F/B Express Hermes

Photo © Gunnar Menzer

Ship	Express Hermes (1997)	Building spec.	1968 at Boelwerf Vandereen Yard, Belgium N° 1440
GRT	3.397	DWT	1.919
Dimensions	117,96 x 15,4 x 5,31	Engines	2 Sulzer, 7.060 kW
Speed	22 knots	Passengers	1.800
Beds	210	Cars	140
Lane Metres		Sister ships	Georgios Express
Registry port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	RMT 1968-83 Ventouris Ferries 1983-97	Former Names	Princess Astrid 1968-83 Georgios B’ 1983-84 Bari Express 1984-97
New Owners	M.F.D. Hellas Ferries 2000-03 Scrapped in 2003	New names
Line

She was one of the second pair of Boel series launched for R.M.T., the Belgian partner of Sealink consortium; also the first (end of 50’s) and the third couple of ferries (middle part of 70’s) came to Greece: it could be very interesting to notice all the coincidences which involved these ferries when bought in Greece, however we could say that Agapitos Express Ferries owned one ship of all these three generations: the Artevelde/Aigaion, the Princess Astrid/Express Hermes, then the Prince Philippe/Express Athina. Purchased from R.M.T. for which she served the ports of Dover and Harwich, in 1983, was first employed on the line Bari - Corfu - Igoumenitsa – Patras under Ventouris Ferries’s colours, then, from 1988, was moved to Rafina - Andros - Tinos – Myconos line. Note that the structure near the stern was enclosed from her original appearance (compare with Georgios Express). In 1997 was sold to Agapitos Express Ferries and put on the route Piraeus - Syros - Paros - Naxos, Heraklia - Schinousses - Koufonissia - Amorgos - Astypalea. In November 1999 was sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins; first routed on the same services performed under Agapitos ownership, after her arrest of October 2000 was never fully employed on Hellas Ferries services, being laid up from 2002. In September 2003 was sold for scrap, sailing for her last trip to Alang, India, with the name “Express Erme”.

R.M.T. F/B Princess Astrid Photo by courtesy of Ferrypalace – Vincent Deley

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