ships could easily flyany EU flag, but this is not the point. ForGreek domestic traffic, the Greek govern-ment requires an entire Greek-speakingcrew, regardless of the flag. In short, youcan only employ Greek seafarers. With theexception of the direct services to Crete, thedomestic lines are extremely demanding

with a succession of calls at confined ports with poor infrastructure. I am convincedthat only Greek-qualified seamen have theknow-how and experience to handle ships inthe Aegean island ports. The major problem

with the Greek flag is the 10-month man-ning obligation. Ferry operators are forcedby the government to pay their crews for 10months even if some of their ships operatefor a shorter period of the year. Ultimately,the customer pays the bill because there isno tariff ceiling for domestic non-subsidised

lines. Because of the 10-month manningobligation we have to keep prices high.

As you rightfully pointed out, the poorport infrastructure continues to be an“Achilles heel” of the whole Greek ferrysystem. Do you expect any improvementhere in the future? Michael Sakellis: Port improvement is not

high on the govern-ment’s agenda. Piraeusis the only domestic

port that has improvedlately. But this port de-velopment scheme ismainly to the benefitof the cruise ships. A

A few striking figures:

Attica Group (2011 figures):

Area Itineraries Passengers Cars Motorcycles Trucks

Adriatic 1,289 550,000 112,000 5,000 113,000

Domestic 3,547 2,990,000 278,000 91,000 130,000

Total 4,836 3,540,000 390,000 96,000 243,000

Attica Group 2011 market shares Departures Passengers Cars Trucks

Domestic lines

Dodecanese 57.20% 89.70% 86.20% 69.70%

Piraeus-Cyclades 55.00% 68.80% 62.30% 94.30%Piraeus-Heraklion (*) 27.30% 20.00% 22.00% 27.30%

Greece-Italy Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona (*) 36.50% 32.50% 35.00% 29.50%

Patras-Igoumenitsa-Bari 65.50% 70.30% 60.20% 69.50%

(*) Pre Anek-Superfast joint service figures



monorail train that connects all the differentgates is planned at some stage in the future.Sadly, with no decent national policy forour ports and no money, we don’t expectany change in the short and medium term.Spiros Paschalis: The new South Port of Pat-ras was opened in July 2011. It’s an improve-ment over the older port because it’s a more

secure port in terms of ISPS and more easilyaccessible for the ships. But, there are onlyfour berths, which is not enough to handlethe number of ships. Ferries are sometimesforced to first discharge in the old port andshift to the new port for loading afterwards.

Also, the road infrastructure from the portto the motorway leaves a lot to be desiredbecause the construction companies stoppedbuilding due to non-payments.

The port of Igoumenitsa is gaining im-

portance over Patras anyway…Spiros Paschalis: Indeed, the Egnatia mo-torway brings the whole north of Greece,Turkey and even Bulgaria closer to Igou-menitsa. We have a peculiar developmentin Igoumenitsa with phase two of the portextension being under way. The size of theport will be further increased with a secondpassenger terminal, which is close to com-pletion. Berthing facilities will equally beimproved with finger piers, allowing shipsto be tied up without using anchors. Fundedby the EU, the works are not at risk of beingabruptly stopped due to the Greek crisis.

Has the political situation improved inGreece since the formation of a govern-ment of national unity?Spiros Paschalis: The current national unitygovernment has at least ears for our prob-lems. This is already a big improvementover the previous government. As statedbefore, our main problem is the cost ofbunkers. High bunker prices are a globalissue, but we have some typical Greek

difficulties, which could be addressed bythe government. Bunkering is exclusivelyin the hands of Hellenic Petroleum, thesole provider of marine fuel in Greece. Wehave asked the government to open upcompetition and convince Hellenic Petro-leum to accept Public Service Obligation(PSO) contracts as a guarantee for bunkerpayment. This would enable us to delaybunker payments and would improve ourcash flow. Usually we, ourselves, have to

wait for subsidies from the government

because they pay very late. Michael Sakellis: The government couldalso reduce VAT on domestic ferry tick-ets. Today a VAT of 13 and 23 percent isimposed on passenger and vehicle tickets

respectively. Maintaining the price levelafter VAT reduction warrants a higher in-come for the ferry operator.

