Kydon

Kydon in Santo Domingo
History
Name	(1990–1998): Hermes (1998–1999): Sofoklis Venizelos (1999–2012): Sophocles V (2012–2013): Elizabeth L (2013–2015): Sophocles V (2015–present): Kydon
Owner	(1990–1998): Kyuhei Ferry (1998–2023): ANEK Lines (2023–present): Blue Star Ferries / Attica Group
Operator	(1990–1998): Kyuhei Ferry (1998–2012): ANEK Lines (2012–2013): Jeju Cruise Line (chartered) (2013–2015): ANEK Lines (2015–present): Ferries del Caribe (chartered)
Port of registry	(1990–1998): Japan (1998–2020): Chania / Piraeus, Greece (2020–present): Nassau, Bahamas
Route	San Juan (Puerto Rico) – Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Shimonoseki Shipyard), Japan
Yard number	935
Launched	29 March 1990
Completed	11 July 1990
Acquired	1998 (by ANEK Lines)
Maiden voyage	1990
In service	1990
Identification	IMO number: 8916607 Call sign: C6EP8 MMSI number: 311000966
Status	In service
Notes	Named after the ancient city of Kydonia (modern-day Chania).
General characteristics
Tonnage	29,991 GT 6,987 DWT
Length	192.0 m (629 ft 11 in)
Beam	27.0 m (88 ft 7 in)
Draft	6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Installed power	2 × Nippon Kokan-Pielstick 12PC4-2V diesel engines (26,180 kW)
Propulsion	Twin screw
Speed	24.5 knots (service) 25.0 knots (max)
Capacity	1,600 passengers 1,100 lane metres
Notes	Sister ship to Kissamos

Kydon (Greek : Κύδων , Kýdon) is a ferry operated by the Puerto Rican shipping company Ferries del Carribe. The ferry was built at the Mitsubishi shipyard in Shimonoseki, Japan, for Higashi Nihon Ferry & Hayashi Marine Co. and sold to ANEK Lines in 1998, who subsequently enlarged the vessel. Since 2017, it has been chartered to Ferries del Carribe in the Caribbean.

History

Origins and construction

In the late 1980s, the Higashi Nihon Ferry company considered opening a new route connecting Hokkaido Island to Niigata Prefecture via the Sea of ​​Japan. To this end, the shipping company planned to put two identical vessels into service in the early 1990s.

Based on the design of the sister ships Varuna and Victory, which entered service in the late 1980s on Pacific Coast routes, the future vessels boast impressive dimensions, measuring 192 meters in length and 13,000 GT. Like the Pacific fleet, their design revolves around a vast, two-level garage spanning four decks and capable of accommodating 180 trailers and approximately 100 vehicles. Designed to carry 700 passengers, particular attention will be paid to the comfort of the facilities, which extend across three decks in total. These include numerous private first- class cabins, as well as amenities such as a restaurant, a bar, and traditional public baths.

Named Hermes, in reference to the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, the first ship was laid down on October 20,1989 at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyards in Shimonoseki . Launched on 29 March 1990 It was then completed over the next four months and delivered to Higashi Nihon Ferry on 11 juillet.

Service

Higashi Nihon Ferry (1990-1998)

The Hermes begins its career on 19 juillet 1990 between Jōetsu and Hokkaido. He then makes two round trips per week to Iwanai and one to Muroran. In avril 1992 it is joined by its sister ship, the Hercules, which allows three crossings per day to be offered on each of the two lines.

However, in the late 1990s, Higashi Nihon Ferry realized that its Sea of ​​Japan routes were operating at a loss. In septembre 1998 in order to maintain its presence between Kyushu and Joetsu, the company decided to combine this service with the Hokkaido route, extending the itinerary to Muroran. This new line was served by the sister ships Rainbow Bell and Rainbow Love, which replaced the Hermes and Hercules. With the arrival of the new Varuna on the Iwanai route in November, the two ships were left without a specific assignment. While Hercules was transferred to the Pacific routes, the Hermes was sold to the Greek company ANEK Lines.

ANEK Lines (since 1998)

Renamed Sof Venizelos , in homage to the Cretan politician Sophocles Venizelos, the ship left Japan at the end of 1998 for Greece. Upon arrival at the Perama shipyards, it underwent some renovations, including refurbishment of its facilities. New cabins were added, and a section was extended to the stern, allowing for the creation of a bar-lido with a swimming pool. Following the completion of the work, in juin 1999 the ship is renamed Sophocles V.

The car ferry is put into service on 2 juillet on the ANEK Lines routes in the Adriatic Sea between Greece and Italy.On July 2000, It is joined by its sister ship, the ex- Hercules , also acquired by ANEK, and renamed Lefka Ori.

In the early 2010s, Greek shipping lines were hit hard by a crisis triggered by rising fuel prices. In order to minimize its fleet operating costs, ANEK Lines decided to withdraw the Sophocles V and its twin from service and offer them for charter.

Initially laid up in Patras, the two ships were chartered in June by the South Korean shipping company Jeju Cruise Line. After leaving Greece at the beginning of the month, they arrived in South Korea on 26 juin Intended to operate between Shanghai, Jeju Island, and Kitakyushu, the project never materialized, despite the ships being painted in the company's colors. Consequently, the vessel remained laid up in Busan. During this period, it was unofficially known as Elizabeth L. Upon returning to Greece in December, it finally regained the colors of ANEK Lines after a stay at the Perama shipyards.

