ALEXANDRA L (ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ Λ)

-Kefalonian Lines

Built in 1975 (age 49). Registered in Piraeus. Current line: None (laid-up in Drapetsona)

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The legendary ALEXANDRA L, a ferry which has spent over three decades in Greece and has operated in almost every area of the Greek coastal service, was built in 1975 in Japan. She began service as the FERRY MUROTO for the Japanese company Muroto Kisen, being deployed on the Kobe-Kannoura line. In 1982 she was transferred to the company Kansai Kisen, and was renamed KURUSHIMA MARU. She was laid-up in Kobe in 1987, and remained abandoned there until 1988, when she was sold to the Greek company Nomicos Lines. She was converted in Perama, was renamed ANEMOS, and began service on the Thessaloniki-Skiathos-Skopelos-Skyros-Andros-Tinos-Mykonos-Paros-Santorini-Heraklion lifeline, where she became extremely successful. She remained there until 1996, when her company deployed her on the Piraeus-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Kimolos-Folegandros-Sikinos-Ios-Santorini line. In 1997 she was deployed on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Patmos-Ikaria-Fournoi-Samos-Chios-Mytilene line, where she stayed for two years. In 1999 it was announced that she would be sold to the newly-established Minoan Flying Dolphins. She was renamed EXPRESS ANEMOS and was due to operate under the Hellas Ferries division. However, right before the start of the 2000 season, she was sold to the newly-established ANEN Lines (a subsidiary of ANEK Lines), was renamed MYRTIDIOTISSA and was deployed on the Piraeus-Leonidion-Neapolis-Monemvasia-Gytheion-Kalamata-Kythira-Antikythira-Kissamos lifeline. In 2003 she operated solely on the Piraeus-Gytheion-Kalamata-Kythira-Antikythira-Kissamos lifeline. After a period of mixed results, she suffered an engine failure in 2007, then grounded off in Kythira in 2008. During that time, her company began to experience very serious economic difficulties, and ceased operations, hence leaving the MYRTIDIOTISSA laid-up in Elefsina and then in Perama from 2008 to 2010. That year, she was transferred to NEL Lines, which renamed her AQUA MARIA and repaired her in Perama. She returned to service after three years in 2011, being deployed on the Lavrion-Agios Efstratios-Limnos-Kavala line on the Northeast Aegean Sea. In 2012 she was deployed on the Lavrion-Psara-Chios line, where she also remained in 2013. In 2014, however, she was laid-up in Drapetsona due to the economic difficulties faced by NEL Lines, which eventually ceased operations in 2015, with all of their ships being laid-up. The AQUA MARIA was however saved again from the possibility of going to the scrapyards by being purchased in 2016 by the newly-established company Aqua Ferries. She was refitted in Drapetsona, was again renamed MYRTIDIOTISSA, and began service on the Agios Konstantinos-Skiathos-Skopelos-Alonissos line on the Sporades, where she also stayed in 2017. In 2018 she was sold to Kefalonian Lines, which renovated her even further and renamed her ALEXANDRA L. She was deployed on the Kyllini-Zakynthos line and on the Kyllini-Kefalonia line on the Ionian Sea. Later that year, however, Kefalonian Lines ceased operations, therefore leaving the ship with an uncertain future once again. She has since remained under lay-up in Drapetsona.

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PHOTOS (2018):

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