Are PSO contracts still profitable giventhe current market conditions? Michael Sakellis: Not really, because subsidylevels have not followed at the same pace

as the double-digit hike in bunker prices.In most cases, the subsidies are not evenenough to cover our expenses. Only whenPSO services are combined with lucrative,non-subsidised routes, it is still worth callingat remote islands. The government shouldmake a decent calculation of the real coststo operate a PSO service. Unfortunately,the government is reluctant to do so. Theremuneration is discussed on a yearly basis,but it is a one-way conversation, with ourrequests falling on deaf ears.

The BLUE STAR DELOS took up serv-ice in mid-November. What is so specialabout the ship? Michael Sakellis: The BLUE STAR DELOShas replaced the BLUE STAR NAXOS onthe Cycladic trunk route that connects Pi-raeus with Paros, Naxos, Ios and Santorini.The ship has been purpose-built for thishigh-density service, leaving Piraeus early inthe morning and returning before midnight,in time to connect with the last metro train

to Athens. We have demanding passengers who

want quality and good service; many ofthem have weekend houses on the islands.Our passengers take the ferry often andtherefore expect a reliable year-round serv-ice. With our BLUE STAR DELOS we gainan edge over the competitor whose fast craft

do not operate during the winter. Hi-speedtickets are more expensive with passengerssitting in aircraft-type seats throughout the

journey. Not only are our tickets cheaper, wealso offer a pleasant onboard experience anda service speed of up to 26 knots during thesummer. With her expansive and pleasantouter decks she will be very popular in thesummer. The BLUE STAR DELOS is un-doubtedly the best ship for the route and I’mpretty confident that we will further increaseour market share in the Aegean. We expect

that volumes will rise by 5 to 10 percent andtarget to exceed 3.5 million passengers in2012. This will give us a 50 percent marketshare of the total traffic from Piraeus to the

Aegean islands and Crete.Even prior to the introduction of the

BLUE STAR DELOS, we had alreadyincreased our market share on the Cycla-dic routes to 69 percent for passengers, 62percent for cars and 94 percent for trucks.

Has the introduction of the BLUE STAR

Attica Group and MIG milestones:

• 1989: The Panagopulos family acquired the long-dormant Athens Stock Exchange-listed Attica Flour Mills, which was duly renamed Attica Enterprises.

• 1993: Attica Enterprises was used as the vehicle to create Superfast Ferries MaritimeS.A.

• 1995: Superfast Ferries revolutionised ferry traffic in the Adriatic, cutting crossingtimes to 20 hours with the SUPERFAST I & II.

• 1998-2002: Ten more “super fast” conventional ferries of a modified design followed,partly as a replacement and to open new routes inside and outside the Adriatic,notably in the Baltic and North Sea. Today Superfast Ferries is no longer active inNorthern Europe.

• 1999: Attica Enterprises took control of Strintzis Lines, which was later renamedBlue Star Ferries complete with a more modern house style.

• 2000: Blue Star Ferries introduced three new ferries: the BLUE STAR 1 & 2 initiallyplied the Adriatic (currently in domestic service) and the BLUE STAR ITHAKIrevolutionised domestic ferry travelling.

• 2002: Two near sister ships of the BLUE STAR ITHAKI, the BLUE STAR PAROSand BLUE STAR NAXOS, were introduced.

• 2007: The Panagopulos family sold their shares in Attica to Athens Stock Exchange-listed Marfin Investment Group (MIG). MIG now controlled just over 50 percentof Attica and was forced by law to make a public offer, which was completed in2008. Today MIG controls 89,4 percent of Attica Group, the remainder of theshares being in private and public hands, traded in the Athens Stock Exchange.