From mai 2014 the ship is chartered by the Sardinian consortium GoInSardinia and sails between mainland Italy and Sardinia until July. The Sardinian consortium was initially supposed to charter the Lato, another ferry from ANEK Lines, but it suffered damage a few days before it was due to enter service. From mid-July, it operates crossings between Algeria and Spain under charter from the state-owned company Algérie Ferries until September.

Returned to ANEK, its ownership was transferred to Hellas 1 Leasing Maritime Co. Laid up during the winter, it resumed service on 21 juillet 2015 on the ANEK Lines routes between Piraeus and Crete. On occasion, it was renamed Kydon and benefited from renovation work, including the modernization of its interior decoration.

In avril 2017 the ship is chartered by the Puerto Rican company Ferries Del Caribe. After leaving Greece on 14 avril to reach the Caribbean, it begins its rotations on 4 mai between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic after being painted in the company's colors, including the hull being repainted in blue.

Facilities

The Kydon has 10 decks. While the ship actually spans 11 decks, one is absent in the car deck area to allow the ship to carry cargo. Passenger quarters occupy all of decks 6 and 7 and part of deck 8, while the crew is housed at the front of deck 8. Decks 3 and 4 contain the car decks.

Common areas

During the ship's Japanese period, passengers had access to a restaurant and a cafe-bar on deck 8, two public baths (called sentō) and two game rooms on deck 7, as well as a cinema and a shop on deck 6.

Since the transformations carried out by ANEK Lines, the ship is equipped with an ice cream parlor, a veranda and a lounge bar on deck 6, a lounge and an outdoor bar on deck 7 and a restaurant and a self-service restaurant on deck 8. Until 2015, there was a swimming pool at the rear at the level of the outdoor bar but has since been removed.

Cabins

On board the Hermes, the cabins were located on decks 6 and 7. The ship was thus equipped in 1st class with 28 double cabins and 24 four-berth cabins in Western style, 25 four-berth cabins in Japanese style, 48 2nd class berths distributed in 14 twelve-berth cabins and five dormitories for a total of 232 places.

Today, the ship has around one hundred private cabins on decks 7 and 8 for a total of 650 berths. All cabins have bathrooms including shower, toilet and sink.

Features

The Kydon is 192 meters long and 27 meters wide. Its original tonnage was 13,384 GT (which is not entirely accurate, as the tonnage of Japanese car ferries is defined using different criteria), before being increased to 29,378 GT during its 1999 refit and finally to 29,991 GT in 2015. In its initial configuration, it could carry 700 passengers and 100 vehicles in a spacious garage that could also accommodate 180 trailers, accessible via two side ramp doors, one at the bow and the other at the stern on the starboard side, and a central aft door. Today, the ship can carry 1,600 passengers and 1,100 vehicles. Its garage access points remain unchanged, although a dedicated pedestrian ramp has been added at the stern. The Kydon 's propulsion is provided by two Nippon Kokan-Pielstick 12PC4-2V diesel engines, developing 26,180 kW of power and driving two propellers, propelling the vessel at a speed of 26 knots. It is also equipped with two bow thrusters , a stern thruster, and a roll stabilizer. Safety equipment at the time consisted primarily of life rafts and a rigid inflatable rescue boat. Since 1999, the ship has been equipped with four large, enclosed lifeboats.

Routes served

From 1990 to 1998, the Hermes sailed for the Higashi Nihon Ferry company on the routes between Niigata Prefecture and Hokkaidō Island on the Jōetsu - Iwanai and Jōetsu - Muroran routes.

From 1999, the ship served ANEK Lines routes between Greece and Italy, first on Patras - Igoumenitsa - Corfu - Trieste from 2005 to 2012 on the Patras - Igoumenitsa - Corfu - Venice route.

From May to juillet 2014 the ship is chartered by the Sardinian company GoInSardinia and sails between mainland Italy and Sardinia on the Livorno - Arbatax route . It is then operated between Algeria and Spain on the Oran - Alicante route under charter by the Algerian public company Algérie Ferries.

From 2015 to 2017, it was assigned between Piraeus and Chania in Crete under the colors of ANEK Lines.

Since 2017, it has been sailing under charter by the Puerto Rican company Ferries del Caribe between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on the San Juan - Santo Domingo route.

Accidents and Incidents

2015 fire

On 19 September 2015, a minor fire broke out during the afternoon hours aboard the ro-ro passenger ferry Kydon while it was docked at the Agios Dionysios area in the port of Piraeus.

Personnel from the local Port Authority and a detachment from the Fire Service deployed immediately to the scene. They determined that the fire, which originated from an unknown cause in the main engine room's ventilation suction chamber, had already been promptly extinguished by the ship's crew. The incident resulted in minor material damage, with no injuries or marine pollution reported.

The First Port District of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus launched a preliminary investigation and initially issued a detention order for the Kydon. The vessel was subsequently cleared to resume its voyages after presenting a certificate of class maintenance from its classification society.

2017 allision

On 18 May 2017, the 192-meter-long ro-ro passenger ferry Kydon allided with the quay at the port of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The incident occurred while the vessel was conducting mooring maneuvers upon arrival. While no passenger injuries were reported, the ferry's impact heavily damaged several containers and vehicles parked on the pier. There were no reports of environmental pollution.