MIG appointed Petros Vettas to take the helm of Attica Group.• 2008: Blue Star Ferries was delisted from the Athens Stock Exchange.• 2009: A contract was signed with DSME for two new domestic ferries. The BLUE

STAR DELOS was delivered in 2011 and near sister BLUE STAR PATMOS willfollow soon.



DELOS led to a drastic fleet reshuffle? Michael Sakellis: In anticipation of theintroduction of the BLUE STAR DELOS,the ageing SUPERFERRY II was disposedof. Her place on the Rafina-Andros-Tinos-Mykonos route has been taken by the BLUESTAR ITHAKI which in turn has beenreplaced by the BLUE STAR NAXOS on

the Piraeus-Syros-Tinos-Mykonos route.

The BLUE STAR DELOS will serve theisle of Ios year-round. Will it attract extrabusiness? Michael Sakellis : Of course! The BLUESTAR NAXOS only called at Ios during theoff-season. Due to heavy traffic and, conse-quently, longer port stays we had to skip Iosin the summer in order to be back in Piraeusin time to connect with the last metro to

Athens. But the 26-knot service speed of the

BLUE STAR DELOS allows us to stop atIos also during the summer. During the off-peak season we reduce speed to 23 knots andonly call at Ios on the southbound journey.

Yes, we have high expectations of Ios as asummer destination and we are convincedthat it will further boost business.

How was your experience with DSME? Michael Sakellis: DSME had built our earliergeneration of ships and absolutely wanted tore-enter the market of specialised passengerships. They considered our two vessels as thestart of a new learning curve. They largelyfollowed our suggestions and there were

very few disputes. Our own on-site staff dida great job and we are extremely proud oftheir performance. Unfortunately, the ship

was delivered five months late and missedthe 2011 summer season.

Was DSME your first choice? Michael Sakellis: No! The project started

in 2003 and during 2004 talks began with at least 10 to 15, mainly European,shipyards. There was also a brief contact

with Samsung Heavy Industries. The mainproblem with the European shipyards wasthe long delivery time which really madeour plans impossible. In those days there

was a shortage of equipment, which gaverise to us ordering the engines for the firstship even before a contract was signed. Thenewbuilding plans were eventually put onhold because the liberalisation of the Greek

market took too long. On paper it had al-ready been liberalised, but the actual proc-ess took much longer. In the meantime,discussions with various yards were ongo-ing and we were in really advanced talks

with Astil leros de Sevilla and SingaporeTechnologies Marine (ST Marine). Follow-ing the takeover of Attica by MIG we endedup with DSME.

The BLUE STARP AT M O S w i l ltake up servicethis spring. Whatroute will she ply?

Is there still an option for a third ship inthe series? Michael Sakellis: The BLUE STAR PAT-MOS has been designed for longer over-night services. As her name suggests, she

will most probably serve the Dodecaneseislands. The option for a third ship expiredsix months after signing the contract in

June 2009.

Last but not least, how important is theinvestment in these two state-of-the-artferries for the Greek community? Michael Sakellis: This investment makes usreally proud because it represents a Greekinvestment in a very challenging economicclimate. It proves that Greek companies canperform and deliver very good productsfor their customers. Representing a totalinvestment of EUR 140 million, the two

ships are ahead of their time and representa big step forward in securing our com-pany’s future.

In conclusion, I dare say that the Greekdomestic fleet is one of the most modernin Europe. Eighty percent of all passengerstravel on ferries - both conventional andhi-speed - that are less than 10 years old.

As Director Operations, New Projects & Development,

Costis Stamboulelis has been the meastro of all Attica's

newbuildings inlcuding the BLUE STAR DELOS.

Deputy Technical Manager Chris-Alexander Korfiatis considers

the BLUE STAR DELOS as his baby.


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